News Release

DFG awards 2004 Bernd Rendel Prize

Six young geoscientists honoured

Grant and Award Announcement

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

This is the second time that the prize has been given since its inception in 2002. The awards, worth €2000 each, are designed to enable young scientists who have not yet received their doctorate to take part in international conferences and symposia.

The prizewinners:

Raik Bachmann, GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam
During his studies, Raik Bachmann focussed on the quality of ores and stones found in volcanic rock. He founded the student chapter of the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG), the largest scientific organisation of individual members with interests in the field of economic geology, in Freiberg in 2000.

Bodo Bookhagen, University of California, Santa Barbara
In his thesis, which he completed at Potsdam University in 2004, Bodo Bookhagen dealt with the topic of climate changes and landscape evolution in the formation of the Himalaya. In 2003, his work took him to the University of California, Berkeley, where he joined the geomorphology group.

Eva Gebauer, University of Tübingen
The evolutional history and development of therapsids, a group of land vertebrates similar to mammals, is the focal point of Eva Gebauer's research. These vertebrates, which represent the link between mammals and reptiles, are also the subject of her doctoral thesis.

Yvonne Hamann, University of Leipzig
In her doctoral research Yvonne Hamann is studying the effects of short-term climate change on the environment in the eastern Mediterranean. During her graduate studies, the geologist also pursued research in sedimentology and palaeontology, underlining her interest in interdisciplinary topics.

Gregor Knorr, University of Hamburg
The focal point of Gregor Knorr's research is the modelling and analysis of climate dynamics during deglaciation at the end of ice ages. His doctoral thesis centres on his 3D circulation model for the Atlantic Ocean, the results of which have been published in the scientific journal "Nature".

Merle Katharina Richter, University of Bayreuth
For her dissertation Merle Katharina Richter developed a combined procedure which enabled her to obtain fossil DNA from soil. In this work the young geologist was able to prove the significance of cattle and boars in the diet of pre-Columbian Indians.

The prize is named after geology student Bernd Rendel, who died at an early age. The prize is funded by proceeds from the Bernd Rendel Foundation, which is administered by the Donors´ Association for the Promotion of Science and Humanities.

The prize ceremony was held during the 8th Crafoord Symposium on 25 February 2005 at the University of Tübingen.

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Further information on the prizewinners is available at:

www.dfg.de.

For further information on the prize, please contact:

Dr. Ute Weber
DFG Head Office
Kennedyallee 40, D-53175 Bonn, Germany
Tel. 49-228 / 885-2760
E-mail: ute.weber@dfg.de


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