Once again, it is time to celebrate valuable contributions to the Baltic Sea’s environment. With an annual prize sum of SEK three million, Björn Carlsons Östersjöpris aims to create commitment for the Baltic Sea environment and contribute to a positive development towards a healthier sea. The nomination period for this year is open from February 15th to May 5th.
Björn Carlsons Östersjöpris is awarded to researchers, individuals, or organizations that have contributed to the improvement of the Baltic Sea environment or whose work can contribute to a positive long-term development. The prize is awarded by the Björn Carlsons Östersjöstiftelse (BalticSea2020), which has allocated SEK 650 million over 15 years to research and projects contributing to a healthier sea. The nomination period for 2024 is open from February 15th to May 5th. Then, it is the task of the nomination committee to review the nominations under the leadership of Professor Christina Rudén from the Department of Environmental Science at Stockholm University.
– We look forward to reviewing this year’s nominations. It is a challenging task to select a few candidates as much of the work being done for the Baltic Sea is incredibly important for its development. But it is also gratifying to see many worthy candidates, says Christina Rudén, chair of the nomination committee.
The nomination committee consists of members from the various countries around the Baltic Sea, who are prominent and established in the research community. In addition to Christina Rudén, the committee includes Professor Anna-Stiina Heiskanen from the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Professor Inna Sokolova from the University of Rostock, Professor Jan Marcin Weslawski from the Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, and Marie Berglund, board member of the Björn Carlson Baltic Sea Foundation. The committee selects three candidates, and the foundation’s board ultimately appoints the laureate who will receive SEK 3 million at the award ceremony later this autumn.
Organizations, institutions, and individuals can nominate laureates via the foundation’s website. This year’s prize winner will be the third recipient of Björn Carlsons Östersjöpris, which was first awarded in 2022 by H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria. The prize was then awarded to Professor Maren Voss from the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research in Warnemünde, Germany, for her groundbreaking research on the importance of marine nitrogen in the sea, particularly in the Baltic Sea. Last year, the prize was awarded to Professor Jacob Carstensen of Aarhus University and Professor Daniel Conley of Lund University for their crucial contributions to research on eutrophication, water quality, oxygen depletion, and underlying biogeochemical processes.
About the Björn Carlsons Östersjöstiftelse and the Björn Carlsons Östersjöpris
Björn Carlsons Östersjöpris was established in 2021 by Björn Carlsons Östersjöstiftelse (BalticSea2020) – an annual prize awarded to a researcher or other person who has made valuable contributions to the Baltic Sea’s environment. With a prize sum of SEK 3 million, the foundation’s hope is that the award will create commitment to the Baltic Sea and inspire further work for a healthier sea. Since 2005, the foundation has allocated grants totalling 650 million for research and applied projects for the Baltic Sea.
