From the laudation:

“Alan Woodland's research focuses on the redox reactions of rock-forming minerals, addressing both their experimental and theoretical aspects and applying these concepts to natural mineral assemblages. (...) Particularly impressive is the breadth of Alan Woodland's research approach and the wide range of methods he employs to solve scientific problems. (...) By awarding this prize, the German Mineralogical Society honors Alan Woodland as an outstanding mineralogist whose innovative research has made significant contributions to several branches of mineralogy, including geochemistry, petrology, and crystallography.”