Environmental Prize of the Viktor & Sigrid Dulger Foundation
The Viktor and Sigrid Dulger Foundation's 2024 Environmental Award goes to two outstanding young female scientists: Geographer Dr Dagmar Brombierstäudl from the South Asia Institute and public health specialist Dr Patricia Nayna Schwerdtle from the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health.Both share the 10,000 euro prize for their excellent research achievements with high relevance for environmental research.
Environmental Prize of the Viktor & Sigrid Dulger Foundation
Two outstanding scientists honoured
The Viktor and Sigrid Dulger Foundation's 2024 Environmental Award goes to two outstanding young female scientists: Geographer Dr Dagmar Brombierstäudl from the South Asia Institute and public health specialist Dr Patricia Nayna Schwerdtle from the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health. Both share the 10,000 euro prize for their excellent research achievements with high relevance for environmental research. The prize is awarded by the Heidelberg Center for the Environment (HCE), the university's environmental science research centre.
Dr Dagmar Brombierstäudl devoted her dissertation "Exploring Aufeis in the Trans-Himalaya" to the previously neglected phenomenon of so-called "Aufeis". "Aufeis" is the term used to identify deposits of stratified ice formed by the freezing of successive water outflows. The research findings show how important mountains are for the local and global water balance.
In her dissertation "The nexus of climate change, migration and health", Dr Patricia Nayna Schwerdtle investigated the health risks of migrants in Bangladesh, a highly climate-vulnerable region. Their research shows how climate change influences people's mobility patterns and combines scientific analysis with environmental policy engagement.
Viktor & Sigrid Dulger Foundation: Promotion of science
In the spirit of the late founder of the ProMinent Group and honorary senator Prof. Dr h.c. Viktor Dulger, young people are honoured for their outstanding work and achievements in the natural sciences. Every year, the Viktor & Sigrid Dulger Foundation endows an environmental prize with which Heidelberg University honours outstanding theses, dissertations or post-doctoral theses in the field of environmental research.
Image:Dr Dagmar Brombierstäudl (2nd from left) and Dr Patricia Nayna Schwerdtle (centre) accept the award from Prof. Dr Karin Schumacher (2nd from right), Vice-Rector for Quality Development and Sustainability, Prof. Dr Thomas Rausch (right), Managing Director of the HCE and Andreas Zühlcke (left) as representative of the Viktor & Sigrid Dulger Foundation. (Picture credits: Dr Florian Freundt, Heidelberg Center for the Environment (HCE))