“Future World of Work” Research Prize Awarded
Dates and NewsVolksbank Kurpfalz Stiftung and ZEW Mannheim honour young female scientists
On 29 January 2025, the foundation Volksbank Kurpfalz Stiftung and ZEW Mannheim awarded the ‘Future World of Work’ research prize for the twelfth time. The prize was awarded to one outstanding dissertation and one master's thesis in economics, each from the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. Cäcilia Lipowski, PhD received the award for the best dissertation, while Maren Ehrgott was honoured for the best master's thesis.
In his laudatory speech, Professor Nicolas Ziebarth, head of ZEW’s “Labour Markets and Social Insurance” Research Unit and Professor of Economics and Labour Market Policy at the University of Mannheim, emphasised the importance of this kind of research, as it highlights possible courses of action for tackling the current economic challenges.
“The Research Prize allows us to live up to our responsibility as a foundation and provide impetus for social progress. Since 2013, we have been collaborating with ZEW to honour the achievements of young researchers. My sincerest congratulations go to the two prize winners, Ms Lipowski and Ms Ehrgott, for their pioneering work,” said Carsten Müller, chair of Volksbank Kurpfalz Stiftung.
Claudia von Schuttenbach, Managing Director of ZEW, added: “The award-winning theses are scientifically outstanding. They are representative of the innovative and applied character of research at ZEW. They fit perfectly into the spectrum of the research prize, which promotes the transfer of scientific research into practice. On behalf of ZEW, I warmly congratulate both prize winners.”
Consequences of technological change for the labour market
Cäcilia Lipowski's dissertation “Technological Change: Origins and Impacts in the Labor Market” addresses the effects of advancing technological developments on labour markets. Among other things, she analyses how the lack of young skilled workers influences the willingness of companies to adapt to new technologies and how technological progress affects the supply of professional qualifications.
Her work, completed for the University of Utrecht, was awarded 3,000 euros and was carried out during Lipowski's time as a researcher in ZEW's “Labour Markets and Social Insurance” Research Unit.
Men and women utilise AI differently
Maren Ehrgott is the happy recipient of the 2,000 euro prize for the best master's thesis. In her thesis at the University of Mannheim Business School, entitled “Gender Differences in Cooperation with Artificial Intelligence: An Investigation of Information Processing and Cooperative Behavior”, Ehrgott investigates companies’ gender-specific differences when using AI.
Her findings: Women generally tend to collect more information than men. They are also initially more hesitant towards AI applications but develop more trust than men in the course of their interaction with AI. Men, on the other hand, more often react spontaneously and directly to AI responses.
About the Award
Since 2013, the “Future World of Work” research award has been granted by Volksbank Kurpfalz Stiftung and ZEW to honour young economists in the region. The prize is awarded for outstanding dissertations and master’s theses in the field of economics that have been written at a university or non-university research institution, in particular in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. The deciding factors for the award are academic excellence, practical relevance, a strong empirical focus, high utility through innovative problem-solving, and the originality of the topic.
A jury is responsible for selecting from the numerous submissions. The award for the best doctoral thesis is endowed with 3,000 euros, while the prize for the best master’s thesis is 2,000 euros. Both awards come with the opportunity for a research stay at ZEW and are presented at an annual ceremony.
