The International Society of Chemical Ecology (ISCE) has honoured Prof. Dr. Jürgen Gross at its conference in Christchurch, New Zealand in late August 2025 for his research into the interactions between plants and pests, with the “Applied Chemical Ecology Award 2025”.
The prize, first awarded in 2021 by the society, is given to researchers who make significant contributions to developing practical applications in chemical ecology. It goes to only one recipient per year.
Previous awardees came from the USA (2021), Japan (2022), New Zealand (2023) and Hungary (2024). With this award, the JKI researcher becomes the first German to receive it.
Gross works on the development of sustainable, non-chemical crop protection methods to combat pest insects, for example through “push-and-pull” or “attract-and-kill” strategies. These are based on pheromones by which insects communicate among themselves and/or on other infochemicals or signaling substances that plants emit.
In the laudation, former ISCE President Prof. Dr. Ted Turlings emphasized the innovation in Gross’s work in view of the new challenges confronting agriculture due to climate change and global movement of pests. His self-designed volatile compound collectors (odor samplers), dispensers, and bait traps stand as a telling testament.
Since March 2024, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Gross has been head of the Institute for Plant Protection in Fruit & Viticulture at the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) in Dossenheim. With his appointment as institute director, he was also appointed to the professorship for biotechnical plant protection in fruit & viticulture at Geisenheim University.
Background information on the Award (from the ISCE website)
The ISCE Applied Chemical Ecology Award was established to recognize career achievements by an outstanding chemical ecologist whose work has made a significant contribution in developing novel semiochemical-based technologies and advancing their practical application in chemical ecology.
Eligibility and Nomination Requirements:
- A letter of nomination from an ISCE member must highlight career achievements in chemical ecology, especially in discovering novel semiochemical-based technologies, as well as their practical application.
- A letter of application from an ISCE member must highlight current cutting-edge research in chemical ecology. The application should include a curriculum vitae, a full list of publications, documentation of technology transfer (e.g., patents), listing of commercial products, and other practical applications in applied chemical ecology.
- Supporting letters (up to three) from other colleagues may be included.
Nominations are reviewed by the President, Vice-President, and Past President of ISCE for relevance, and by the Secretary and Treasurer for membership requirements. The winner is selected by vote of the award committee, comprising the ISCE Executive Committee and the ISCE Councilors.
