Elected chief officers of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
They are all Hungarian academicians who are elected for three years by the General Assembly. Correspondingly, the three Vice-Presidents also serve three year terms.
In accordance with the Academy’s charter, the President is responsible for the management of the operations of the Academy based on decisions and resolutions made by the General Assembly, and also acts as the authorized representative of the Academy, exercising ownership rights regarding the Academy’s property.
The Secretary-General manages the Secretariat of the Academy.
The Secretary-General is assisted by the Deputy Secretary-General, who acts as a substitute for the Secretary-General when necessary.
Vice-Presidents are assigned tasks delegated to them by the President and are accountable to the General Assembly.
PRESIDENT
Mihály Pósfai
(Born: Szombathely, DOB: 19 April 1963)
geologist, academician, university professor
Mihály Pósfai Photo: mta.hu / Tamás SzigetiMTA X. Section of Earth Sciences
full member: 2016, corresponding member: 2010Photo:
Research areas: mineralogy, specifically “environmental mineralogy,” the study of the properties and formation of magnetic nanocrystals formed in living organisms
Major awards: Széchenyi Professorship Award (2000), Mineralogical Society of America fellow (2010), MTA Academy Award (2010), Széchenyi Prize (2016)
At the 200th General Assembly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, held to elect new officers, outgoing President Tamás Freund presented a faithful silver replica of the Academy’s seal, dating back to 1832, to Mihály Pósfai, the Academy’s newly elected president. This symbolic gesture was introduced in 2014 by József Pálinkás, former president of the Academy, with the intention of establishing a tradition. He handed the seal to László Lovász, who in turn passed it on to Tamás Freund in 2020.
SECRETARY GENERAL
Gábor Kecskeméti
(Born: Szolnok, DOB: 11 November 1965)
literary historian, academician, university professor, Director of the Institute for Literary Studies at ELTE HTK
MTA I. Section of Linguistics and Literary Scholarship
full member: 2022, corresponding member: 2016
Gábor KecskemétiPhoto: mta.hu / Tamás Szigeti
Research areas: history of early Hungarian literature, history of late Renaissance literary studies, sources of the history of literature and science in Hungary
Major awards: MTA Miskolc Regional Committee Distinguished Scientific Award (2012), Andor Tarnai Award (2009), Széchenyi Professorial Fellowship (2000–2003)
DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL
Ilona Kovács
(Born: Budapest, DOB: 3 July 1960)
experimental psychologist, academician, university professor
MTA II. Section of Philosophy and Historical Sciences
full member: 2025, corresponding member: 2019
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Ilona Kovács Photo: mta.hu / Tamás SzigetiResearch areas: vision research, perceptual learning and perceptual development, sleep research, sleep spindles, sleep and learning, adolescent brain and cognitive development, brain networks of mental simulation
Major awards: MTA Academy Award (2006), BME GTK Research Award (2006), Charles Simonyi Research Fellowship (2005), Fight for Sight Research Award (1991)
VICE PRESIDENT FOR LIFE SCIENCES
László Hunyady
(Born: Szombathely, DOB: 23 March 1959)
physiologist, academician
MTA V. Section of Medical Sciences
full member: 2016, corresponding member: 2010
László HunyadyPhoto: mta.huResearch areas: molecular physiology, experimental endocrinology
Major awards: Huzella Tivadar Prize and Commemorative Medal (2000), Outstanding TDK Mentor (2004), MTA Academy Award (2007), Széchenyi Prize (2018)
VICE PRESIDENT FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES
Balázs Borsos
(Born: Budapest, DOB: 14 March, 1961)
ethnographer, cultural anthropologist, academician, research professor, Deputy Director of the Institute of Ethnology at ELTE HTK
Department of Linguistics and Literary Studies
full member: 2025, corresponding member: 2019
Balázs BorsosMajor Awards: János Jankó Award (1995), MTA Academy Award (2014), Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary (Civil Division) (2018)
VICE PRESIDENT FOR NATURAL SCIENCES
Rita Kiss
(Born: Budapest, DOB: 1 November 1967)
civil engineer, academician, university professor
MTA VI. Section of Engineering Sciences
corresponding member: 2022
Rita KissPhoto: mta.huResearch areas: biomechanics, biomechatronics, analysis of human and animal movement, strength testing of biological tissues, structural reinforcement using fibre-reinforced plastics
Major awards: MTA Academy Award (2021), Dénes Gábor Award (2021), Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary (Civil Division) (2020), OTDT Master Teacher Gold Medal (2019), Pro Scientia Gold Medal (1991)