The Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) has announced the winners of the 2025 FNR Awards, recognising outstanding contributions to science and society. Now in its 17th edition, the ceremony celebrated the people behind the research—highlighting achievements that advance knowledge, foster public engagement, and build bridges between science and society.

Since 2009, the FNR Awards have recognised excellence in research not only for its academic value but also for its societal relevance. From ground-breaking doctoral theses to collaborative scientific milestones and innovative public outreach, this year's laureates exemplify the diversity and vitality of Luxembourg's research landscape.

Outstanding Scientific Achievement:
Project: Popular Culture Transnational—Europe in the Long 1960s
Prof. Andreas Fickers, Prof. Dietmar Hüser, Prof. Sonja Kmec and team

The project "Popkult60" set new standards for understanding how pop culture shaped, and was shaped by, a rapidly changing Europe. In a transnational collaboration between historians in Luxembourg and Saarbrücken, the team conducted 17 sub-projects exploring everything from rock music to children’s TV, dance halls and the Schueberfouer. By moving beyond national narratives, the project showed how cultural products crossed borders, transformed identities, and helped explain societal shifts in post-war Europe. Popkult60 reminds us that culture, often seen as entertainment, is also a lens to understand deep political, economic, and social change.

Video: https://youtu.be/Igdz3KZ7i6o

Outstanding Promotion of Science to the Public:
Project: Astronaut for a Day—Luxembourg Space Agency
Juliette Pertuy, Maia Haas, Maud Marocki, Selima Malsagova, Bo Byloos

Inspiring the next generation of scientists and explorers, “Astronaut for a Day” offered 35 secondary school students a once-in-a-lifetime experience: flying in zero gravity. Organised by the Luxembourg Space Agency Foundation, this initiative combined a rigorous selection process with hands-on experiments in microgravity. More than a single event, the programme supported the students for a full year, turning them into ambassadors for science and space careers. Especially aimed at motivating young women, it addressed a growing talent gap in the space sector while making the physics of spaceflight tangible and inspiring.

Video: https://youtu.be/DqMviEwUD20

Outstanding PhD Thesis:
Florian Felten — Artificial Intelligence with a Human Touch
University of Luxembourg / ETH Zurich

Florian Felten’s PhD thesis tackled a major limitation in current AI systems: their inability to understand and adapt to human preferences. Through pioneering work in multi-objective reinforcement learning, Felten developed methods that teach AI systems how to make nuanced trade-offs between speed and cost, efficiency and safety. His research spans from smarter travel planning to drone swarms for environmental monitoring. The result is AI that is not only more intelligent, but also more aligned with human values.

Video: https://youtu.be/VEXRuhJDkoA

Outstanding PhD Thesis:
Jill Kries — Uncovering How the Brain Understands Speech
KU Leuven / Stanford University

How does the brain turn sound into meaning? Jill Kries' thesis bridges neuroscience and linguistics to answer this fundamental question. Using EEG, cognitive tests, and work with stroke patients suffering from aphasia, Kries identified key neural processes, such as the role of prosody (the rhythm and loudness of speech) that are vital for comprehension. Her findings not only deepen our understanding of the human brain but also point to new biomarkers and potential interventions for speech-language therapy.

Video: https://youtu.be/E-Zww-B1jFQ

Outstanding Mentor:
Prof. Christos Koulovatianos
University of Luxembourg

Described as rigorous, humble, and inspirational, Christos Koulovatianos embodies what it means to be a scientific mentor. His philosophy: progress comes through small steps and mistakes are part of the journey. In creating safe spaces for trial and error, he encourages young researchers to grow not only academically, but personally. His students credit him with helping them publish, win scholarships, and discover their path—making him a quiet but powerful force in Luxembourg’s academic ecosystem.

Video: https://youtu.be/A0wgwIriaac



About the FNR Awards

First launched in 2009, the FNR Awards were created to publicly recognise scientific excellence—and to show that Luxembourg’s young research ecosystem produces work of real significance. Over the years, the awards have evolved to include categories for scientific achievement, promotion of science to the public, outstanding PhD theses, and mentoring. Today, more than ever, in an information-saturated world, the Awards play a crucial role: by giving science a human face, they help build trust, visibility, and connection with society.

For more information and videos of the laureates, visit: https://www.fnr.lu/fnr-awards-new/