[PDF] WHEN THE WATER RISES - Robert Bosch Stiftung

Enriched family-office · Found: 2026-03-11 08:12

Every year, the Robert Bosch Stiftung grants a five-year Junior Professorship to young scientists from a variety of different disciplines, thus funding ...

Source: https://www.bosch-stiftung.de/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/2020-03/BOSCH_ZUENDER_3_2019_GB_Seite_22.pdf

Funding Details

Funder

Robert Bosch Stiftung

Funding Goal

Fund young scientists (Junior Professors) to conduct five-year research projects focused on sustainability, natural resource use, and related disciplines.

Funding Amount

€1 million over five years per awardee (1.000.000 € – 1.000.000 €)

How to Apply

Application details not provided in this source. Refer to www.bosch-stiftung.de/en/project/robert-bosch-junior-professorship for full application information.

Target Region

global

Contact

www.bosch-stiftung.de/en/project/robert-bosch-junior-professorship

Last Checked

2026-03-11 16:43

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be an early-career scientist (junior professor or equivalent)

Project Scope

• Research project must focus on sustainability or sustainable use of natural resources
• Funding covers a five-year research period (€1 million total)
• Research can be conducted internationally across any region

Required Documents

• Review full application requirements at the official program page

Constraints

• Program funds one recipient per year — highly competitive selection

Summary

The Robert Bosch Junior Professorship is an annual award granted by the Robert Bosch Stiftung to early-career scientists from a variety of disciplines. Each awardee receives €1 million over five years to pursue independent research on sustainability-related topics. The program is designed to give exceptional young researchers the freedom and resources to conduct ambitious, long-term work without the typical constraints of early academic careers. The featured recipient, Professor Björn Vollan, used the professorship to investigate how communities in climate-vulnerable regions — including the Philippines, Solomon Islands, Bangladesh, and Vietnam — cope with the effects of climate change, focusing on resource behavior and displacement. His work demonstrated that affected populations often strengthen community bonds rather than becoming more competitive, challenging prevailing "climate refugee" narratives. The program serves as a career accelerator: Professor Vollan leveraged the Bosch Junior Professorship to secure additional funding from the German Research Foundation and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, ultimately obtaining a full professorship at the University of Marburg. This multiplier effect on academic careers appears to be a core feature of the program's design. Eligibility is aimed at young academics — likely postdoctoral researchers or recently appointed junior professors — with research interests spanning environmental science, resource economics, social science, and related sustainability fields. The program is awarded annually and is international in scope, supporting research across global contexts.

Historical Context

The featured recipient, Professor Björn Vollan, received the Robert Bosch Junior Professorship for "Research into the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources" in 2015. The program has been running annually for multiple years as of 2019.

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