Femke van Wijk, professor of Tissues Immunology and affiliated with the Center for Translational Immunology (UMC Utrecht), has received this year's NWO Athena Award. The Athena Award is for outstanding female researchers. Each year, a maximum of two winners are designated for this prize. The laureates each receive an amount of 50k€, which is intended to be spent on the laureate's research. 

Inclusion and diversity are important for the quality of science, and for the impact of science on society. In the Netherlands, the percentage of women working in the exact and natural sciences is too low. These percentages get even lower the higher the position: only 20 percent of full professors in the beta disciplines are women.

Recognition for female beta scientists

With the Athena Award, NWO (the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research) wants to draw attention to female beta scientists who excel and are therefore role models for others. Role models are important for early career researchers and show that a career in science is possible.

Role model

Femke van Wijk works to elucidate tissue T-cell response in tissues, both in healthy people and in disease and inflammation, and translates these insights through clinical collaborations into disease monitoring and therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases. According to the jury, Femke has shown exemplary leadership in her roles as research manager of the division Children at UMC Utrecht and as the scientific director of the FOCIS Centre of Excellence. The committee is impressed by the way she has positively influenced and inspired the lives and careers of those around her, as evidenced by the letters of nomination and winning the UU Supervisor of the Year Award. This makes her a role model in the eyes of the committee. Furthermore, the committee commends her for emphasizing the need for more collaborative, inclusive, less ego-focused research, and commends her efforts in the area of focused mentoring for balancing family and career.

Athena Award criteria

NWO wants to draw attention to female beta scientists who excel and are therefore role models for others. The following equally weighted criteria have therefore been chosen: 

• The candidate is an example/inspiration for young researchers who aspire to a career in science; 
• The candidate excels in her scientific achievements, focusing on the quality of the research. In addition, other aspects may be considered, such as research impact, demonstrated leadership, teaching skills and demonstrated outreach and/or communication.

The Athena Award ceremony will take place at the NWO Life Sciences Congress, May 22-23, 2024.