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Today, four women scientists were honored for their outstanding contribution to science. The winners of this edition are Trang Duong, Jolien Francken, Džemila Šero and Iris Walraven. During the For Women in Science award ceremony at NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam, in the presence of State Secretary for Emancipation Mariëlle Paul, they each received an award worth €30,000 to further develop their research in a fellowship at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study. Here, the laureates will spend five months in a community of international scholars.
The initiative of L'Oréal Groupe in Benelux and the Dutch Unesco Commission, in collaboration with the National Network of Women Professors (LNVH), the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS), and NEMO Science Museum aims to give women scientists the recognition they deserve and encourage women and girls to pursue a career in science.
This year, for the first time, a high school was also invited to inspire young people to choose a future in science. "When girls meet female role models in science at a young age, they see that science is an option for them too. This is how we open the way to a future where talent and ambition determine who the discoverers of tomorrow will be. Because the world needs science and science needs women," said Jean-Baptiste Dalle, Country Manager L'Oréal Benelux.
State Secretary Mariëlle Paul (Basic Education and Emancipation): "Female talent must also be able to succeed to the full in science and engineering. With their perspective, women can find new, original answers to the big questions of today and tomorrow. The For Women in Science awards spotlight brilliant women scientists. They set a wonderful example for all girls thinking about what they want to be."
Four women in science
In Europe, less than 30% of professors are women. The Netherlands is even slightly below this average at 28.7%. In both the Life Sciences and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) disciplines, we are far from there.
The For Women in Science program was launched worldwide by L'Oréal Groupe and Unesco in 1998. Since its inception, the program has supported more than 4,400 women researchers, six of whom later won a Nobel Prize.
In the Netherlands, the program has existed since 2012, in collaboration with the Netherlands Unesco Commission, the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS-KNAW) and the National Network of Women Professors (LNVH). This year, NEMO Science Museum is also an official partner of the program. Every two years, the program awards four exceptional female scientists in the Netherlands with a €30,000 research grant to further develop their groundbreaking innovations and their research.
The 2025 Laureates
Below is more information about the winners and their groundbreaking research:
LIFE SCIENCES
Jolien Francken (Universiteit van Amsterdam)
A Philosophical Toolbox for Neuroscientists
In my research, I dive into how our brains work, specifically how processes such as memory and consciousness work. Consciousness seems simple to investigate because it is so obvious to us, but it is very complex to measure. We can measure it in different ways, for example in humans or mice, but those measurements often yield different, difficult to combine results. Thanks to the For Women in Science Fellowship, I want to achieve two things: first, I want to better understand what ‘measurement’ actually is, and second, I want to develop a kind of philosophical ‘toolbox’ for brain scientists. That toolbox should help improve measurement. I think that this ‘toolbox’, because of its flexible design, can also be useful for other fields of science. Furthermore, I hope that my research helps people understand how measurement works and how we can improve measurement in science as well as in society.
Dr. Jolien Francken's exceptional work bridges neuroscience and philosophy and garnered praise from the jury for its excellence and relevance to NIAS' interdisciplinary environment. Her ability to connect these two very different fields in a clear way makes her work truly special.
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Iris Walraven (Radboudumc)
Understandable AI for patients: Choosing lung cancer treatment with confidence
I am doing research on how we can use artificial intelligence (AI) to help lung cancer patients choose the best treatment. It is important to me that everyone, including people for whom medical terms are complicated to understand, understands what the AI model advises. Therefore, I work on ways to make the AI models' advice very understandable. In doing so, I look at everyone's personal situation and what the patient himself or herself thinks is important. Together with patients, I also create simple stories to make the information easier to understand. I want all patients, regardless of their background, to be able to make an informed and appropriate decision about their treatment.
The jury selected Dr. Iris Walraven's ambitious research for its strong social relevance and positive impact on patients and clinicians. Her multidisciplinary approach impressed the jury and demonstrated the power of research that bridges disciplines.
