Dr. Franz Mönks of Munster, Germany, is the recipient of the 2012 International Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the Mensa Education & Research Foundation for Dr. Mönks’ immeasurable influence on the education and psychology of the gifted and talented.
“The Mensa Foundation salutes Dr. Mönks for his research on giftedness and the education of gifted children,” said Dave Remine, President of the Mensa Education & Research Foundation. “Dr. Mönks acted as an inspiration to students around the world with his teachings and numerous publications. He is a true pioneer and we are very proud of his continued noble efforts.”
Dr. Mönks was appointed Europe’s first professorial Chair of Psychology and Pedagogics of the gifted child. In 1989, he was elected as vice president of the World Council for the Gifted and, in 1992, as president of the European Council for High Ability. He also founded an educational exchange program, which invited young scholars from underdeveloped countries to study giftedness and talent at the University of Niemegan before returning to their home countries. In addition, Dr. Mönks founded the Hugo de Groot Stichting Foundation and the Center for Giftedness in Nijmegen, and he co-founded the International Society for Study of Behavioral Development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was created in 1999 to honor an individual’s contributions to the field of human intelligence, giftedness, or creativity. To win this award, one must have published an exceptional body of work in research, theory, or other scholarly areas over a period of 15 years or more. Winners may be educators and/or practitioners in the fields of giftedness, brain function, human intelligence, creativity, or intelligence testing.