The FNR annually presents awards in the categories ‘Outstanding Scientific Publication’; ‘Outstanding PhD Thesis’; ‘Outstanding Promotion of Science to the Public’, with ‘Outstanding Research-Driven Innovation’ added for the first time in 2017. These are presented at the annual FNR Awards Ceremony, attended by the Minister for Higher Education and Research. With the FNR Awards, the FNR aims to encourage communication between researchers, and to promote science-related activities aimed at the general public and the young. The FNR Awards highlight such work and reward both the awardees and their institutions.
Starting with the 2021 FNR Awards, the categories ‘Research-Driven Innovation’ and ‘Scientific Publication’ will be absorbed into the new category ‘Outstanding Scientific Achievement’. 2021 also saw the introduction of the new category ‘Outstanding Mentor’.
The 2023 FNR Awards Call is now closed. Stay tuned for the ceremony announcement!
OUTSTANDING MENTOR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
OUTSTANDING SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENT APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
OUTSTANDING PHD THESIS APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
OUTSTANDING PROMOTION OF SCIENCE TO THE PUBLIC APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
FNR AWARD WINNERS
The category Outstanding Mentor was introduced in 2021. With this award, the FNR recognises outstanding mentorship and reward this important but sometimes unappreciated element of research.
2022 WINNERS
Susanne Siebentritt, Physics Professor, University of Luxembourg
Christoph Odenbreit, Arcelor Mittal Chair of Steel Construction at University of Luxembourg
2021 WINNER
Andreas Fickers, Director C2DH, University of Luxembourg
Pablo Elias Morande, Senior Post-doc Luxembourg Institute of Health.
The category Outstanding Scientific Achievement was introduced in 2021, absorbing the former categories Outstanding Scientific Publications and Outstanding Research-Driven Innovation. The new category rewards research shaping its field, rather than only looking at publications or marketable products.
2022 WINNERS
Rejko Krüger and Ibrahim Boussaad (LCSB | CHL | the Luxembourg Institute of Health) receive the Award on behalf of a large team that has made big strides: They’ve successfully developed the first proof of concept for precision medicine in the field of neurodegenerative diseases.
2021 WINNERS
Anna Golebiewska and Simone Niclou from the Luxembourg Institute of Health receive the Award on behalf of a large team for many years of research towards a better understanding and personalised treatment of brain cancer.
Emmanuel Defay & team from the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology received an FNR Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement for having achieved a breakthrough in a new technology that could be used in more eco-friendly and efficient cooling systems in the future.
Each year, the FNR attributes the FNR Award for the Outstanding Promotion of Science to the Public, which may go to individuals (scientists, teachers, etc.), institutions or non-profit associations that have successfully contributed to the promotion of science to the public in Luxembourg.
2022 WINNERS
A small team led by David Degouis from Ecole Privee Notre Dame (Sainte Sophie) for making it possible for pupils to imagine the future and grasp technological advances of tomorrow with science at the heart of the whole project.
A team headed by Sergio Coronado from the Luxembourg Tech School (LTS) for having already helped hundreds of young people to get ready for the world of tomorrow.
2021 WINNERS
A team headed by Stefan Krebs from the Luxembourg Center for Contemporary and Digital History (C2DH) at the University of Luxembourg, win the Outstanding Promotion of Science to the Public award for setting up interactive video installation in the middle of Esch to investigate the industrial history of the Minett region.
2020 WINNERS
Sophie WAGNER, Sabine SCHMITZ, Ruxandra SOARE LELUBRE, Lucie DEBROUX, Lisa SMITS, Philippe LAMESCH (LCSB, University of Luxembourg) for the science-meets-art exhibition “Mind the Brain”.
Carole BLOND-HANTEN (Luxembourg Institute of Socio–Economic Research) for activities surrounding the gender board game “GG”
2019 WINNERS
Juliette PERTUY, Laura STAR, Noémie GUERISSE, Malou FRAITURE, Joanna MUZ, Arnaud D’AGOSTINI, Federica AMATO (Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH); Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg (IBBL) for the activity “Science Quest”.
Carlo HANSEN; Natalia SLIOUTOVA; Sousana EANG (Fondation jeunes scientifiques Luxembourg) for the activity / national contest “Jonk Fuerscher”
2018 WINNERS
Nicolas DIDIER & Guillaume TRAP / Luxembourg Science Center team for the activity “Luxembourg Science Center”
Thierry LUTGEN and Jutta SIEREN (Elisabeth anne asbl) for the activity “Indiana Jos”
2017 WINNERS
Guy PUTZ & Will REITER (Lycée Technique d’Ettelbruck) for the activity “Projektwoche „Windmobile.”“
Christian PENNY (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology) for the activity “What do we bring home from school?”
