Exceptional Mentoring – Awards 2023

Our call for nominations was answered by over 100 early career researchers. The nominations were submitted to us along with personal video messages in addition to the required documents.

Out of 32 nominated professors, GRC awarded the following three winners in 2023:

Anne Meylan's career path, international track record, and commitment to research inspire her research team. With her expertise, she supports others on their own academic paths. Her philosophical rigor, integrity, and ability to empathize with others make her an ideal mentor. She supports the diverse interests of her mentees and encourages networking and collaboration with other philosophers. Anne Meylan inspires curiosity and broadens their horizons through the organization of workshops and conferences. Her positive and motivating style also creates a pleasant environment in which everyone feels comfortable.

Simon W. Townsend and his team are researching the evolutionary origins of human language. In his research group, consisting of four postdocs, four PhD candidates, and one master's student, Simon Townsend is dedicated to each individual and responds to individual needs. It is important to him that his researchers can approach him with any concerns. To this end, he organizes weekly one-on-one meetings. He shapes the friendly, supportive, and collaborative environment with his own values: Making mistakes is okay, and science should be open and allow for a work-life balance. For selflessly supporting their careers, Townsend is greatly appreciated by his mentees. They can pursue their own research ideas and regularly attend conferences where they build their network.

Roberto A. Weber

Professorship of the Economics of Corporate Culture, Business Ethics and Social Responsibility

Department of Economics

Robert A. Weber studies behavioral and experimental economics and brings a passion for teaching and mentoring. He is deeply committed to helping his mentees become independent and successful researchers by spending significant time with each individual. He helps develop promising research ideas, provides valuable feedback as they implement their own projects, and assists in presenting their findings. If something doesn't work out, he gives constructive advice. In this way, he always strives to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. As a volunteer reading group leader, he also teaches the importance of academic integrity and Open Science.

The following professors were nominated by early career researchers for the UZH Mentoring Award 2023 (in alphabetical order):

Jason Aebischer, Nicolaus Andratschke, Célia Baroux, Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, Silvia Brem, Charles de Roche, Jörg Frey, Sean Froese, Marcus Grueschow, Anikó Hannák, Silja Häusermann, Michael Hugelshofer, Mark Mellett, Sabrina Müller, Christoph Neidert Marian, Valentin Neuhaus, Ashkan Nikeghbali, Klaus Oberauer, Jerome Robert, Annalisa Saltari, Ralph Schimmer, Konrad Schmid, Elke Schneebeli-Hermann, Riccardo Schweizer, Olaf Steinkamp, Michael von Rhein, Viktor von Wyl, Florian J. Wegehaupt, David P. Wolfer