Environmental Research Prize 2024

The Environmental Research Prize of Fribourg University aims to promote disciplinary and interdisciplinary research in the field of environmental sciences and sustainability. The prize is awarded to young researchers whose innovative and outstanding scientific work contributes significantly to a better understanding of environmental problems and their solution.

Environmental Research Prize 2024

2024 the Environmental Research Prize of the University of Freiburg is awarded for the tenth time.

The prize amount can be divided among several people. The prize money can be used for study trips, visits to congresses, printing of publications or further research.  

  • Application

    The following points should be noted for the application:

    • The submission for the prize 2024 is possible until 30 June 2024.
    • The main author must work or must have been working at the University of Freiburg or be or have been registered as a student. Contributions based on cooperation between the University and other private or public research institutions are also welcome.
    • Qualification theses (habilitation, doctorate, master thesis, publication) can be submitted up to two years after their acceptance.
    • The thesis can be written in German, French or English.

    The application documents include:

    • the application form (see below)
    • a lay summary (problems and solutions presented in a generally understandable way, 1 page, max. 3500 characters, including spaces);
    • the curriculum vitae of the main author with list of publications and declaration of consent of the co-authors;
    • a motivation letter (max. half a page)
    • the research work as PDF document. If the file is too large for the application form, please attach a PDF with this information to the application form and send a link to download the research paper by e-mail at environment@unifr.ch.
  • Procedure
    • Application deadline is June 30, 2024.
    • The prizewinner will receive the decision of the prize jury at the beginning of October 2024 at the latest.
    • The prize will be awarded at the Dies Academicus of the University of Freiburg on November 15, 2024.
  • Responsibilities & Prize Commission

    The prize commission for the Environmental Research Prize of the University of Freiburg (prize jury) is responsible for all the participants. In particular, it determines the modalities for the submission and assessment of the works and assesses the submitted works. It may call in external experts for the assessment and evaluation of the work. The Commission's decision is final and incontestable. By registering, participants acknowledge the conditions of the competition.
    Composition of the Prize Commission

    • President of the Prize Commission: Prof. Ivo Wallimann-Helmer (Director of the University of Fribourg Environmental Sciences and Humanities Institute (UniFR_ESH Institute)).
    • Members are Dr. Dominic Roser (Rectorate representative), Prof. Cathryn Magno (member of the UniFR_ESH Institute Council) and Prof. Sven Bacher (member of the UniFR_ESH Institute Council), Hansruedi Völkle (Pro Natura, sponsor)
    • Advisory members are Farida Khali (Department of Communication and Marketing) and Matthias Held (Department of Research Promotion).

    Hansruedi Voelkle

    Pro Natura representative

    Former Professor tit. (Confederation - protection of radioactivity) 

    T: +41 26 300 91 61
    Email

     

  • Contact


    Secretariat
    Environmental Sciences and Humanities Institute
    University of Fribourg
    Chemin du Musée 4
    1700 Fribourg
    Tel. 026 300 88 25
    environment@unifr.ch

  • Downloads
Acknowledgements

The prize commission and the UniFR_ESH Institute thank Pro Natura Freiburg for the generous financial support of the 2024 prize.

Award winner 2024: Sophie Bucher

The winner of the 2024 Environmental Research Prize is Sopie Bucher. The prize committee congratulates her on her master's thesis entitled The Virtue Ethics of Shrub Encroachment on Cultural Landscapes. Extensive Subalpine Grasslands in the Valais, Switzerland as a Case Study of Good Environmental Stewardship.

Laudatio by Prof. Dr. Ivo Wallimann-Helmer: ‘In her master's thesis in Environmental Sciences and Humanities, Sophie Bucher develops a virtue-ethical approach to environmental stewardship using the example of shrub encroachment in the Valais Alps. The work shows in a very convincing way how the interplay between the humanities and natural sciences can produce concrete decision-making tools for dealing with environmental challenges. The approach developed is not only extremely well defined, but also convincing in its consistent application to the analysed case study’.

Interview with Sophie Bucher, Alma&Georges

The prize commission and the UniFR_ESH Institute thank Pro Natura Fribourg for its generous financial support of the 2024 prize.

