University Foundation Bayreuth Presents Research Awards

The Advanced Research Award was presented to Prof. Dr. Nella M. Vargas-Barbosa, Professor of Electrochemistry at the University of Bayreuth. Her project, now funded with €10,000, aims to develop a sustainable alternative to the energy-intensive ammonia production process based on the Haber–Bosch method. In making this award, the jury has recognized a project that addresses one of the major challenges of our time and provides important impetus for sustainable energy and materials research.

Dr. Franziska Zahn, research associate at the Fungal Ecology research group at the University of Bayreuth, received the Early Career Award, which is accompanied by prize money of €10,000. Her research project addresses a fundamental question in ecology: the exchange of carbon between so-called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and young tropical tree seedlings, a process that is central to the functioning of tropical ecosystems. The jury particularly emphasised Zahn’s novel experimental approach, which for the first time makes it possible to trace a potential direct transfer of carbon.

The Beyond Research Award, worth €10,000, was presented to Prof. Dr. Lena Kästner, Professor of Philosophy, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Bayreuth, and Prof. Dr. Daniel Buschek, Professor of Mobile Intelligent User Interfaces at the University of Bayreuth. Their joint research project investigates how students interact with AI tools during academic writing and how these tools should be designed to foster individual writing skills. The project thus brings together philosophy and human–computer interaction in an interdisciplinary approach and advances the cross-cutting themes of research, teaching and digitalization at the University of Bayreuth.

“The University Foundation Bayreuth is proud to honour dedicated researchers for their excellent work on topics of global importance. I offer my warmest congratulations to all the award recipients,” says Dr. Michael Hohl, Chair of the University Foundation Bayreuth.

Contact information:
Dr. Michael Hohl
Chairperson of the University Foundation Bayreuth
Phone: +49 (0)151 22207425
E-mail: unistiftung@uni-bayreuth.de