Every once in a while, research opens new ways of looking at the world—literally. Our postdoctoral researcher Jakob Schwalb-Willmann has been honored with the 2025 GGW Award for the Best PhD Thesis, recognizing his outstanding contribution to the field of geo-information science and Earth observation.In his doctoral work, Jakob developed an innovative approach that connects animal movement data with remote sensing techniques to improve how we understand and classify land cover. By bridging behavioral ecology and satellite observation, his research shows how animals themselves can act as fine-scale sensors of their environment. This new perspective offers exciting potential for monitoring dynamic landscapes and biodiversity in a time of rapid environmental change.The GGW Award, presented annually to recognize exceptional PhD theses in geography highlights both scientific excellence and societal impact. Jakob’s work stood out for its creativity, rigorous methodology, and forward-looking applications that could enhance ecological modeling and environmental monitoring around the globe.
We are proud to see Jakob’s efforts celebrated by the GGW community and look forward to following the next steps of his academic journey.
His achievement reflects the spirit of curiosity, collaboration, and innovation that drives our EORC research group.
Congratulations, Jakob, on this well-deserved recognition!
