Congratulations to Vera Galliker and Jorim Schmid on winning the Environmental Sciences and Engineering Prize for their maturity theses!Since 2024, the Environmental Sciences and Engineering Section (SSIE) of the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has been awarding a prize for the best maturity project linked to natural sciences and environmental engineering. This prize, worth CHF 1'000, is intended to recognise an excellent maturity thesis related to sustainability, and more specifically: water quality, soil, atmosphere, waste management, pollution, natural resources, biodiversity, renewable energies, climate change or natural hazards.For this third edition, the Section is delighted to award the Prize to two high school students: Vera Galliker of the “Alte Kantonsschule Aarau” in Aarau (canton of Aargau) for her project entitled: “Green Wastewater Treatment – An Experiment on Nutrient Reduction Using the Microalga Chlorella vulgaris’, and Jorim Schmid from Burgdorf Gymnasium (Canton of Bern), for his project entitled: ‘The "Sponge City" Concept in Burgdorf: An Analysis of Climate-Adapted Urban Design on Lyssachstrasse in Burgdorf’.Vera Galliker’s research focuses on whether the microalga Chlorella vulgaris can alter phosphate and nitrate concentrations in wastewater. By reducing the nutrient content of wastewater, the aim is to help combat eutrophication in aquatic environments. This topic is of great importance for the future management of our water resources.In his maturity work, Jorim Schmid examines the concept of the "sponge city" and analyses how it could be implemented at a specific site in the centre of Burgdorf. The high degree of surface and soil sealing around Lyssachstrasse regularly leads to surface water runoff and urban heat island effects. Building on these observations, he evaluates various measures associated with the sponge city concept and examines whether, and how, these measures could be implemented within the study area.In 2027, the Environmental Science and Engineering Section (SSIE) will once again reward a swiss maturity thesis on topics related to sustainability, natural sciences, and environmental technology.Deadline for submission of the high-school student's application: 30 April 2027More information: https://www.epfl.ch/schools/enac/education/environmental-sciences-and-engineering/environmental-sciences-and-engineering/studying-the-environment/maturity-thesis/Email: [email protected]Jorim Schmid reçoit son Prix © 2026 EPFLVera Galliker reçoit son Prix © 2026 EPFL