Eight ULiège graduates win Hera Awards 2026
Each year, the Hera Awards recognize students and young researchers for a thesis (or doctoral dissertation) that takes a systemic (360°) approach to sustainable development. This year, eight graduates from ULiège were recognized for their research work.
A ceremony to announce theHERA Awards will take place on Tuesday, April 14, at the Université libre de Bruxelles andwill be preceded by a poster exhibition showcasing the award-winning theses and dissertations. On this occasion, our eight graduates will be honored alongside 27 other winners from other universities.
Winner of the 2026 HERA Doctoral Thesis Award: Xavier Raick
For his doctoral thesis in science: "Diversity of the biophony of Polynesian photic and mesophotic coral reefs," defended at the Faculty of Science of ULiège. Supervisors: Eric Parmentier (ULiège) and Lucia Di Iorio (University of Perpignan).
Xavier Raick's thesis focuses on scientific techniques for passive listening to coral reefs through the sounds of the animals that live there. Acoustic recorders (hydrophones) were deployed on six islands in French Polynesia, both offshore and on the reefs. Several hundred hours of sounds, emitted by the hubbub of invertebrates and fish or by specific species, were analyzed. This thesis measured—rather than simply modeled—the distance at which reefs are heard by different species for the first time. It also established that the deepest reefs are unlikely to constitute ecological reservoirs for shallower areas. Finally, in addition to the methodological advances made, the thesis provided valuable insights into the resilience of marine protected areas in the face of global change.
2026 HERA Award Sustainable Behavior nominee:Célia Lemaire
For her master's thesis in environmental science and management: "Wallonia, a new wild world," defended at the Faculty of Sciences of ULiège. Supervisors: Dorothée Denayer and Eléonore Kirsch.
Célia Lemaire's work explores "rewilding," a concept that originated in the United States with the aim of restoring autonomous ecosystems through the free evolution of rivers and forests and non-intervention by humans. At the crossroads of sociology, ecology, and anthropology, the author draws on Paul Ricoeur's theory to analyze the narratives surrounding the two recently created national parks in Wallonia: the Semois Valley (29,000 hectares) and Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse (22,000 hectares). Using a six-point analysis grid based on the discourse of actors in the field and the official communication of the two parks, she examines how "rewilding" is staged, particularly through the figure of the lynx, the "ghost of the forest." In doing so, she suggests that ecological crises stem from a failure of imagination and that new narratives can transform our relationships with living things by forging desirable future horizons.
2026 HERA Award Sustainable Democracy winner: Noé Hiernaux
For his master's thesis in sociology: "In search of the ecological class. Analysis of social conflict among Walloon farmers," defended at the Faculty of Social Sciences of ULiège. Supervisor: Bruno Frère.
Based on the social protests of 2024, Noé Hiernaux conducted in-depth interviews with 20 Walloon farmers from different sectors and the political leaders of the three professional organizations in Wallonia on four themes: access to land, economic viability, the attractiveness of the profession, and the impact of ecology on it. The aim was to highlight social conflict, i.e., how those concerned perceive the adversity that pits them against other social actors. This sociological survey reveals a number of findings that challenge preconceived ideas and are likely to open up a renewed dialogue between farmers and civil society associations.
Between family farming and corporate farming, the study identifies a multiplicity of work ethics, but also feelings around major societal issues: the green conditions of the CAP, the emergence of feminism in union discussions, etc.
2026 HERA Award Sustainable Engineering nominee: Elisa Hofmann
For her master's thesis in Civil Engineering in Architecture: "Technical analysis and social acceptability of a composite material based on mycelium and raw earth," defended at the Faculty of Applied Sciences of ULiège. Supervisors: Luc Courard and Audrey Mertens.
At the crossroads of biology and architecture, Elisa Hofmann's work analyzes the potential of raw earth and mycelium (the vegetative part of fungi) as alternative building materials to conventional raw materials: 100% bio-based, low carbon footprint, biodegradable, and compostable at the end of their life cycle. The author focuses in particular on the ability of mycelium to act as a bio-adhesive with raw earth bricks. The originality of her approach lies in its dual technical (development of a mycelial insulator for raw earth bricks, followed by validation tests) and socio-anthropological (study of the social acceptability of this biomaterial via two focus groups made up of architects, site managers, engineers, and construction company managers) aspects. This dual approach enables him to highlight the drivers and barriers to the use of mycelium-based materials in the construction sector. Among the barriers is the high cost associated with slow production methods that require specialized knowledge.
