German Research Foundation (DFG) honors postdoctoral researcher Sara Nazari for her hydrology research at the ZMT and Kiel University
Geoscientist Dr Sara Nazari, a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) , has been awarded the Bernd Rendel Prize 2026 by the German Research Foundation (DFG). With this award, the DFG recognises her outstanding research in the field of hydrogeology during her PhD, which was carried out at ZMT and the Institute of Geosciences at Kiel University.
Nazari’s research focuses on groundwater – the world’s largest hidden freshwater resource and a lifeline for drinking water, food production, and ecosystems. Her work is driven by a long-standing curiosity about why freshwater availability changes over time and how human activity and climate interact to shape these changes. This motivation led her to study groundwater as a shared resource that is deeply connected to human behavior, institutions, and collective responsibility.
During her PhD at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) and Kiel University, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Nils Moosdorf and Prof. Dr. Robert Reinecke from the Institute of Geography at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Nazari examined groundwater as a coupled human–environment system. She developed global models of groundwater recharge and withdrawal and combined them in a groundwater risk framework that also accounts for exposed populations, groundwater-dependent agriculture, infrastructure, access to alternative water sources, socio-economic conditions, and governance. This allowed her to identify not only where groundwater use exceeds natural replenishment, but also where such pressure is most likely to have serious consequences for society. Her results reveal major risk hotspots in South and Western-Central Asia, the Mediterranean, and North-Central America, while also showing how stronger institutions and infrastructure can reduce potential impacts.
“Ms Nazari is characterised by great scientific curiosity, independence and persistence. She does not hesitate to tackle complex and wide-ranging issues, whilst linking sound hydrological research to its societal significance. The Bernd Rendel Prize is a well-deserved recognition of this work,” says her supervisor, Prof. Nils Moosdorf, in praise of her success.
Having completed her PhD in ZMT’s Submarine Groundwater Discharge working group, Sara Nazari now works as a postdoctoral researcher in ZMT’s Earth System Modelling working group.
For Sara Nazari, the Bernd Rendel Prize is both a mark of recognition and an incentive. “I would like to continue advancing my research in order to lay the scientific foundations for sustainable water management and resilient adaptation strategies.” In the long term, her work aims to help secure groundwater resources sustainably in the face of growing environmental and societal challenges, and to strengthen the livelihoods of people who depend on this hidden resource.
The prize will be awarded at the annual conference of the German Geological Society – Geological Association (DGGV), which will take place in Bochum from 20 to 24 September 2026. The award is endowed with 3,000 euros and is funded by the Bernd Rendel Foundation, which is administered by the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft. The prize money is intended, amongst other things, to facilitate participation in international congresses and scientific conferences.
Publications arising from the PhD
The award-winning research is based in particular on the following papers:
In addition, during her PhD, Sara Nazari co-authored further scientific publications, including:
Geoscientific Model Development (2026): https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/19/523/2026/
WIREs Water: https://wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/wat2.70025
A complete overview of her academic publications can be found on her Google Scholar profile: Link to Sara Nazari’s profile
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