Joachim von Braun was appointed for life to the Vatican's Academy of Science by His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. on Oct 8, 2012

The Pontifical Academy has about 80 members (http://www.casinapioiv.va/content/accademia/en.html). The themes covered by the Academy include basic science issues, and also science related to human development themes, such as health, climate change, food issues. The themes in the Academy’s most recent meeting were “Complexity in science” and “Neuroscience and the human person”.