This year's general meeting of the Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Hochschule Geisenheim e. V. (GFHG) – association to promote Hochschule Geisenheim University – took place online on December 18, 2020, and was chaired by Dr. Franz-Josef Jung, 1st chairman of the Association.
In his address, Prof. Dr. Hans Reiner Schultz, President of Hochschule Geisenheim University and Director of the GFHG, looked back on a very turbulent year, which was characterized by the corona crisis. All areas of teaching were particularly affected by the virus. The academic graduation ceremony and the student information days, for instance, had to be moved to digital formats, and lectures were organized online.
The GFHG aims to sponsor young scientists in addition to promoting Hochschule Geisenheim University's general research activities. With the association's financial support, young researchers can participate in training courses, professional seminars and study trips, or they can organize events of their own. In the general meeting, members of the association decided on the distribution of funds totaling 12,000 euros this year. Doctorate candidate Barbara Richter, M.Sc. from the Department of Wine and Beverage Business will receive financial support for her dissertation in the area of wine control. In addition, the GFHG will support the research stay of a visiting scientist from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv in the Rheingau area. Kai Müller will also receive funding for his dissertation on the risk of sunburns in grapevines – occurrence, causes and recommendations. His dissertation is a cooperation with Prof. Dr. Markus Keller from the Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center (IAREC) of Washington State University.
Another part of promoting a dialogue between society and the scientific community, to which the GFHG is committed, is the "Geisenheimer Berichte" – a publication series of the university since 1988. In 2021, the GFHG will co-finance the book Simonit e Sirch – Preparatori d'Uva, a publication on gentle pruning in German.
