Three female researchers from the Universities of Bonn, Duisburg-Essen, and Potsdam have each received the “Consumption & Consumer Sciences Sponsorship Award for Outstanding Theses,” worth €2,500, for their academic theses. The recipients were selected by the Scientific Advisory Board of the Consumer Research Competence Center of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
The awards are funded by the Consumer Protection Foundation in NRW and were presented on June 25, 2025, in Düsseldorf. As part of the ceremony, the award winners presented their outstanding work to representatives from the 32 member associations of the Consumer Advice Center NRW. Board member Wolfgang Schuldzinski emphasized the researchers' scientific dedication:
“Through their innovative work, they have not only made an important contribution to the advancement of their fields but also demonstrated the potential of consumer research and the next generation of scientists.”
Jana Kilimann, M.Sc., received the “Consumption & Consumer Sciences Sponsorship Award for Outstanding Theses” for her master's thesis entitled “Consumers’ beliefs, attitudes, and purchase intentions regarding precision fermentation-derived Gouda in Germany: The role of personal factors”
In her study, she investigates consumer acceptance of animal-free and thus environmentally friendly Gouda cheese. Precision fermentation uses microorganisms to produce milk proteins for cheese production, without any farm animals involved. The thesis demonstrates that both egoistic and altruistic consumer beliefs play a decisive role in the intention to purchase such a new food product.