Dr Eva Pfannerstill elected to the Young Academy | Mainz

29 January 2026

Atmospheric chemist Dr Eva Pfannerstill has been elected to the Young Academy | Mainz. The four-year membership awarded by the Academy of Sciences and Literature | Mainz recognises outstanding scientific achievement at an early career stage and provides a platform for interdisciplinary exchange beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.

Forscherin vor Gerät — Dr Eva Pfannerstill conducts research at Forschungszentrum Jülich and the University of Cologne on how climate change and air pollution interact.

The Young Academy | Mainz is the Academy’s programme for the promotion of early-career excellence. It brings together outstanding researchers as well as artists, integrates them fully into the Academy’s activities, and fosters dialogue across disciplines, institutions and society. Election to the Young Academy is widely regarded as a mark of distinction, acknowledging both the scientific achievements to date and the future potential of its members.

Researching the links between climate change and air pollution

Dr Eva Pfannerstill conducts research at the Institute of Climate and Energy Systems – Troposphere (ICE-3) at Forschungszentrum Jülich and the University of Cologne, focusing on the interactions between climate change and air pollution. Using atmospheric measurements, she investigates how emissions of trace gases respond to rising temperatures and how these processes contribute to the formation of air pollutants that pose risks to human health. A further focus of her work is the unequal distribution of air pollution within urban areas. Her research shows that exposure to air pollutants varies significantly between population groups, providing important, policy-relevant evidence to support more equitable environmental and public health strategies.

Her election to the Young Academy | Mainz highlights the scientific relevance of this work and its contribution to evidence-based decision-making on climate change and air quality.

More on this topic

Institute of Climate and Energy Systems (ICE)

Troposphere (ICE-3)

The Institute IEK-8 explores the chemistry of the troposphere, performs global observations, and simulates atmospheric chemistry and transport processes by numerical models.

Atmospheric Reserach

How Forests Breathe

Heat, drought, and pests cause stress in plants. The composition of their “breath” is changing – which also has an impact on air quality and climate. Eva Pfannerstill is investigating these changes with a new measuring method.

The Sky over Los Angeles

Rising temperatures affect air quality

Particulate matter and ozone are a major problem for people and the environment. Dr. Eva Pfannerstill, young investigator group leader is investigating where the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible for particulate matter and ozone come from and what climate change has to do with it.

Supporting excellence – and enabling careers

Election to the Young Academy | Mainz is highly competitive. Members are selected on the basis of an outstanding doctoral degree, a clearly defined independent research profile and a strong commitment to active participation in the Academy’s work.

Alongside intellectual exchange, the Young Academy | Mainz offers practical support to its members. This includes reimbursement of travel expenses for Academy meetings and events, funding for joint activities such as workshops, conferences and publications, as well as childcare support during Academy events. In this way, the Academy explicitly promotes the compatibility of family life and academic careers – a key issue, particularly at early career stages.