Biodiversity researcher Franz Essl is Austria's Scientist of the Year 2022. He was recognised by the Club of Education and Science Journalists for his commitment to science communication – as a cautionary and explanatory voice on the current biodiversity crisis. The loss of biodiversity is also at the heart of his research at the University of Vienna.
Franz Essl is one of those researchers who have been warning about the consequences of environmental destruction for years: he never tires of emphasising that stable, species-rich ecosystems are the foundation of human well-being – for food production or for renewable raw materials, they protect against natural hazards such as flooding or store CO2.
A lifelong interest in nature
Franz Essl conducts research at the Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research at the University of Vienna on the global spread of non-native species and the loss of biodiversity. His interest in nature continues to shape his research to this day. After completing his school-leaving exams in Upper Austria, it also brought the 49-year-old to Vienna to study biology.
More on Franz Essl and his work at: science.orf.at
