Austrian Research and Technology Report 2020

2.6.3 New initiatives and instruments 2019 and outlook
New instruments and highlights 2019
• After many years of successfully holding the office, Prof. Reinhart Kögerler stepped down from the 
position of President of the Christian Doppler Research Association (CDG) in 2019, and Prof. Martin 
Gerzabek was named as the new President of the CDG on 1 July 2019 by Federal Minister Dr Margarete 
Schramböck. In the course of this transition, new measures for promoting early stage researchers and 
fostering gender equality were initiated. These were announced in 2019 and will be implemented as of 
2020 (see the Chapter “Outlook for the coming years”). 
• Roughly 250 news items in the year 2019 demonstrate the far-reaching interest of the public in the 
activities of the Christian Doppler Research Association (CDG). One highlight of these reports is the 
extensive media coverage of a press conference held in conjunction with the Federal Ministry for Digital 
and Economic Affairs (BMDW) concerning the Alpbach Technology Symposium.
• Over 100 research units (91 CD Laboratories and 15 JR Centres) were administered by the Christian 
Doppler Research Association (CDG) in 2019. The funding models of the CDG are still in high demand 
within science and business: The highest number of new applications for CD Laboratories/JR Centres 
to date was received in 2018 and 2019. 
Outlook for the coming years
Special programme elements at CD Laboratories will be established to pursue the goal of fostering the 
early stage researchers, especially in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) as 
well as the more general goal of promoting women in research. 
CDG Girls Day
Young female pupils of the lower cycle (about 10–14 years old) have the opportunity to spend a day at a 
CD Laboratory to learn about research work at universities/research institutions in order to inspire them 
to pursue careers in research. 

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