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RPTU awards its first university awards: Talents for the future honored!
On July 8, 2025, university prizes for outstanding academic achievements were awarded for the first time at the RPTU Landau.
RPTU awards its first university awards: Talents for the future honored!
At the end of June 2025, the Friends of the RPTU in Landau awarded five university prizes for the first time, which are dedicated to special scientific achievements at the institution. Three dissertations, a master's thesis and a bachelor's thesis were honored, which were selected by a jury to honor outstanding research work. The prizes were presented by Eva Schübel, the chairwoman of the circle of friends, Malte Drescher, the president of the RPTU, and Lukas Hartmann, the mayor of Landau.
The prizes are endowed differently: the three dissertations received 1000 euros each, while the master's thesis received 500 euros and the bachelor's thesis also received 500 euros. The thematic focuses of the award-winning works reflect current social challenges.
Research on current topics
The award-winning dissertations include the work of Jana Posmek, who deals with the Fridays for Future movement in Germany. Her research is based on observations and interviews with young activists and addresses key issues such as justice and science orientation. The influence of students on climate policy is made clear by the protest movement, which, according to the Protest Institute mobilized hundreds of thousands in Germany.
Another winner, Lars Thorben Henk, analyzed the works of Émile Zola and their depiction of working-class life. This perspective is particularly relevant given today's debates about social justice and workers' rights. Julius Reiff's dissertation on permaculture highlights sustainable alternatives to industrial agriculture and shows positive effects on soil and biodiversity.
Excellent theses
Julia Hurtig received the prize for her master's thesis, which examines the design of everyday objects by the Nazis and analyzes their propagandistic function in the context of the “Beauty of Work” office. This shows how ideologies can be spread through everyday culture. Lilly Kiesbauer, whose bachelor's thesis deals with the public perception of wind energy projects, found that the population's information behavior is strongly influenced by public opinion, which fuels the discourse about renewable energies.
In addition to the awarding of the university prizes, the 2024 Campus Culture Prize was awarded to the RPTU Business Club, which was founded by Laura Fußer, Anna Fischer and Lukas Mak. The club aims to give students practical insights into business and currently has 60 members.
This award ceremony not only highlights the helpful role of educational institutions in society, but also the commitment of young people to social and environmental issues, as demonstrated by the Fridays for Future movement. The activists are striving for a change in climate policy and are relying on personal contacts to mobilize fellow campaigners.
The discussion about climate protection is becoming increasingly important, especially in the context of international agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Climate Protection Agreement. The latter aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C and requires national contributions to reduce emissions. Criticisms of these agreements often point to insufficient commitment and the need for democratic innovations to improve climate policy, as in bpb described.
These developments in the field of research and activism are simultaneously an expression of a fundamental change in society's perception of climate issues and the need for committed citizen participation.