2016 WINNER
Astrid MAISCHAK (Déi Kleng Fuescher a.s.b.l.); Gérard WAGENER (Lycée des garcons Esch); Maryse LALLEMAND (École Fondamentale Dellhéicht): ‘Die Alchemisten von Dellhéicht präsentieren: Au, das Element der Befreiung.’
2015 WINNER
Elisabeth JOHN (University of Luxembourg): Hands-on-science – The Scienteens Lab, das erste luxemburgische Schülerlabor.
2014 WINNERS
Danielle HOFFMANN, Pascale ENGEL DE ABREU, Caroline HORNUNG, Romain MARTIN, Christine SCHILTZ, Anne-Marie SCHULLER and Sonja UGEN (University of Luxembourg): LEARN Newsletter.
Jeff KOHNEN (Olympiades Luxembourgeoises des Sciences Naturelles asbl): 11th European Union Science Olympiad.
Pascal DAMAN (Lycée de garçons de Luxembourg): Foire aux Sciences.
2013 WINNERS
- Benoît SMETS (European Center for Geodynamics and Seismology – ECGS), Nicolas D’OREYE (ECGS / Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle – MNHN), François KERVYN (Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale) & Adrien OTH (ECGS): Nyiragongo, expédition sur un lac de lave.
- Patrice CAIRE/ Grégory NAIN (Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust at the University of Luxembourg, SnT): A Convivial, Private and Secure Home Care Assistant.
2012 WINNERS
- Gérard WAGENER / Astrid MAISCHAK / Sandra THERWER (Déi kleng Fuerscher): Wasser, ein edles Tröpfchen & Wunderwelt der Farben.
- Amandine BERNARD (CRP Santé): La cellule qui voulait devenir immortelle.
- Thierry FRENTZ / Romain KAELL (Ville de Differdange): Technikschoul Déifferdeng
2011 WINNERS
- David DEGOUIS & Virginie SCHMITT (Ecole Privée Notre-Dame Sainte-Sophie): Schoolproject ‘Semaine de la Science 2010’.
- Pascal DAMAN & Janine GOEDERT (Lycée de Garçons Luxembourg): Schoolproject ‘Michael Frayn’s COPENHAGEN on stage’.
- Danièle MOES, Anne-Marie TERNES & Monika DIETERLE (CRP-Santé): Workshop ‘Experimental Cosmetics» and Science Café ‘Wissenschaft in der Werbung’ presented at the Researchers’ Night 2010.
2010 WINNERS
- Eric BUTTINI (MNHN): ‘Année Internationale de l’Astronomie 2009’.
- Georges KOHNEN, Stuart ATKINSON & Michèle GOEDERT (Association Maarkollef Niederanven éducation aux sciences asbl) : ‘Lernwerkstatt Niederanven’.
- Aline FISCHER & Sandrine AMANN (MNHN): ‘Galileo Science Mobil’.
2009 WINNERS
- Patrick DELHALT (MNHN) / Nicole SCHLICHTENHORST (Syndicat PRO-SUD) / André Stemper (Université du Luxembourg) : ROBOTEC SUD.
- Pierre GALLEGO / Véronique DEGARDIN (MNHN): Science Club: Delfinen a Walen erfuerschen.
- Paul ZIMMER (AJSL) / Patrick DELHALT (MNHN): Science Camp 2008.
Each year, the FNR attributes the FNR Award for Outstanding PhD Thesis to an individual who has concluded his/her PhD with a dissertation of outstanding scientific quality.
2022 WINNER
Aakash Arora for his PhD project designing algorithms to help satellites cope with increasing demand.
2021 WINNERS
Christa Birkel (University of Luxembourg) for her PhD thesis on the ruling structures and processes in the medieval Duchy of Luxembourg.
Giuseppe Bengasi (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), in collaboration with the University of Mainz) for his PhD thesis on engineered porphyrins (chemical compounds) for functional applications. The colourful material could one day turn solar light and electricity into clean hydrogen.
2020 WINNERS
Maciej CHRZANOWSKI (University of Luxembourg & ArcelorMittal Belval & Differdange S.A.) for the PhD thesis “Shear Transfer in Heavy Steel-Concrete Composite Columns with Multiple Encased Steel Profiles.”
Thierry TITCHEU CHEKAM (University of Luxembourg – SnT) for the PhD Thesis “Assessment and Improvement of the Practical Use of Mutation for Automated Software Testing.”
