Doctoral student at the Natural History Museum receives 3rd prize in the Young Scientist Award of the Palaeontological Society
At the annual conference of the Palaeontological Society, which took place from 14 to 16 September in Landsweiler-Reden (Saarland), Ludwig Luthardt, research associate at the Museum für Naturkunde Chemnitz, was awarded 3rd place in the Young Scientist Award.
"The prize was awarded for his presentation on the discovery and research of growth zones in fossilised wood from Chemnitz and the conclusions derived from this for the climate and ecology of the habitat. This was the first time in the world that documented cyclical environmental changes were detected in fossilised trees from the Permian period and correlated between different plant species," explains Ronny Rößler, Director of the Chemnitz Natural History Museum.
The scientific work is part of Ludwig Luthardt's doctoral project, which is being funded by the German Research Foundation with around 360,000 euros.
The three-year research project acquired by the Museum of Natural History aims to reconstruct the 291-million-year-old "Petrified Forest" ecosystem.
It is being carried out in close co-operation with the TU Bergakademie Freiberg and several partners in Germany and abroad and forms an essential part of the new permanent exhibition to be designed in the museum.
Background to the Young Scientist Award for young palaeontologists:
This future prize, awarded annually by the Palaeontological Society, is endowed with 500,
350 and 150 euros and is sponsored by the Presidium.
It is aimed at young scientists in the bio-geosciences.