Marie Heim-Vögtlin prize for outstanding young women researchers
Anna Elsner wins the 2022 MHV Prize
Literature has always been concerned with death. But our view of dying is changing, partly due to longer life expectancy in the West. Based on French writing going back to the 1970s, Anna Elsner has examined how literature addresses the changing role of dying and palliative care in society. Among other things, she has explored how literary reflection on death goes beyond the question of individual suffering without denying the pain associated with the end of life.
This work at the intersection of French literature, philosophy and medicine was financed by a Marie Heim-Vögtlin grant as part of SNSF career funding. Since 2020, Anna Elsner has been assistant professor of French literature and culture at the University of St. Gallen.
About the Marie Heim-Vögtlin Prize
The SNSF awards the Marie Heim-Vögtlin (MHV) Prize each year to an outstanding woman researcher. Prizewinners are inspiring role models whose careers progressed significantly thanks to a grant from the SNSF. The prize is worth 25,000 Swiss francs. For ten years, the prize was awarded to former recipients of the MHV funding scheme. Now that this scheme has been discontinued, the prize is being awarded to former female grantees of the MHV, Doc.CH, Postdoc.Mobility, Ambizione and PRIMA funding schemes.
Named after a pioneering woman
The MHV Prize was named after Marie Heim-Vögtlin, who became the first Swiss woman to study medicine when she was admitted to the University of Zurich’s medical faculty in 1868. On completing her studies, she opened a gynaecological practice, where she continued practising after giving birth to two children. She is regarded as one of the pioneers in the struggle to give women access to higher education.
Videos of previous MHV prize winners
Prizewinners since 2009
Year
Prize winner
Domain of research
2021 Denise Mitrano Geochemist 2020 Charlotte Blattner Legal scholar 2019 Anne Verhamme Astronomer 2018 Sara Montagner Biologist 2017 Mathilde Bouvel mathematician 2016 Zoe Lehmann Imfeld anglicist and theologian 2015 Armelle Corpet
Anna Nele Mecklermolecular biologist
palaeoclimatologist2014 No award 2013 Lucia Malär marketing researcher 2012 Claire Jacob neurobiologist 2011 Rebecca Lämmle classical philologist 2010 Isabelle Cherchneff-Parinello astrophysicist 2009 Viviane Hess oncologist Marie Heim-Vögtlin Prize Award Ceremony