Prizes
for
young scientists

Wissenschaft Zukunft Preis - WZP

The Wissenschaft Zukunft Preis (WZP) awarded by the Gesellschaft für Forschungsförderung Niederösterreich recognizes high-quality theses written by academics who are at the beginning of their scientific careers. The WZP is open to all topics, covers all scientific disciplines, and has no age limit. Only academic theses graded “very good” (or equivalent) with a connection to Lower Austria (studies in Lower Austria or content-related) can be submitted.

Mag. Bettina Pilsel
Awards, Events and Public Relations

T +43 2742 275 70-42

M +43 664 911 54 03

WZP 2026

The Wissenschaft Zukunft Preis 2026 will be awarded as follows:

• 3 Master's/Diploma theses € 1,500 each
• 2 Dissertation/PhD theses € 3.000,- each

Submission deadline: 26 February to 8 April, 2026 (11:55 p.m.)
Online at preise.einreichsystem.at.

Only submissions that are complete, timely and formally correct, and that refer directly to Lower Austria, will be forwarded to the jury for review.
The prizes will be announced and awarded in autumn 2026.

Guidelines

• There is no age limit.
• There are no thematic restrictions: theses from all scientific disciplines may be submitted.
• Lower Austrian reference: The thesis must demonstrate a clear and direct connection to Lower Austria (see the criteria for the Lower Austrian reference below).
• The theses must meet the following criteria:
  • It must have been graded 'Very Good' (or equivalent).
  • The degree programme in which the thesis was written must have already been successfully completed. This can be a university of applied sciences programme or a regular university programme at an Austrian or European university.
  • The thesis may be submitted in German or English.
  • The thesis must not be more than three years old; it must have been approved in 2023 at the earliest.
  • Only theses from a first degree (first master's, diploma or doctoral thesis/dissertation) will be accepted.
• Theses from university and technical college courses are not eligible for funding.
• Theses bearing a restriction notice will not be accepted.
• Submissions can only be made online. They must be complete and submitted on time.

Criteria for relevance in Lower Austria:

Lower Austria relevance is given if at least one of the four criteria listed below is met.

• The thesis was either written at a Lower Austrian research institute or as part of a degree programme in Lower Austria.
• The research covered in the thesis directly relates to Lower Austria.
• The thesis was written as part of a collaboration with companies in Lower Austria.
• A significant proportion of the research was conducted in Lower Austria. This means that at least 50% of surveys, interviews, etc. were conducted in Lower Austria.

Further details on the eligibility requirements, review process and review criteria can be found in the WZP 2026 funding guidelines below.

Please note that if the Wissenschaftspreis des Landes Niederösterreich is awarded, the Wissenschaft Zukunft Preis will no longer be granted.

Mag. Bettina Pilsel
Awards, Events and Public Relations

T +43 2742 275 70-42

M +43 664 911 54 03

Folder & Flyer

WZP Folder 2026 English

PDF | Download WZP Folder 2026 English (691.08 KB)

read online

Funding Guidelines WZP 2026

PDF | Download Funding Guidelines WZP 2026 (460.53 KB)

read online

WZP 2025

Awards for Young Research Talents
On 14 October 2025, the Wissenschaft Zukunft Preis was awarded to five academics as part of the Wissenschaftspreise des Landes Niederösterreich ceremony at Campus Krems. The awards were presented by Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner and Deputy Governor Stephan Pernkopf.

The winners were:

1. Nora Fasching (Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, UFT Tulln),
2. Magdalena Hohlrieder (Biotech Campus Tulln der FH Wiener Neustadt & IMC Krems)
3. Leo Plankensteiner (Universität Wien)
4. Petra Lukeneder (Universität Wien)
5. Djordje Slijepčević (Technische Universität Wien, FH St. Pölten)

The WZP 2025 recognises outstanding theses that demonstrate innovative approaches to research. This year, awards were given for scientific contributions focusing on ecological, medical, humanities, cultural studies and palaeontological challenges.

For her master's thesis, Nora Fasching developed methods for utilising aquatic plants as a sustainable, valuable resource. In light of climate-related changes and increasing nutrient pollution in bodies of water, her research at the Universitäts- und Forschungszentrum Tulln  provides new ways of replacing fossil raw materials with bio-based alternatives.

Magdalena Hohlrieder devoted her master's thesis to improving skin cancer diagnostics. Using innovative technologies such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), she researched new, label-free methods for the early and non-invasive detection of melanoma. The project was developed in cooperation between the Biotech Campus Tulln, Fachhochschlule Wiener Neustadt and IMC Krems.

Leo Plankensteiner dedicated his Master's thesis to Siegfried Geyer (1883–1945), a Lower Austrian author and dramaturge who was persecuted and murdered by the National Socialists. Geyer enjoyed great success with his comedy of mistaken identity, Bei Kerzenlicht (By Candlelight), which was even made into a Hollywood film in 1933. The thesis sheds light on Geyer's multifaceted career as a writer, theatre director and journalist, and explores the historical context of the Jewish community in the Weinviertel region.

Petra Lukeneder dedicated her doctoral thesis to the Polzberg Konservat deposit near Lunz am See, a significant fossil site in Lower Austria. She was the first to examine fossil marine organisms in detail from the Lower Carnian Reingraben shales, including 430 specimens belonging to the extinct squid group Phragmoteuthida. Her research aimed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the fossil squid fauna at this unique site.

Djordje Slijepčević dedicated his doctoral thesis to clinical gait analysis, developing explanatory approaches for machine learning methods to improve the comprehensibility of decisions in gait diagnostics. Conducted at the University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten in collaboration with the AUVA rehabilitation centre 'Weißer Hof', the research resulted in the publication of the comprehensive GaitRec dataset. This serves as the basis for the standardised evaluation of machine learning (ML) approaches.