Prof. Dr. Andreas Fath was awarded the Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg by Minister President Winfried Kretschmann. Image source: Baden-Württemberg State Ministry / Franziska Kraufmann
Award for the environmentalist, extreme sportsman and professor at Furtwangen University
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Andreas Fath of Furtwangen University (HFU) received a very special honour for his enormous commitment to water protection − Minister President Winfried Kretschmann awarded him the Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg.
‘Every society needs committed people, both professionally and in voluntary work. People who do more than their duty. People who are committed and use their skills to drive things forward,’ said Minister President Kretschmann at the ceremony, during which he honoured 24 individuals from various fields.
Professor Fath lectures at Furtwangen University in the Faculty of ‘Health, Medical & Life Sciences’ and highlights the issue of microplastics with spectacular projects − Fath has already swum through the Rhine, the Tennessee River, the Danube and most recently the Elbe, in each case from source to mouth. During his travels, he collects water samples for quality analyses and organises workshops and press events to raise awareness about water protection. The press release on his extraordinary commitment from the State Ministry states, ‘Andreas Fath's commitment significantly strengthens Baden-Württemberg as a pioneer in environmental awareness and sustainable research.’
Furtwangen University has enthusiastically supported the unique projects of the ‘swimming professor’ right from the start. ‘We are delighted for Andreas Fath that the special approach of his research activities has now been recognised with this prestigious award,’ says HFU President Dr Alexandra Bormann. ‘On behalf of the university executive and the entire university community, I offer my heartfelt congratulations! It is scientists like Andreas Fath who sensitise people to future issues and initiate social developments. With his tireless spirit of research, he not only makes a significant contribution to the scientific excellence of our university, but also inspires us to think in new ways and take responsibility for our environment and society.’
‘Professor Fath is a great example of how effective application-oriented research can be,’ adds Prof. Dr. Christoph Reich, Vice-President for Research and Sustainability at HFU. ‘His projects are an exceptional overall package. Students accompany him and contribute to the scientific analyses of the water samples during the trip and afterwards. And by involving the communities and towns along the rivers, engaging the public and offering a wide range of educational programmes, knowledge transfer is possible at all levels.’
Andreas Fath is also actively committed to a plastic-free environment with his non-profit organisation H2Org and as an ambassador for the ‘Cleanup’ project. Students at HFU regard the extreme sportsman and scientist highly for his approachability and the passion with which he shares his expertise as a chemist − preferably, of course, on his favourite subject of water. The Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg is awarded by the Minister President for outstanding services to the state of Baden-Württemberg, particularly in the political, social, cultural and economic fields. The number of recipients is limited to a total of 1000 living persons.
