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Two Utrecht researchers have received prestigious scientific awards from NWO. Political philosopher and ethicist Ingrid Robeyns has been awarded the Stevin Prize, and geneticist Thijn Brummelkamp has received the Spinoza Prize. The Stevin and Spinoza Prizes are often referred to as the “Dutch Nobel Prizes”. They are awarded to researchers who have done outstanding, groundbreaking and inspiring work. The awards are worth 1.5 million euros.

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  Ingrid Robeyns

  Professor
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  Professor

Ingrid Robeyns, Professor of Ethics of Institutions is delighted with the award. The NWO Prize is awarded to researchers who have achieved exceptional results in the field of knowledge utilisation for society. The knowledge utilisation must have demonstrably led to innovative applications, ideas and networks in practice.

Ideas and theories for improving society

The award is particularly important because it is often difficult for political philosophers to demonstrate the societal impact of their research, says Robeyns. “My contributions are at the level of ideas: I develop concepts and theories and look at the values and principles that underpin policy and structures in society. These analyses can help us to better understand society and also to improve its structures.”

It's fantastic that this type of research is now receiving such recognition with the award of the Stevin Prize

Examples include Robeyns’ work on  (used in the Netherlands by, among others, The Netherlands Institute for Social Research and in thinking about broad prosperity) and on limitarianism: the concept that, in addition to a poverty line, there must also be a limit to extreme wealth. ‘It's fantastic that this type of research is now receiving such recognition with the award of the Stevin Prize,’ said Robeyns.

Search for new medications for cancer and infectious diseases

Professor of Experimental Genetics Thijn Brummelkamp, who is also scientific director of the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), will receive this year's Spinoza Prize. Brummelkamp will receive the prize for his groundbreaking and inspiring scientific achievements that contribute to the search for new medicines against cancer, infectious diseases, and more.

I deliberately choose not to focus on a single path, but rather on research that allows me to make discoveries in all kinds of directions that offer new insights for people and science

Scientists worldwide benefit from the techniques he developed, allowing them to study the working of genes in human DNA. Consequently, his work contributes to the discovery of new medicines for infectious diseases and cancer. ‘I deliberately choose not to focus on a single path, but rather on research that allows me to make discoveries in all kinds of directions that offer new insights for people and science,’ says Brummelkamp.