Axel Semrau has been working with the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen for a long time, rewarding particularly good performance.

This year, two graduates were awarded first place in the Axel Semrau Award for their final theses in the Water Science course.

Isabell Erdmann achieved 98 out of 100 points with her bachelor thesis on the topic „Untersuchung der Enzymaktivität des Citratzyklus und des Wood-Ljungdahl-Stoffwechselwegs der Kultur N47”("Investigation of the enzyme activity of the citrate cycle and the Wood-Ljungdahl metabolic pathway of culture N47").

Julia Banholzer succeeded with the cutting-edge topic: „Optimierung und Weiterentwicklung der Aufbereitungsmethode und des qPCR-Nachweises von Krankheitserregern/SARS-CoV-2 im Abwasser als Basis für ein Monitoring” ("Optimization and further development of the treatment method and qPCR detection of pathogens/SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater as a basis for monitoring").

Second place with 96 points went to Laila Orell with "Origin of life: Analysis of fluid inclusions in quartz samples with Orbitrap-MS".

Managing Director Andreas Bruchmann was very pleased to be able to hand over the prizes in person at the graduation ceremony. All participants were vaccinated or recovered and additionally tested.

We congratulate all graduates and wish them good luck for future research projects!