Award for "Age and Work" (Marie-Luise and Ernst Becker Foundation)

The "Age and Work" Award of the Marie-Luise and Ernst Becker Foundation honors outstanding early-career researchers who address the physical, psychological, and cognitive performance as well as the maintenance of work ability of older employees in their dissertations or early projects. Individuals nationwide are eligible to apply, provided their projects are not only scientifically sound but also offer concrete, practice-relevant proposals for companies. An independent expert jury evaluates the submissions based on scientific quality, degree of innovation, and direct applicability in operational practice. The award is endowed with 10,000 euros and is presented annually.

With this award, the Foundation supports projects that actively shape demographic change in the workplace and enable older employees to participate fully in the long term. In particular, research projects are recognized that develop recommendations for action in personnel development, occupational health management, or ergonomic workplace design based on empirical findings. The Foundation is interested in young researchers who present innovative approaches to improving performance conditions in later working life while keeping the transfer to corporate reality in focus. The awarded works build a bridge between theory and practice and make a valuable contribution to the future viability of organizations in an aging society.