Announcing the First Rudolf Agricola PhD Grant Recipients of 2025

We’re excited to launch the first round of Rudolf Agricola PhD Grants in 2025, and to introduce our new grant structure, which now includes two distinct types of funding:

• The Societal Impact Grant, for PhD students looking to deepen the relevance of their research beyond academia.

• The Interdisciplinary Collaboration Grant, for cross-faculty teams pursuing innovative, interdisciplinary work.

We’re proud to support four remarkable projects this round, each addressing sustainability challenges in bold and creative ways. Meet the recipients:

William Cardona (Societal Impact Grant)

In Colombia’s Meta region, William Cardona is working with coffee farmers to co-develop sustainable agroforestry systems. Through participatory workshops and soil sampling, his research explores how diversified shade-grown coffee can enhance soil health, crop productivity, and local livelihoods. The project merges ecological science with hands-on community collaboration.

Jonathan Spellerberg (Societal Impact Grant)

This project brings digital media and Indigenous knowledge together. In partnership with an Inuk educator, Jonathan Spellerberg is facilitating a storytelling workshop with Inuit youth in Iqaluit. Using digitized cultural materials, participants will produce short films about identity, learning, and mental health, contributing to both academic research and an Inuit-led documentary.

Maud Rebergen (Societal Impact Grant)

How do we make research on digital exclusion more accessible? Maud Rebergen is tackling that question through a co-creation workshop in Rotterdam, where participants with lived experience of digital exclusion help shape how research findings are visually represented. The project prioritizes inclusion and public engagement in both method and outcome.

Daan Roos & Langjian Dong (Interdisciplinary Collaboration Grant)

This interdisciplinary duo is piloting new imaging techniques to improve tumor detection during surgery. Using porcine tissue models and sustainable dyes like tartrazine, their project merges medical technology and environmental awareness. It lays the groundwork for more precise and eco-conscious surgical practices, with future clinical trials in sight.

What’s next?

We’re pleased to start 2025 with a strong selection of funded projects. New rounds of the Rudolf Agricola PhD Grants will be announced after the summer. If you’re a PhD candidate at the University of Groningen working on sustainable development from any disciplinary perspective, keep an eye out for the next call. For more information on eligibility and how to apply, visit the PhD Grants page.