Ranga Yogeshwar receives the 2013 Ocean Award

August 2011, in a fjord off Trondheim, Norway, at 200 meters depth. The view through the large front window of the JAGO submersible provides fascinating images. Before Ranga Yogeshwar is the previously unknown world of cold water corals, with white to red reflections from the spotlights on the GEOMAR underwater vehicle. The impressions Ranga Yogeshwar gained on this dive were promptly incorporated into his television program "Quarks & Co".

His television series, including "The Great Show of Natural Wonders", illuminate a variety of scientific topics from unusual angles and explain the sometimes complex relationships to a wider audience in an easily understandable way. Therefore, in recognition of his achievements in the field of science communication, he receives the 2013 Ocean Award from GEOMAR and Deutsche Bank. The award is endowed with 10,000 Euros and is sponsored by Deutsche Bank.

"Ranga Yogeshwar has an unusual gift. For one, as a physicist, he has the ability to understand complex issues. On the other hand, unlike many scientists, he is able to explain this in simple terms and examples," says Professor Peter Herzig, Director of GEOMAR. “Especially in the field of marine research, we learn every day that physical, chemical, biological and geological processes are closely linked. To investigate and comprehend this represents a major challenge in the first place. Ranga Yogeshwar goes a step further and translates these relationships into understandable language. For this extraordinary service to the public, it is our great pleasure to present him with this year's Marine Award," Herzig continued.

In his greeting address, the Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein, Torsten Albig, underlined the importance of marine research for Schleswig-Holstein and the need to communicate scientific results to the public in an understandable form. "Ranga Yogeshwar makes us wiser and thus manages to impart knowledge in an exciting and entertaining way. It is very important to raise awareness of the need to protect the oceans to as many people as possible," said Albig.

The well-known climate scientist Professor Mojib Latif pointed out in his laudation Yogeshwar’s effort to point out - repeatedly and forcefully, yet comprehensively and scientifically accurately - the evidence of the effects of environmental changes in the Earth's largest ecosystem, the sea. "This is extremely difficult, but of fundamental importance, because we have to keep our world in a livable condition for future generations," says Professor Latif.  

On behalf of Deutsche Bank, Thorsten Frahm, in charge of business clients of Deutsche Bank in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, acknowledged the award recipient. "Ranga Yogeshwar conveys a lot of enthusiasm for the exciting world of science, especially to many young people. With his impressive communication skills and personal commitment, he demonstrates again and again just how valuable and vulnerable at the same time the seas are. We are very pleased that Deutsche Bank is able to grant the Marine Award, now for the fifth time."  

The award ceremony took place among some 300 guests in a festive setting at GEOMAR Kiel. Well-known TV personality Annika de Buhr moderated a varied 90-minute program. "To us, the presentation of the Ocean Award is always a special event in which we not only honor an outstanding recipient but also offer an attractive program for our guests," explains Professor Herzig. "The Ocean Award has gained increasing significance in recent years and has become the most important award in the field of marine research in Germany." 

Contact:
Dr. Andreas Villwock (Communication & Media), Tel. +49 431 600 2802,
avillwock(at)geomar.de