Interview with Prof. Dr. Laura Ehm about the Friedrich Gennheimer Prize
Prof. Dr. Laura Ehm, Professor of Marketing at the Wine Campus, in an interview about the Friedrich Gennheimer Prize.
Prof. Ehm, you are not only the project manager of the prize, but also part of the expert jury. How did the Friedrich Gennheimer Prize come about?
Friedrich Wilhelm Gennheimer was professor at the University of Applied Sciences Rhineland-Palatinate, Ludwigshafen department, from 1971 to 1996. He taught in the field of marketing and dedicated his life to teaching young people and research in the field of marketing. Gennheimer passed away in 2022 and left part of his estate to the Haniel Foundation to continue this endeavor. The Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society, together with the Haniel Foundation, then decided to establish this award in his name to recognize outstanding theses.
In 2023, theses were sought that dealt with the sustainable transformation of our (wine) economy. The award went to the Master's theses of MBA alumna Pauline Baumberger-Brand and FAVO alumnus Martin Ladach. What made their theses stand out?
Both graduates dealt with the topic of change processes. Pauline Baumberger-Brand developed a workshop format for sustainability development for the German wine industry in her Master's thesis. Martin Ladach examined fungus-resistant grape varieties for their suitability for the production of white wines using the mash fermentation method. Both master's theses are not only scientifically sound and well written, you can see the passion that went into them. They are groundbreaking for our industry.
What was your personal highlight during the 2023 award ceremony?
Of course, I was a little pleased that both award winners are graduates of the Wine Campus, although the award was announced university-wide. In general, the whole setting of the award ceremony was just great. Many people invested a lot of time and effort to make the event an unforgettable experience for the two award winners. It was certainly a special honor that former Minister President Kurt Beck gave the keynote speech and visited us on site at the Wine Campus. The whole atmosphere was personal, the laudatory speeches were all heartfelt and there were even a few tears. You could just feel how close the relationship between professors, students and staff is here on campus. Everyone was simply overjoyed.
Will the prize also be awarded in 2024 and who can apply?
Yes, the prize will be awarded again in 2024. The exact conditions are still being finalized, but the topic of sustainability will once again play a role. The work will be nominated or submitted for evaluation by the supervising professors or lecturers. Outstanding Bachelor's and Master's theses can be submitted in this round. For the nomination, a digital version of the thesis, a short abstract of the thesis, the completed application form and an expert opinion from the supervisor must be submitted. The deadline for submission will be 30.04.2024.
Will the prize be awarded again at the Wine Campus?
Yes, this year the award ceremony will once again take place at our Wine Campus and we are very much looking forward to it. In addition to a guaranteed good selection of drinks, there will be an opportunity to celebrate together after the award ceremony. It is precisely through events like this that the connection between the Wine Campus and the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society can be strengthened and intensified, which is a win-win situation for both sides.
Thank you very much for the interview and the information on the sponsorship award. We are already keeping our fingers crossed for all applicants! Those interested can find more details about the Friedrich Gennheimer Prize on our website: www.weincampus-neustadt.de/weincampus/preise-und-stipendien/friedrich-gennheimer-preis
Prof. Dr. Laura Ehm
Aline Wyrwich