Prof. Dr Natalie Laibach, a recognised expert in sustainable agriculture, has been appointed to the new endowed chair in ‘Sustainable Land Use Systems’ at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (HSRW). The endowed professorship focuses on the relationship between plant biology and the land on which plants are grown, in conjunction with other factors. Through her applied research, Laibach aims, above all, to investigate how land use can be made more sustainable with immediate effect and which systems are suitable for sustainable agriculture.
The endowed professorship in ‘Sustainable Land Use Systems’ is now the second of its kind in the short history of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. A number of key figures have championed its establishment, including Silke Gorißen, currently Minister for Agriculture and Consumer Protection for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, who at the time was still serving as District Administrator of the Kleve district, Hans-Josef Kuypers, former Managing Director of the Kleve District Economic Development Agency, and Peter Wack, former Managing Director of the Friends of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences – Cleve Campus e.V. The endowed professorship was
made possible by numerous supporting partners. In alphabetical order, these are:
• Architekt
Wilmsen• Friends of the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences – Cleve Campus e.V.
• Karl-and-Maria-Kisters
Foundation• Katjes Fassin GmbH + Co. KG•
Landgard
Foundation• MERA Tiernahrung GmbH•
Probat
SE• von Gimborn Maschinenfabrik GmbH•
Sparkasse
Rhein-Maas• Wirtschaftsförderung Kreis Kleve GmbH in conjunction with Sparkassen and
Volksbanken• ZEVENS Foundation
Together, they will cover the costs of the endowed chair in ‘Sustainable Land Use Systems’ for a period of five years. Thereafter, the endowed chair will be incorporated into the regular budget of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences.
Supporters and sponsors gathered at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences to mark the announcement that the endowed chair had been awarded to Prof. Dr Laibach. Silke Gorißen, Minister for Agriculture of North Rhine-Westphalia, emphasised the great importance of agriculture in the district of Kleve, where it is the second-largest sector after health and social care. “On the one hand, farmers are feeling the pressure of market prices; on the other, demands for sustainability and animal welfare have increased. Against this backdrop, the endowed professorship for Sustainable Land Use Systems is a key tool for tackling these challenges,” said Minister Gorißen.
District Administrator Christoph Gerwers congratulates Prof. Dr Natalie Laibach on her endowed professorship, photo credit: ©Kleve District Economic Development Agency
District Administrator Christoph Gerwers also emphasised that he was “certain that the agricultural sector and processing businesses in the Kleve district will also benefit from the endowed professorship”. Referring to the numerous supporters of the endowed professorship, District Administrator Gerwers said: “I am delighted that we have succeeded in establishing the endowed professorship through this successful collaboration between Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, the District of Kleve, the Kleve District Economic Development Agency, the Campus Cleve Friends’ Association and many supporting companies and institutions from the region. This is also a clear sign of a strong business community in the district of Kleve, which stands united and is prepared to actively support ‘its’ university.”
Prof. Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen, President of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, said: “Endowed professorships build bridges. Academia, industry and the region work together and benefit from this collaboration.” A key factor in determining the focus of the endowed professorship was “that the Lower Rhine is one of the strongest vegetable-growing regions in Germany and, together with the Netherlands, forms one of the largest and highest-quality horticultural regions in the heart of Europe”, explained the HSRW President at the time of the announcement of the establishment of a second endowed professorship. At the same time, pressure on the agricultural sector is increasing as environmental and sustainability considerations play an ever-greater role. According to Locker-Grütjen, the Lower Rhine could take on a pioneering role in this structural change – with scientific expertise provided by Prof. Dr Natalie Laibach and the endowed chair in ‘Sustainable Land Use Systems’.
Born and raised in Essen, Prof. Dr Laibach developed an interest in the fundamentals of molecular biology at an early age. After studying biology and life sciences, biotechnology and environmental sciences, she completed her PhD at the Institute for Plant Biology and Biotechnology at the University of Münster. She then moved to the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Bonn. There, as part of an interdisciplinary team, she examined new technological developments from an entrepreneurial and agro-economic perspective in order to realise their potential for sustainable agriculture and the bioeconomy. She also worked at the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) and at the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME). Her research activities encompass plant metabolic engineering, sterol biosynthesis, environmental influences on plant metabolism, sustainable plant resources and the circular bioeconomy. Laibach also has a particular interest in crops that offer great potential for more resilient and diverse agriculture. Alongside her research, the 36-year-old is passionate about promoting evidence-based sustainability and interdisciplinary exchange, as she emphasised at the press conference at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences: “Interdisciplinarity is key to developing viable ideas. That is exactly what I want to do here at the Kleve campus, and I can say that it feels as though I have always been here.” Food
production and marketing are a major economic driver in the region. To provide agricultural and processing businesses in the Kleve district with the impetus needed for the necessary transition towards sustainability, Prof. Dr Laibach intends to examine specific issues. Solutions are to be found through an interdisciplinary approach, in close collaboration with industry and with the involvement of students.
To fund the endowed professorship, 750,000 euros were raised from the business community. This was achieved through cooperation between Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, the district of Kleve, the Kleve District Economic Development Agency and the Friends of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences – Cleve Campus e.V. A selection committee subsequently initiated the appointment process. All those involved are delighted that the endowed professorship in ‘Sustainable Land-Use Systems’ has now been filled by Prof. Dr Natalie Laibach, an expert in sustainable agriculture.