Alma&Georges, December 2024: Interview with Sophie Bucher Wie die Verbuschung im Wallis philosophischen Fragen aufwirft

Alma&Georges, April 2024: Umweltforschungspreis: Eine Auszeichnung für wegweisende Beiträge zur Bewältigung globaler Umweltprobleme

The winners of previous editions

  • 2024: Sophie Bucher

    The winner of the 2024 Environmental Research Prize is Sopie Bucher. The prize committee congratulates her on her master's thesis entitled The Virtue Ethics of Shrub Encroachment on Cultural Landscapes. Extensive Subalpine Grasslands in the Valais, Switzerland as a Case Study of Good Environmental Stewardship.

    Laudatio by Prof. Dr. Ivo Wallimann-Helmer: ‘In her master's thesis in Environmental Sciences and Humanities, Sophie Bucher develops a virtue-ethical approach to environmental stewardship using the example of shrub encroachment in the Valais Alps. The work shows in a very convincing way how the interplay between the humanities and natural sciences can produce concrete decision-making tools for dealing with environmental challenges. The approach developed is not only extremely well defined, but also convincing in its consistent application to the analysed case study’.

    Interview with Sophie Bucher, Alma&Georges

    The prize commission and the UniFR_ESH Institute thank Pro Natura Fribourg for its generous financial support of the 2024 prize.

  • 2022: Lara Volery

    The winner of the 2022 Environment Research Award is Lara Volery. The prize commission congratulates her on her Doctoral thesis entitled Impacts of alien species.

    Invasive alien species are a growing problem for local flora and fauna. However, in order to combat the phenomenon effectively, we need to develop a very detailed understanding of the mechanisms that govern the system. Lara Volery contributed to this work in her thesis, which has earned her the Environmental Reserach Prize 2022.

    Read more

    The prize commission and the UniFR_ESH Institute thank Pro Natura Freiburg for the generous financial support of the 2022 prize.

  • 2020: Anna Geiser

    The winner of the 2020 Environment Research Award is Anna Geiser. The prize commission congratulates her on her Master's thesis entitled Changing agriculture – Southland farmers’ struggles to reconcile neoliberal production demands with increasing environmental regulation.

    In her Master's thesis, Anna Geiser analysed the view and situation of farmers in Southland, New Zealand, in a changing environment. To this end, she conducted a series of interviews with affected people, using a Bourdieusian approach, to highlight the paradoxical situation of the farmers.

    They are in conflict with, on one hand, the need to maintain profitable farms without state support. On the other hand, they are forced to massively question their practice of sheep farming under public pressure and progressive state regulation. Anna Geiser has carefully and soundly identified a central challenge of many environmental problems. For one central polluter - in this case the farmers of the Southland - a dilemma arises between economic necessity and environmental protection. The work stands out for its scientific quality and its contribution to a better understanding of a specific environmental conflict. 
    The prize commission and the UniFR_ESH Institute thank Pro Natura Freiburg for the generous financial support of the 2020 prize.

  • 2018: Dr. Basil Oberholzer

    In 2018 the prize was awarded to Dr. Basil Oberholzer for his doctoral thesis with the title "Monetary Policy and Crude Oil: the Impacts of the Financial System on Economic Stability and Environment". On 15 November 2018, the young economist had the honour of receiving the prize, endowed with 5,000 francs, from the Rector Astrid Epiney at the Dies Academicus.

    His work can be summarized as follows:

    "This Ph.D. thesis provides an analysis of the relationships between monetary policy and the global crude oil market. It finds that expansive monetary policy causes speculative investment in the oil market giving rise to price volatility and higher oil consumption. Based on the resulting conclusions, a new policy approach is proposed: the oil price targeting system. It is a framework, which establishes financial and economic stability in the oil market while reducing oil consumption. The new policy proposition thus shows how monetary policy can be employed to pave the way out of fossil energy and set the conditions for the mainstreaming of green finance, renewable energies and energy efficiency. Potential criticisms of the oil price targeting system are addressed and taken into account."