2026 HERA Award Sustainable & Responsible Finance nominee: Olivier Lux
For his master's thesis in Management, "Transition in Sustainability Reporting: Exploring Stakeholders' Barriers to Moving to Limited Assurance under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)," defended at HEC Liège (ULiège). Supervisor: Wouter Torsin.
Olivier Lux's work is based primarily on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the flagship directive on sustainable reporting within the European Union. Initially very ambitious, this directive has been the subject of much criticism, particularly regarding the risks of loss of competitiveness for European companies, which prompted the Commission to partially relax it via the so-called "Omnibus" directive. Olivier Lux wanted to understand how the various stakeholders—companies subject to reporting, auditors, legislators, etc.—were adapting to these major changes. To do so, he conducted interviews with auditors from the Big Four, key players in the implementation and verification of sustainability reporting. The results varied depending on the actors involved. For example, auditors and consultants suffer from a lack of ESG expertise, the absence of standardized methods, and strong pressure to create internal frameworks.
2026 HERA Award Sustainable Law nominee: Auriane Masamuna
For her master's thesis in law, "Patent law in the era of ecological transition: rethinking the protection and dissemination of (green) innovations," defended at the Faculty of Law, Political Science, and Criminology at ULiège. Supervisor: Bernard Vanbrabant.
Auriane Masamuna's work focuses on the role of patent law in the development, promotion, and dissemination of green innovations. She examines ways of rethinking patentability in order to make it more "green" and the accelerated procedures put in place in various regions of the world to promote more virtuous research dynamics. She highlights the tensions that exist between, on the one hand, respect for the monopoly granted to patent holders and, on the other, the pursuit of collective well-being based on easy access to these technologies. She also gives a voice to four entrepreneurial actors who have practiced open access (open source) to their inventions. Based on this theoretical and empirical analysis, it formulates various proposals to all stakeholders (practitioners, companies, legislators, etc.) to consider intellectual property as a real lever for ecological transition and not simply as a defensive asset.
2026 HERA Award Sustainable Media winner: Lola Fonta
For her master's thesis in journalism, "Environmental Journalism and Media Awareness in French-speaking Belgium: Between Tensions and Convergence," defended at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at ULiège. Supervisor : David Leloup.
Lola Fonta investigated how French-speaking Belgian media address environmental issues, particularly climate change, in their columns. After an initial historical analysis extending to Europe and the United States, she focused on how the French-speaking Belgian media have gradually integrated environmental issues in line with the concept of "sustainable development" that emerged in the early 1990s. Ten journalists and editors-in-chief were interviewed. Analysis of their interviews enabled the author to highlight the obstacles and barriers encountered in the exercise of their profession (economic pressures, lack of training, conflicts with journalistic standards, etc.), but also alternative models and new practices (collaborative journalism, "constructive" articles, the creation of independent media outlets and journalist collectives, etc.). Issues of specialization, neutrality, and activism are also discussed.
2026 HERA Award Sustainable Media nominee: Julien Beauvois
For his master's thesis in journalism, "Raconter les politiques européennes : pour un récit d'enquête littéraire. Analyse réflexive de l'enquête Whokilled the Green Deal au prisme de la production et de la réception de l'actualité européenne, de l'histoire et de la théorie littéraire du récit d'enquête journalistique" (Reporting on European politics: towardsa literaryinvestigative narrative. A reflexive analysisof the Whokilled the Green Dealinvestigation through the prism of the production and reception of European news, history, and the literary theory of investigative journalism), defended at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Liège. Supervisor : David Leloup.
How can complex, even off-putting information be conveyed to a general audience that is largely concerned by it but unwilling to make the effort to understand its ins and outs? Julien Bauvois attempted to answer this question with an original and innovative approach, marked by new forms of journalistic writing: literary narrative. Specifically, the author has written a kind of political thriller based on real events, which recounts the last five years of the agricultural section of the European Green Deal, from the drafting of the initial texts on pesticide restrictions (2019) to its ultimate failure under pressure from the agri-food industry (2025). Driven by a resolutely inclusive objective (to raise awareness among as many people as possible, outside the club of "those in the know"), this editorial work is framed by a theoretical—historical and political—reflection on media literacy and the role of investigative journalism.
