Outstanding Look into the Depths: 2024 Senckenberg Prizes Go to Marine Researchers

Tomorrow, Saturday, the Senckenberg prizes for outstanding achievements in nature research and for exceptional personal commitment to the protection and conservation of nature will be awarded for the seventh time during the Senckenberg Night. Prof. Dr. Lisa Levin, the U.S. American recipient of the Senckenberg Prize for Nature Research, travels to the bottom of the ocean in a tiny submersible for her research and is a passionate ambassador for the protection of the deep sea. Dr. Enric Sala has already helped to create 28 marine protected areas covering more than 6.5 million square kilometers and will receive the Senckenberg Prize for Commitment to Nature. The 2024 Senckenberg Night “Our Oceans – A Look into the Depths” is held under the patronage of the Minister President of Hesse, Boris Rhein, and is being organized by the Friends of Senckenberg.

Heatwaves, overfishing, oxygen depletion, acidification, and trawl fishery – our oceans are subject to constant stress. But there is also reason for hope: International treaties have been adopted to protect the world’s oceans, and the public’s awareness of the importance of marine ecosystems is on the rise. Innovative technologies and the expansion of marine protected areas are likewise contributing to conservation. At tomorrow’s Senckenberg Night, two outstanding personalities who are exceptionally committed to the protection and preservation of marine ecosystems will be honored with the Senckenberg Prize in the categories of Nature Research and Commitment to Nature.

“The oceans are the heart of our planet. They produce more than half of the oxygen, regulate the climate, and provide valuable food. Their health influences the Earth’s entire ecosystem and thereby our own well-being. That is why it is everyone’s responsibility to protect the oceans. Whether plastic or chemicals end up in the rivers is something that we in Hesse can also have an impact on. Senckenberg’s research provides us with the knowledge we need to understand the global connections and promote the protection of the oceans. I was therefore delighted to take on the patronage of this year’s Senckenberg Night, which is dedicated to the ocean ecosystem. I am particularly delighted that with Lisa Levin and Enric Sala, Senckenberg will honor two outstanding personalities who are dedicated to the preservation of the world’s oceans. On behalf of the entire Hessian state government, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the two award winners,” says Minister President and patron Boris Rhein, who will be represented at the Senckenberg Night by the Minister of Justice, Christian Heinz.

Prof. Dr. Lisa Levin, Professor Emeritus of Biological Oceanography and Marine Ecology at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, will be awarded the Senckenberg Prize in the category of Nature Research for her outstanding, internationally acclaimed research. The prize is endowed with 10,000 euros. As an ambassador for deep-sea marine conservation and initiator of the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI), the U.S. scientist is committed to protecting sensitive deep-sea ecosystems around the world. She also serves as an advisor to global political bodies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). “With over 280 published studies and participation in more than 40 oceanographic expeditions, Lisa Levin has made an outstanding contribution to progress in marine research. She investigates biodiversity, climate change, and human impacts on the deep sea. She is driven by the desire to understand the way the ocean – and the deep sea, in particular – works, what are the key drivers of change, and what ecosystem functions the oceans and their inhabitants provide for us,” explains Prof. Dr. Angelika Brandt, marine researcher and member of the Board of Directors of the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, and she continues, “To this end, she participates in research missions that lead to some of the deepest parts of the world’s oceans. These expeditions have led to important discoveries, for example., how methane – a powerful greenhouse gas – can be trapped by biological processes in the ocean to prevent its release into the atmosphere. These scientific findings underpin her goal of putting the protection of the deep sea on the agenda of political decision-makers.”

The Senckenberg Prize in the category of Commitment to Nature, also endowed with 10,000 euros, is awarded to individuals who have made an outstanding private contribution toward the conservation of nature, nature education, and the sustainable use of natural resources. This year, marine ecologist and conservationist Dr. Enric Sala will receive the award, which in recent years has been bestowed on Kristine McDivitt Tompkins (environmentalist and former CEO of clothing company Patagonia), Xiuhtezcatl Martinez (climate activist and hip-hop musician), Rea Garvey (singer and songwriter), and Dr. Alexander Gerst (ESA astronaut), among others.

As a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, Sala has been working full-time since 2008 to protect the last pristine marine areas. As the founder of the National Geographic Pristine Seas Project, he has helped to create 28 marine protected areas covering more than 6.5 million square kilometers. With his latest book “The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild” and an international project to identify marine areas that urgently require protection, Sala emphasizes the need to protect our oceans for the benefit of biodiversity, food security, and the climate. “Enric Sala sees the ‘big picture’ and is fully committed to protecting the world’s oceans,” says Heike Spiller, Chairwoman of the Friends of Senckenberg and organizer of the Senckenberg Night. “With his work, he draws attention to the three major threats facing the oceans: overfishing, pollution, and global warming. In addition, he has published numerous studies, for example on the diverse services provided by protected marine areas and their impact on adjacent waters, as well as on the significant influence of bottom-net fishing on climate change. It is also impressive how Enric Sala presents solutions to restore the health of the oceans and protect their biodiversity. His motto: If we protect the oceans, we protect ourselves. We need a strong, resilient, and constantly regenerating ecosystem. This can work, we just have to give nature the space to accomplish it.”

Under the motto “Our Oceans – A Look into the Depths,” nearly 300 guests from the fields of politics, business, society, and science can expect an entertaining evening of gustatory delights, interspersed with award ceremonies and fascinating facts. The evening will be hosted by environmental journalist and author Janine Steeger. The official main sponsor of the Senckenberg Night is the BMW branch in Frankfurt. The prize money is provided by the Friends of Senckenberg.

For further information, see: https://www.senckenberg-foerderverein.de/senckenberg-night-2024/