  • 2016: Naomi Vouillamoz

    The Environmental Research Prize is awarded to Naomi Vouillamoz for her thesis entitled «Microseismic characterisation of Fribourg area (Switzerland) by Nanoseismic Monitoring» 

    in which she analyses very weak earthquakes, referred to as nanoseismicity, in the Canton of Fribourg, along a seismically active area called the Fribourg Zone. Using innovative methodologies, she was able to interpret the data to obtain an image of the spatial distribution and magnitude of earthquakes. These results provided a better understanding of the relationship with regional tectonic structures.

    The Jury stresses that "this study is a major milestone in our knowledge of the evolution of constraints in the foreland of the Alps. It will also serve as a basis for future feasibility studies in the field of hydrocarbon exploration or deep geothermal energy, particularly in the Canton of Fribourg".

    Mrs Vouillamoz carried out a thesis work at the forefront of research and the 6 members of the thesis jury unanimously noted the excellence of the work. She has demonstrated through her scientific, but also personal and enthusiastic qualities that she is a talented researcher.

  • 2014: Raphaël Mahaim

    The University of Fribourg awards the 5th Environmental Research Prize to Raphaël Mahaim for his doctoral thesis entitled "Le principe de durabilité et l'aménagement du territoire - Le mitage du territoire à l'épreuve du droit: utilisation mesurée du sol, urbanisation et dimensionnement des zones à bâtir". With a rigorous multidisciplinary approach, the author shows that ecological sustainability requires the establishment of rigid mechanisms for the protection of natural resources and that article 73 of the Federal Constitution, in which the principle of sustainability is enshrined, contains directly applicable normative elements. The revision of the law, which entered into force on 1 May 2014, also goes in this direction. This award, worth CHF 10,000, is offered by the Société anonyme pour l'incinération des déchets du Canton de Fribourg et de la Broye vaudoise (SAIDEF) and awarded every two years by the University of Fribourg. This award is given first and foremost to excellent scientific work on relevant topics related to the environment.

  • 2012: Sandra Daguet

    The winner of the 2012 Prize and Fribourg are extremely close. The young economist Sandra Daguet was born in Fribourg and studied economics and social sciences there. After her bachelor's degree in 2005, she worked in Geneva in a design office in environmental and applied economics. Since 2008, she has been working in Prof. Dafflon's Chair of Public Finance and received the title of Doctor for her work "Environmental Taxes: Institutions, Implementation and the Use of Revenues" in June this year.

    The prize, financed by SAIDEF (Société anonyme pour l'incinération des déchets du canton de Fribourg et de la Broye vaudoise), was solemnly awarded by Rector Guido Vergauwen on 14 November 2012 at the Dies Academicus.

  • 2010: Anna Lewis and Odile Bruggisser

    The commission for the 2010 Environmental Research Prize of the University of Fribourg has decided this year to award two of the proposed works.

    Anna Lewis: Global learning in high school. Design and evaluation of a teaching concept related to the theme "Sustainable Tourism". This Master's work is of excellent quality. The commission rewards in particular the applicability and feasibility of this teaching concept.

    Odile Bruggisser: The conservation of spiders in agro-ecosystems: a diversity of approaches. This work is the result of meticulous and high quality scientific research. The results are remarkable and of major interest for organic viticulture.

  • 2008: Martine Poffet

    The GIF (Groupement Industriel du Canton de Fribourg), the commission of the 2008 Environmental Research Prize and the Environmental Sciences team warmly congratulate Mrs Martine Poffet on obtaining the Prize for her brilliant doctoral thesis.

    Her thesis is an excellent example of the importance of collaboration between industry and universities, economics and science, particularly in the field of environmental protection.

  • 2006: Thomas Spiegelberger

    The Fribourg Environment Prize was awarded for the first time in 2006 to biologist Thomas Spiegelberger. In his doctoral thesis, the scientist analyses the consequences of human interventions on alpine ecosystems and presents new methods to restore species diversity.

    In the opinion of the jury, Thomas Spiegelberger's doctoral thesis "Land use, soil nutrient availability on conservation of biodiversity on mountain grassland" is an important contribution to a better understanding of environmental problems and their solution. The jury particularly praised the successful creation of a bridge between fundamental and applied research. The Environment Prize, endowed with 10,000 francs, was financed by the Groupement industriel du canton de Fribourg (GIF).