At the GFZ summer party last week, the Friedrich Robert Helmert Prize for the best dissertation of the 2024/25 academic year, given by GFZ Friends, the association of friends and supporters of the GFZ, and the GFZ Prizes for 2023 and 2024 in the categories Senior Scientist, Early Career Scientist, Technician, Science Manager and Administrator were awarded.
The 15 prize winners were honoured for their outstanding work in science and in support of science at the GFZ in the respective years:
The Friedrich Robert Helmert Prize 2024/2025
- Dr Elena Macdonald (Section 4.4 Hydrology)
The GFZ prizes
Senior Scientist
2023: Dr Hella Wittmann-Oelze (Section 3.2 Organic Geochemistry)
2024: Dr Sanja Panovska (Section 2.3 Geomagnetism)
Early Career Scientist
2023: Dr Nivedita Sairam (Section 4.4 Hydrology)
2024: Dr Julia Mitzscherling (Section 3.3 Geomicrobiology)
Technician
2023: Marcel Ludwig (Section 1.1 Space Geodetic Techniques)
2024: Dipl.-Ing. Christian Wille (Section 1.4 Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics)
Science Manager
2023: Dipl.-Kffr. Franziska Alberg (Section 2.2 Geophysical Imaging)
2024: Welcome Centre (Telegrafenberg) consisting of Dr Pia Sojka, Lydia Bauer and Jette Sassen (SHK) (Human Resources Division)
Administrator
2023: GFZ Intranet Working Group consisting of Dr Karina Schollän (Communications & Media Team), Robert Koppsieker (Section 5.3 IT Services and IT Operations) and Pia Klinghammer (Transfer & Innovation Team)
2024: Thomas Unterhofer (Purchasing Division)
Congratulations to all!
The award winners and their special achievements in detail
The Friedrich Robert Helmert Prize of the GFZ Friends for the best dissertation of the year 2024/2025 was awarded to
Dr Elena Macdonald from Section 4.4 Hydrology for her doctoral thesis on ‘When extreme floods are not as rare as they seem: controls of heavy-tailed flood peak distributions,’ supervised by Prof. Bruno Merz and Dr Sergiy Vorogushyn. Elena’s PhD work focused on the important question which mechanisms influence the heavy-tail distribution of floods, which can lead to unexpected extreme floodings and damages. Her extremely systematic approach that considers in particular different process interactions is novel and unique. The results led to relevant new recommendations for assessing extreme flood hazards by considering rain distribution and runoff formation.
Elena completed her doctorate at the University of Potsdam in under 4 years and graduated Magna Cum Laude. She has 4 first-author peer-reviewed papers and contributed among others to a German publication addressing extreme flood hazards.
The GFZ Prize ‘Senior Scientist 2023’ was awarded to
Dr Hella Wittmann-Oelze from Section 3.2 Organic Geochemistry for her outstanding management of the Laboratory for Cosmic-Ray Nuclei at the GFZ, where she and her team are developing new methods that contribute to quantifying the influence of weathering on the global carbon cycle and have received high national and international recognition. In 2023, this led to the acquisition of two highly endowed third-party funded projects. Her service-oriented, precise and professional laboratory management also contributes to an outstanding publication record at a very high level. Hella Wittmann-Oelze shows outstanding commitment to the GFZ, the German Mineralogical Society, the promotion of young scientists and the geochemistry of cosmogenic nuclides.
The GFZ Prize ‘Senior Scientist 2024’ was awarded to
Dr Sanja Panovska from Section 2.3 Geomagnetism for her outstanding achievements in acquiring the ERC Consolidator Grant “EXCURSION” to develop the first data-based model of the Earth's magnetic field over the last 780,000 years. Her significant contribution to the Helmholtz InnoPool project “SOLVe”, which was acquired in the same year and investigates solar and volcanic footprints in past and future climates in a network of seven Helmholtz centers, is also recognized. In addition, Sanja Panovska is very active in scientific outreach: among others, she acquired an international outreach project of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy. Last but not least, she was significantly involved in two influential publications in 2024.
The GFZ Prize ‘Early Career Scientist 2023’ was awarded to
Dr Nivedita Sairam from Section 4.4 Hydrology in recognition of her exceptional contributions to systemic modelling of compounding flood impacts including the health impacts of flooding under global change. Just two years after completing her PhD successfully, she secured a prestigious grant from the German Ministry of Education and Research to start her Junior Research Group “Health Impacts of Floods (HI-CliF)” in 2023. She is an outstanding leader and mentor for her highly diverse and interdisciplinary team of 4 PhD and 7 Master students from 10 countries. In addition to a strong publication record, Nivedita Sairam actively promotes FAIR data principles, and is deeply committed to transfer and communication with decision makers, e.g. as member of the EGU Task Force on Climate Hazards and Risk.
