The winners of the 2023 ELFA Award were announced at the ELFA Annual Conference 2024, which took place on 17-19 April in Edinburgh.
Professor Laurence W. Gormley (University of Groningen), Coordinator of the Award and former ELFA President, announced the decision of the Jury, which this year was composed of Aurelia Colombi Ciacchi (University of Groningen), Thomas Horsley (University of Liverpool) and Dagmar Schiek (University College Dublin).
The first prize was awarded, jointly, to two researchers. On one hand, to Mariza Avgeri, for her thesis A transgender studies approach to gender identity and expression- based asylum claims based on a critical doctrinal and discourse analysis of CJEU and ECtHR jurisprudence defended at Maynooth University (Ireland). Mariza Avgeri has worked as a legal researcher, as well as a case worker at the Greek Asylum Service and as a member of the Appeals Committees. She has participated in civil rights initiatives regarding migrant rights and LGBT rights, both as a lawyer and as a member of the queer community. Currently, she is an Associate Lecturer in Law at the Open University and a qualified lawyer in Greece.
On the other hand, the second joint first prize winner was Moritz Schramm, for his thesis Emulated Guardians: The Power, Politics, and Performativity of the DSA and the Oversight Board”, defended at the Humboldt-University of Berlin (Germany). Dr. Schramm is Postdoctoral Researcher at the Humboldt-University of Berlin and Visiting Postdoctoral Researcher at the Guarini Institute for Global Law and Tech (University of New York). He contributes, from a multidisciplinary perspective ranging from public law, constitutional law or law and technology, among others, to the research and dissemination of legal knowledge as an author and editor in various legal publications, as well as through his participation -presenting or organizing- in scientific conferences and workshops.
In addition, the Jury decided to award a Proxime Accessit to Aurélie Villanueva, for her thesis Culture in European Union Law: Between Market and Society, defended at the European University Institute (Florence, Italy). Dr. Villanueva has developed an extensive academic career carrying out her education, research and teaching tasks at various university institutions, including the University of Strasbourg, Leiden University, the University of Amsterdam, the European University Institute and Stockholm University. Dr. Villanueva is currently Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen.
The Jury remarked on the high quality of all the theses that applied for the award (a total of 15), and noted the difficulty of reaching the final selection. The ELFA Board of Directors is deeply grateful to the Jury and the Award Coordinator for their invaluable and generous work in carrying forward one of the flagships of the Association. And, above all, many thanks to all the participants! The successful future of European law research is assured.