2019 WINNERS
Riccardo RAO for the PhD Thesis “Conservation Laws in Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics: Stochastic Processes, Chemical Reaction Networks, and Information Processing.” (PhD project conducted at the University of Luxembourg, in the research group of Prof Dr Massimilliano Esposito.)
Linda WAMPACH for the PhD Thesis “Colonization and succession of the human gastrointestinal microbiome in neonates and infants at high risk of metabolic disease in adulthood.” (PhD project conducted at the LCSB at the University of Luxembourg, in the research group of Prof. Dr Paul Wilmes.)
2018 WINNER
Eric Finn SCHAANNING (Imperial College London) for the PhD thesis ‘Fire sales and systemic risk in financial networks.’
2017 WINNER
Esther BREITHOFF (University of Bristol) for the PhD thesis “Conflict Landscapes of the Chaco War.”
2016 WINNER
Zhe LIU (University of Luxembourg): ‘Lightweight Public-Key Cryptography for Wireless Sensor Nodes.’
2015 WINNERS
Shree K. SHARMA (University of Luxembourg – Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust): Interweave/Underlay Cognitive Radio Techniques and Applications in Satellite Communication Systems.
Catherina SCHREIBER (University of Luxembourg – Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education): Curricula and the Making of the Citizens. Trajectories from 19th and 20th Centrury Luxembourg.
2014 WINNERS
Bob C. SCHROEDER (Imperial College London): New Thiophene Based Semiconducting Materials for Applications in Plastic Electronics.
Patrick AUGUSTIN (Stockholm School of Economics): Essays on Sovereign Credit Risk and Credit Default Swap Spreads.
2013 WINNER
- Christian JUNG (Technische Universität München): Patient-specific Induced Pluripotent Stem-cell Models of Cardiac Disease.
2012 WINNER
- Claire MICHEAU (University of Luxembourg): State aid, subsidy and tax incentives under EU and WTO law.
Up until the 2020 FNR Awards, the FNR attributed the FNR Award for Outstanding Scientific Publications for articles released in peer-reviewed journals or for scientific monographs. In 2021, this category was absorbed into the new category Outstanding Scientific Achievement.
2020 WINNER
Laurent PFISTER, Núria MARTÍNEZ-CARRERAS, Christophe HISSLER, Julian KLAUS, Gwenael E. CARRER, Mike K. STEWART, Jeffrey J. McDONNELL (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology) “Bedrock geology controls on catchment storage, mixing, and release: A comparative analysis of 16 nested catchments.”
Carole LINSTER, Nicole PACZIA, Julia BECKER-KETTERN, Jean-François CONROTTE, Daniel KAY (LCSB, University of Luxembourg) for the publication “NAD(P)HX dehydratase (NAXD) deficiency: A novel neurodegenerative disorder exacerbated by febrile illnesses.”
2019 WINNERS
Eva LAGUNAS, Shree Krishna SHARMA, Sina MALEKI, Symeon CHATZINOTAS and Björn OTTERSTEN (SnT, University of Luxembourg) for the publication “Ressource Allocation for Cognitive Satellite Communications With Incumbent Terrestrial Networks.” Published in IEEE Transactions on Cognitive Communications and Networking, Vol. 1, No. 3, September 2015
Antonio DEL SOL MESA & Satoshi OKAWA (LCSB, University of Luxembourg) for the publication “Transcriptional synergy as an emergent property defining cell subpopulation identity enables population shift.” Published in Nature Communications, 2018, 9:2595 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05016-8
2018 WINNER
Ben THUY (Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle – MNHN): ‘Paleozoic echinoderm hangovers: waking up in the Triassic’ published in: Geology, 2017
2017 WINNERS
Pranjul SHAH & Paul WILMES (LCSB at the University of Luxembourg): “A Microfluidics-Based in Vitro Model of the Gastrointestinal Human-Microbe Interface.” Published in: Nature Communications
Mahesh DESAI (Luxembourg Institute of Health): “A Dietary Fiber-Deprived Gut Microbiota Degrades the Colonic Mucus Barrier and Enhances Pathogen Susceptibility.” Published in: Cell
2016 WINNERS
Jérôme PAGGETTI & Etienne MOUSSAY (Luxembourg Institute of Health): Exosomes released by chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells induce the transition of stromal cells into cancer-associated fibroblasts.’
Matteo POLETTINI (University of Luxembourg): ‘Efficiency statistics at all times: Carnot limit at finite power.’
2015 WINNER
Ivan NOURDIN and Giovani PECCATI (University of Luxemburg – Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication): ‘Normal Approximations with Malliavin Calculus: From Stein’s Method to Universality’.