The GFZ Prize ‘Early Career Scientist 2024’ was awarded to
Dr Julia Mitzscherling from Section 3.3 Geomicrobiology for her outstanding achievements in establishing applied deep biosphere research at the GFZ. Noteworthy for 2024 are her application-oriented work in geothermal energy and the development of microbiological monitoring as part of the GFZ innovation project ‘MikroBioMonitoring’, which is of particular interest to energy suppliers and other municipal institutions. This work made it possible to successfully apply for a Field Study Fellowship as part of the Helmholtz Enterprise Programme. Her work, which she has driven forward with impressive initiative, combines basic research with application and has been very well received not only in the scientific community but also by industrial partners.
The GFZ prize ‘Technician of the Year 2023’ was awarded to
Marcel Ludwig from Section 1.1 Space Geodetic Techniques for his exceptionally diverse and innovative technical solutions, which enable outstanding research results in various sections and departments of the GFZ. As an industrial mechanic specialising in precision engineering, he makes highly reliable and essential contributions to the GFZ's operational geodetic observation networks in the workshop area of the Geodesy Department. His initiative to develop and use unmanned small aircraft for scientific applications also led to significant deployments and results in 2023. In addition, Marcel Ludwig is a key driver of the use of 3D printing at the GFZ – since 2023 with a new 3D printer. This benefits both science and science communication.
The GFZ prize ‘Technician of the Year 2024’ was awarded to
Dipl.-Ing. Christian Wille from Section 1.4 Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics for his outstanding achievements in the provision and further development of state-of-the-art measurement technology, data preparation, quality assurance and management, as well as analytical and scientific contributions to the long-term development of greenhouse gas dynamics in rewetted peatlands. These achievements are reflected in eleven peer-reviewed publications by the Earth-Atmosphere-Interactions working group in 2024. Christian Wille is thus not only the ‘technical’ backbone of greenhouse gas research activities at GFZ, but also an essential factor in the career development of early career scientists and the success of the entire research unit.
The GFZ Prize ‘Science Manager 2023’ was awarded to
Dipl.-Kffr. Franziska Alberg from Section 2.2 Geophysical Imaging for her outstanding achievement in organising the annual conference of the PoF* programme for the entire Research Field ‘Earth & Environment’ in Karlsruhe in 2023 with great success and full responsibility. She is the permanent contact person for all diverse PoF matters relating to science, coordination and administration at GFZ and within the programme. With this conference for 300 participants, Franziska Alberg has significantly strengthened the visibility and reputation of GFZ both nationally and internationally in the presence of the programme's international advisory board.
*PoF stands for the Helmholtz Association’s ‘Program oriented Funding’. The seven Helmholtz Research Centres in the Helmholtz Research Field ‘Earth & Environment’ have a joint seven year Research Programme ‘Changing Earth – Sustaining our Future’.
The GFZ Prize ‘Science Manager 2024’ was awarded to the
Welcome Centre (Telegrafenberg),
consisting of Dr Pia Sojka, Lydia Bauer and Jette Sassen (SHK) from the Human Resources Division V1
for the outstanding support they provide to international employees at the Telegrafenberg Institutes. Their services cover a wide range of areas, from preparation and arrival in Germany to promoting networking and social and linguistic integration of international scientists. In 2024, a total of 233 newly arrived researchers received expert support. The nomination was supported by all five departments of the GFZ and expresses their satisfaction with the services provided by their colleagues.
The GFZ Prize ‘Administrator 2023’ was awarded to the
GFZ Intranet Working Group, consisting of
Dr Karina Schollän (Team Communication & Media),
Robert Koppsieker (Section 5.3 IT Services and IT Operations)
Pia Klinghammer (Team Transfer & Innovation)
for the successful redesign of the GFZ intranet. Inspired by the results of the 2020 employee survey, this team worked in a participatory process until 2023 to implement the wishes and needs of the scientific and administrative staff: updating the technology to the latest TYPO3 version, revamping the structure and design, and implementing innovative tools such as a subscribable calendar, a digital mailbox and archiving of gfz-l emails. The working group has thus made a decisive contribution to improving internal communication, collaboration and cooperation at GFZ. The intrinsic motivation that led to the formation of the working group is an impressive example of the GFZ spirit in action.
The GFZ Prize ‘Administrator 2024’ was awarded to
Thomas Unterhofer from the Purchasing Division V3 for his outstanding achievements in implementing innovative procurement strategies as part of the Helmholtz validation project RIM2D. This project, a team effort led by Section 4.4 Hydrology, aimed to transfer the research code of a flood simulation model to a cloud-based service. It was awarded gold by the Competence Centre for Innovative Procurement of the Federal Ministry of Economics in 2024. Thomas Unterhofer also took on a leadership role within the Helmholtz working group ‘IT Procurement’ and, in cooperation with the GFZ computer centre, was able to achieve significant savings for the Helmholtz Association and the GFZ.