​The "swiss-academies award for transdisciplinary research" is the most generously endowed award conferred by the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences. The call has been launched biannually since 2003 by the Network for Transdisciplinary Research (td-net). The award is presented in three categories: "distinguished achievement", "early career achievement" and "life-time achievement".

Researchers of NRP 61 "Sustainable Water Management“ were among the frontrunners in two categories: Sabine Hoffmann won one of the two prizes for up-and-coming researchers in recognition of her work at Eawag: she analysed synthesis processes within the scope of NRP 61 and, by systemising and describing knowledge integration methods, has made a strong contribution towards professionalising transdisciplinary research management. Researchers involved in other collaborative projects are certain to benefit from her recommendations and descriptions of the advantages and drawbacks of the corresponding methods.

The team of Professor Weingartner from the University of Bern were nominated for the main prize on account of their "MontanAqua" project, which addresses the subject of water scarcity in the Alps. Taking the region of Crans-Montana-Sierre in the Valais as an example, they showed how optimal and balanced water management and distribution solutions can be found by collaborating with local actors and interested parties. The Prize was eventually awarded to an educational research project centring on architecture/sustainable neighbourhoods: the "Green Density” project of Professor Emmanuel Rey, EPFL.