2014 WINNERS
Alex REDINGER, Dominik M. BERG, Phillip J. DALE and Susanne SIEBENTRITT (University of Luxembourg): ‘The Consquences of Kesterite Equilibria for Efficient Solar Cells’.
Joanna BAGINSKA and Bassam JANJI (CRP-Santé): ‘Granzyme B Degradation by Autophagy Decreases Tumor Cell Susceptibility to Natural Killer-mediated Lysis under Hypoxia’.
Alessandro MICHELUCCI, Thekla CORDES and Karsten HILLER (University of Luxembourg): ‘Immune-responsive Gene 1 Protein Links Metabolism to Immunity by Catalyzing Itaconic Acid Production’.
2013 WINNER
- Pascale M. J. ENGEL DE ABREU (Université du Luxembourg): ‘Bilingualism Enriches the Poor: Enhanced Cognitive Control in Low-income Minority Children’.
2012 WINNERS
- Fabrizio FENICIA (CRP Gabriel Lippmann): ‘Elements of a flexible approach for conceptual hydrological modelling – Water Resources Research’.
- Etienne MOUSSAY and Guy BERCHEM (CRP Santé): ‘MicroRNA as biomarkers and regulators in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA’.
2011 WINNERS
- Alex BIRYUKOV and Dmitry KHOVRATOVICH (Université du Luxembourg): Related-key Cryptanalysis of the Full AES-192 and AES-256 published in LNCS, ASIACRYPT’ 2009.
- Adrien OTH (European Center for Geodynamics and Seismology): Evaluation and optimization of seismic networks and algorithms for earthquake early warning – the case of Istanbul published in Journal of Geophysical Research.
2010 WINNERS
- Guy SCHUMANN (University of Bristol; doctoral thesis carried out at the Centre de Recherche Public Gabriel Lippmann 2005-2008): ‘Spatially distributed water stages from remotely sensed imagery: Prospects for improved flood inundation modelling’ (published in 2009, VDM Publishing).
- Simone NICLOU et Uros RAJCEVIC (CRP-Santé): ‘iTRAQ-based proteomics profiling reveals increased metabolic activity and cellular cross-talk in angiogenic compared with invasive glioblastoma phenotype’ (published in 2009 in “Molecular and Cellular Proteomics” by the editor “American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology”.
2009 WINNERS
- Nicolas D’OREYE (MNHN): Strain accommodation by slow slip and dyking in a youthful continental drift, East Africa (published in 2008 in Nature).
- Joël MOSSONG (Laboratoire National de Santé): ‘Social Contacts and Mixing Patterns Relevant to the Spread of Infectious Disease’ (published in 2008 in PLoS Medecine).
- Michel PAULY (Université du Luxembourg): Peregrinorum, pauperum ac aliorum transeuntium receptaculum. Hospitäler zwischen Maas und Rhein im Mittelalter. (Habilitation, published in 2007 in Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte, Beiheft 190).
From the 2017 to the 2020 FNR Awards, the FNR attributed the FNR Award for Outstanding Research-Driven Innovation to researchers who have made an effort to turn their publicly (co)funded research into innovations of a commercial or social nature. In 2021, this category was absorbed into the new category Outstanding Scientific Achievement.
2020 WINNER
Claudine KIRSCH, Simone MORTINI (University of Luxembourg) for a series of educational videos on language learning practices in daycare and nursery schools.
2018 WINNERS
Pascale ENGEL DE ABREU (University of Luxembourg) for the project “LALA – Lauter lëschteg Lauter” (FNR Proof-of-Concept project)
Tom WIRTZ; David DOWSETT; Rachid BARRAHMA; Olivier BOUTON and Jean-Nicolas AUDINOT (LIST – Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology) for the project for the project “VECTOR500 SIMS: a unique tool for high resolution high-sensitivity nano-analysis.”
2017 WINNERS
Pranjul SHAH and Paul WILMES (LCSB at the University of Luxembourg) for the project “HuMiX technology (host-microbe interaction modelling).” (FNR Proof-of-Concept project)
Pouyan ZIAFATI (LuxAI S.A.) for the project “Programming Cognitive Robots (ProCRob).” (FNR Proof-of-Concept project, “The “QT” Robot”)
The FNR Special Award rewards individuals, associations or institutions for their outstanding contribution to the promotion and/or development of science and research in Luxembourg or in relation with Luxembourg.
2015 WINNER
Claude WEHENKEL, former Director of the Centre de Recherche Public Henri Tudor (now part of the Luxembourg Institute for Science and Technology).
2013 WINNER
Fernand WAGNER, Vice-President, President and Honorary President of the European Association for Astronomy Education.
2012 WINNER
Pierre SECK, President of the Section des Sciences de l’Institut Grand-Ducal.