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STEM DISCIPLINES
Trang Duong (Utwente & IHE Delft)
How knowledge about historic flooding can help create a safer future for coastal communities
Flooding from storms is a major hazard for people living on the coast. Climate change and rising sea levels are only exacerbating this problem. With my research, supported by the For Women in Science Fellowship, I want to do something about this. With my experience in accurately simulating flood damage from severe storms, such as storm Xynthia that hit France in 2010, I now want to answer two questions: first, what would the damage be if such a storm were to happen again in the future, with the higher sea level, but without additional flood protection? And second, what additional measures would work best to reduce damage? I believe my research will provide crucial information for policymakers to make informed decisions about coastal zone management. My research will contribute to a more climate change resilient Europe and the development of smart strategies to protect vulnerable coastal zones worldwide.
Dr. Trang Duong's research on coastal resilience to climate change was recognized for its international applicability, among other things. Her project also stands out for its practical relevance, especially as sea levels rise and extreme weather events increase.
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Džemila Šero (Utwente)
Fingerprints of artists: AI helps analyze works of art
Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly important in science, we see that everywhere. AI can also mean a lot in research on cultural heritage and art, but there it is still little used. There are opportunities especially in analyzing fingerprints on works of art. There is no standard way to collect and analyze those fingerprints yet, and AI is hardly applied here. Computers can already deal well with damaged fingerprints on paper, but those techniques are not yet used for art objects. Therefore, with my For Women in Science Fellowship, I am going to focus on virtually analyzing fingerprints on terracotta objects. For that, I will use the latest image processing technologies.
The jury selected Dr. Džemila Šero for her highly original research in Heritage Biometrics, which uses advanced scanning techniques to discover hidden traces of artists on ancient sculptures. Her groundbreaking combination of art history, forensic science and imaging technology opens a new chapter in the approach to cultural heritage.
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The video’s of the candidates can be found here: https://vimeo.com/lnvh
About L'Oréal Groupe
L'Oréal Group, the archetype of the “Beauty Pure Player,” has more than 110 years of experience in the beauty industry. Research and innovation are at the heart of the organization. What drives L'Oréal: Creating value and being an example of responsibility and sustainability. L'Oréal is committed to a better world. L'Oréal works with a dedicated team of 4,000 people who are committed to meeting the needs of millions of consumers over the next year. At the same time, the organization has given much thought to its new CSR program, “L'Oréal for the Future,” which sets ambitious goals for 2030.
About Unesco, the Dutch Unesco Commission
UNESCO is the UN organization for education, science, culture and media. Through international cooperation in these areas, the organization works to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Unesco prioritizes the elimination of all forms of discrimination, especially in scientific research. The Dutch Unesco Commission is the link between the world community united in Unesco, the Dutch professional field and the Dutch government.
About LNVH
The National Network of Women Professors (LNVH) has been working since 2001 to promote proportional representation of women in science, to improve the position of women scientists from all fields and backgrounds, and to achieve an inclusive and socially safe academy in which equal pay is the norm. The LNVH works toward this goal through knowledge development, capacity building and policy advocacy, among other activities.
About NIAS
The Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS) annually selects approximately fifty researchers from home and abroad for fellowships. Selected scholars are given time and space for independent, interdisciplinary and innovative research. In addition to scientists, artists, writers and journalists are also part of this community of thinkers. NIAS is an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and is the oldest independent Institute for Advanced Study in continental Europe.
About NEMO Science Museum
NEMO Science Museum lets young and old discover how fascinating and relevant science and technology are. By showing how extraordinary everyday things are and by presenting abstract science in an accessible way. In this way they make knowledge accessible to a wide audience. NEMO brings a wide variety of programs, exhibitions, activities, technical heritage, online science news, background information, and events inside and outside the museum. NEMO is also a center of expertise in the field of informal learning about science, both extracurricularly and in the classroom.
