The Palynologische Kring invites nominations for the Florschütz Award for best MSc thesis in Palynology and Palaeobotany!

The award is named after one of the foremost Dutch pioneers in palynology, and will be awarded annually to the most outstanding MSc thesis and consists of a prize of 500€.

Students are nominated by their supervisor, accompanied by a letter of support. The main topic of the thesis should be palynology (in any of its facets) and/or palaeobotany and should be supervised by a staff member of a Dutch University or research institute. Only nominations are accepted from a supervisors and/or students who are a member of the Palynologische Kring at the time of the research.

A supervisor can nominate maximally two theses per round. Only recent MSc theses (last two academic years) will be considered, not the published articles that are based on thesis work. An individual MSc thesis will be considered only once. Since in 2020 no award was presented this year up to two awards are available. Due to differences in grading and supervision, supervisors are invited to shortly explain in their letter of support how theses are corrected and graded at their respective institutes.

All nominations will be reviewed by a panel of experienced palynologists/palaeobotanists that together cover all aspects of our field and have extensive experience in thesis supervision:

• Em. Prof. Han van Konijnenburg-van Cittert
• Em. Prof. Henk Visscher
• Em. Prof. Corrie Bakels
• Em. Prof. Henry Hooghiemstra

The panel selects the winning thesis which will be officially awarded by the Palynologische Kring. Submitted theses are assessed for their innovative use of palynology/palaeobotany, and overall quality of writing and presentation. The Palynologische Kring reserves the right to not hand out the award in case theses of insufficient quality are nominated.

Submissions can be sent to: info@palynologischekring.nl.

The award will be presented at the first meeting of the Palynologische Kring of each new calendar year.

Dr. Mr. Frans Florschütz obtained a degree in law at Leiden University but continued studies in biology in Utrecht . His strong personal interest in (paleo) botany led to his introduction of the rapidly developing field of palynology in the Netherlands. He became professor by special appointment in Leiden and received an honorary doctorate from Utrecht University, followed in 1948 by his appointment as full Professor in palynology and paleophytology of the Cenozoic in Leiden. He both excelled in scientific studies and popularizing works, mostly through his book “Nederland in het ijstijdvak”, which was co-authored with Prof. van der Vlerk. By extension of his professorship to a national appointment, he spread palynology to many institutes in the Netherlands in Utrecht, Nijmegen and Wageningen. He received the prestigious KNGMG Van Waterschoot van der Gracht Penning in 1965, few months before he passed away. Frans Florschütz has initiated and touched many fields of palynology and continues to inspire new students with his original ideas. This review in Grana gives an overview of the contribution of Frans Florschütz and his successors in the field of palynology in the Netherlands. Prof. Henry Hooghiemstra and Prof. Henk Visscher recently published an annotated CV and laudatio for Frans Florschütz honorary doctorate at Utrecht University.

Previous winners are:

2022: Oda Nuij (Universiteit Leiden) Beyond the Heath – Reconstructing the late-prehistoric barrow landscape of Baarlo-De Bong (Dutch Limburg) using palynological modelling

2021: Karlijn van den Broek (Utrecht University) Glacial-interglacial North Atlantic surface circulation strength; a novel dinocyst carbon isotope approach

2019: Amber Woutersen (Universiteit van Amsterdam) The Origin and Evolution of the Nitrariaceae. An integrative study to the steppe-desert taxon Nitraria and its development at the Tibetan Plateau

Jaarlijks heeft de Palynologische Kring een bedrag van maximaal 1000 euro ter beschikking voor studentenbeurzen. MsC- en PhD-studenten kunnen zich inschrijven voor een beurs ter waarde van het inschrijfgeld van een congres of cursus binnen het vakgebied. Gemotiveerde beursaanvragen kunnen het gehele jaar ingezonden worden, waarna het bestuur de inzending zal beoordelen en de beurzen toekennen. Meer informatie vind je hier of neem contact op met het secretariaat van de Palynologische Kring.

Every year, the Dutch Palynological Society makes an amount up to 1000 euro available for students scholarships. MsC-and PhD-students who are members of the Palynological Society can register for a scholarship worth the registration fee of a conference or course within the discipline. Motivated grant applications can be during the year. The board of the Palynological Society will consider the entries and award the scholarships. More information can be found on the website of the Dutch Palynological Society or contact the Secretariat of the Dutch Palynological Society.