Regina Gratz (fourth from left) together with all other awardees and The King (middle) after the award ceremony in the Royal Palace (Photo: Clas Göran Carlsson).
Wednesday last week was a special day for Regina Gratz, researcher in Torgny Näsholm’s group and employed at the Department of Plant Physiology and Forest Genetics at UPSC and SLU. The King handed her over a scholarship from the King Carl XVI Gustaf 50th Anniversary Fund for Science, Technology and the Environment. Regina Gratz will use the scholarship to study how nitrogen fixing bacteria can be stimulated so that in the long run the usage of mineral fertilization can be reduced.
Thirteen scholarships were granted in total. The awardees did not apply but were nominated and the names of the awardees were already announced in the end of April in connection with the H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf’s birthday. The official ceremony took place last week, on May 25 in the Royal Palace.
Regina Gratz’s project is based on results that organic nitrogen can stimulate biological nitrogen fixation. Together with researchers from the University of Hohenheim in Germany, she plans to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying this observed positive effect.
The King Carl XVI Gustaf 50th Anniversary Fund for Science, Technology and Environment exists since 1996. It was founded to celebrate His Majesty’s 50th birthday and aims on promoting research, technological development and enterprises that contribute to a sustainable use of natural resources and the maintenance of biodiversity. Especially young scientists working in Sweden are promoted.
Official news from the Swedish Royal Court (only in Swedish)