Open the Door to Scientific Excellence: Laureates FWO-Excellence prizes 2025

The six laureates of the FWO-Excellence prizes are known. Every five years an international jury rewards the groundbreaking research of prominent researchers with a prize that is worth 100,000 euro. The 2025 winners are:

• Prof. Michel Van den Bergh (UHasselt): dr. A. De Leeuw-Damry-Bourlart prize for Exact Sciences
• Prof. Ingrid Verbauwhede (KU Leuven): dr. A. De Leeuw-Damry-Bourlart prize for Applied Sciences
• Prof. Johan Neyts (KU Leuven): Joseph Maisin prize for Fundamental Biomedical Sciences
• Prof. Frédéric Amant (KU Leuven): Joseph prize for Clinical Biomedical Sciences
• Prof. Bence Nanay (UAntwerpen): Ernest-John Solvay prize for Humanities
• Prof. Stefaan Walgrave (UAntwerpen): Ernest-John Solvay Prize for Social Sciences

FWO-president Bruno Blondé: “For almost 100 years, the FWO offers researchers in Flanders the opportunity to create knowledge. The most important criterion on which all our applications and applicants are assessed is excellence. In this way, we create a fertile ground for the entire Flemish research landscape, which achieves high international standards. And look: it is certainly no coincidence that three of the laureates of these FWO Excellence Prizes started their careers more than 35 years ago as PhD fellows of the FWO. The FWO plays a vital role in world-class scientific research in Flanders. But research also remains a human endeavor. And groundbreaking research requires not only scientific talent but also exceptional human qualities and sustained commitment. You can certainly view the FWO Excellence Prizes as an appreciation of that, and... as a boost for the laureates to continue their groundbreaking research.”