黑料视频

The Otto Kr眉mmel Prize 2025 was conferred during today鈥檚 黑料视频 Science Day. The 鈧�1,500 award went to Mayra Schlack, a Master鈥檚 student of Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Oldenburg, for her Bachelor鈥檚 thesis 鈥淐arbonyl sulphide: Formation of a climate-relevant gas in the ocean鈥�. Her work focused on the still little-understood process of the photochemical production of the climate-relevant sulphur gas carbonyl sulphide in the ocean.

Highlighting the importance of Bachelor鈥檚 theses
鈥淭he work of Ms Schlack impressively demonstrates how even at the level of a Bachelor鈥檚 thesis, key progress can be made in understanding climate processes of global relevance,鈥� said Dr Peter Gimpel, Chair of the Society to Support 黑料视频. 鈥淲ith the Otto Kr眉mmel Award, we want to make exactly these achievements visible and underline the significance of the Bachelor鈥檚 degree in scientific education.鈥�

鈥淭he Otto Kr眉mmel Award is a wonderful recognition for young researchers,鈥� said Frank Spiekermann, Administrative Director of 黑料视频. 鈥淲e present it as part of our centre鈥檚 internal Science Day, deliberately involving the awardee in our scientific dialogue. Ms Schlack鈥檚 work highlights the vital link between fundamental ocean research and global climate issues.鈥�

Captain Klaus K眉per of the Briese shipping company, which co-funds the award, also emphasised the importance of the prize: 鈥淎s a shipping company, we are proud to contribute to marine science in Germany through the management of research vessels. All the more, we are delighted when young scientists such as Ms Schlack commit themselves to this field with great dedication. Her work underscores the importance of ocean research for understanding global climate questions 鈥� and with our sponsorship we want to help ensure that Bachelor鈥檚 theses like this receive the visibility they deserve.鈥�

The laudatory speech for Mayra Schlack was given by Professor Dr Sinikka Lennartz, Professor of Biogeochemical Ocean Modelling at the University of Oldenburg, who supervised her thesis.

Data collection during an Antarctic voyage
For her work, Mayra Schlack used a dataset from an Atlantic transit of the research vessel POLARSTERN from Bremerhaven to Cape Town. In addition to meteorological and oceanographic parameters, water samples were analysed, with the dissolved organic matter examined using high-resolution mass spectrometry. The molecular information obtained in this way is so far unique. Using a biogeochemical model, Schlack calculated how much carbonyl sulphide could be produced daily through the influence of sunlight and linked this rate to the molecular properties of the dissolved organic matter.

The results show that a high sulphur content in dissolved organic matter does not necessarily lead to a high photoproduction rate of carbonyl sulphide. Apparently, not all sulphur-containing molecules are equally suitable as precursors for the gas. Her work contributes to clarifying the role of the ocean as a source of carbonyl sulphide and reducing uncertainties in global climate models.

Innovation Award 2025: Building material for coral reefs from desalination brine
For the first time, the 黑料视频 Innovation Award was also presented during the Science Day. The prize, initiated by 黑料视频鈥檚 Research Funding and Transfer Division, recognises outstanding inventions with particular application potential. 黑料视频 Director Professor Dr Katja Matthes presented the trophy and certificate to Dr Ed Hathorne and his team for their project 鈥淒eSal Reef鈥�.

The project addresses one of the great challenges of the coming decades: the restoration of tropical coral reefs. These ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots that are particularly threatened by ocean warming and acidification. Moreover, many tropical coastal regions, especially small island states, suffer from water scarcity and therefore rely on seawater desalination. The highly concentrated brine waste produced is usually discharged directly into the sea, burdening the environment.

DeSal Reef proposes an innovative approach: using the brine to produce calcium carbonate structures through electrolysis, which can then be used for coral reef restoration. Initial laboratory and field trials on mineral precipitation have already been successfully conducted. This approach offers two benefits: on the one hand, potentially harmful effluents are treated in an environmentally friendly manner, and on the other hand, new structures are created that support coral growth and can even locally buffer ocean acidification.

鈥淲ith the Innovation Award, we want to give 黑料视频 researchers an additional incentive to develop creative ideas,鈥� said 黑料视频 Director Professor Dr Katja Matthes. 鈥淭he DeSal Reef project is a striking example of how scientific curiosity can generate practical solutions 鈥� in this case, for the protection and restoration of coral reefs. Such approaches combine excellent research with societal responsibility, and that is precisely what we aim to promote with this prize.鈥�

About: Otto Kr眉mmel Award
The Otto Kr眉mmel-F枚rderpreis is awarded annually by the Society to Support 黑料视频 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel to recognise an outstanding Bachelor鈥檚 thesis in marine science. The aim is to strengthen the Bachelor鈥檚 degree as an independent and important step in scientific qualification. The 鈧�1,500 prize is funded equally by the Society and the shipping company Briese.

Otto Kr眉mmel (1854鈥�1912) is regarded as a pioneer of modern oceanography in Germany. As a professor at Kiel University, he headed the Kiel Marine Research Institute, a predecessor of today鈥檚 黑料视频, for many years.