Francqui Prize
Encyclopedia
The Francqui Prize is a prestigious Belgian
scholarly and scientific
prize
, awarded each year since 1933 by the Francqui Foundation
in recognition of the achievements of a young (under 50) Belgian scholar or scientist
. The prize is named after Emile Francqui
.
It represents a sum of 150,000 €
, and is awarded in the following three-year rotation of subjects: exact sciences, social sciences
, and biological
or medical
sciences.
The prize is meant to encourage the further work of the young laureate, rather than crown the latter's career. He is also asked to organise an international colloquium
in the appropriate discipline the same year that he is awarded the prize, which usually leads to an international publication which enables the quality of Belgian university
research
to be more widely appreciated.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
scholarly and scientific
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
prize
Prize
A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people to recognise and reward actions or achievements. Official prizes often involve monetary rewards as well as the fame that comes with them...
, awarded each year since 1933 by the Francqui Foundation
Francqui Foundation
The Francqui Foundation was founded in 1932 by Emile Francqui and Herbert Hoover with the goal "to further the development of higher education and scientific research in Belgium". The foundation is a private foundation under the legal from of a Belgian "Institution of Public Utility"...
in recognition of the achievements of a young (under 50) Belgian scholar or scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
. The prize is named after Emile Francqui
Emile Francqui
Emile Francqui was a Belgian soldier, diplomat and business man. Being an orphan, he was sent to the military school when he was 15 years old...
.
It represents a sum of 150,000 €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
, and is awarded in the following three-year rotation of subjects: exact sciences, social sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
, and biological
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
or medical
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
sciences.
The prize is meant to encourage the further work of the young laureate, rather than crown the latter's career. He is also asked to organise an international colloquium
Colloquium
Colloquium can refer to:* the Parliament of Scotland, called a "colloquium" in Latin records.* any musical piece celebrating birth or distribution of good news, a hymn...
in the appropriate discipline the same year that he is awarded the prize, which usually leads to an international publication which enables the quality of Belgian university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
to be more widely appreciated.
Laureates of the Francqui Prize
- 1933: Henri PirenneHenri PirenneHenri Pirenne was a Belgian historian. A medievalist of Walloon descent, he wrote a multivolume history of Belgium in French and became a national hero....
- 1934: Georges LemaitreGeorges LemaîtreMonsignor Georges Henri Joseph Édouard Lemaître was a Belgian priest, astronomer and professor of physics at the Catholic University of Louvain. He was the first person to propose the theory of the expansion of the Universe, widely misattributed to Edwin Hubble...
- 1936: Frans CumontFranz CumontFranz-Valéry-Marie Cumont was a Belgian archaeologist and historian, a philologist and student of epigraphy, who brought these often isolated specialties to bear on the syncretic mystery religions of Late Antiquity, notably Mithraism. Cumont was a graduate of the University of Ghent...
- 1938: Jacques ErreraJacques ErreraJacques Errera was a Belgian physicochemist, specialized in the molecular constitution of matter. He worked at the Université Libre de Bruxelles . In 1938, he was awarded the Francqui Prize in Exact Sciences.-References:...
- 1940: Pierre NolfPierre NolfPierre Nolf was a Belgian scientist and politician.In 1940, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, but the prize was not granted that year. In 1940 he received the Francqui Prize for Biological and Medical Sciences.-External links:* *...
- 1946: François-L. GanshofFrançois-Louis GanshofFrançois-Louis Ganshof was a Belgian medievalist. After studies at the Athénée Royal, he came to the University of Ghent, where he came under the influence of Henri Pirenne. After studies with Ferdinand Lot, he practiced law for a period, before returning to the University of Ghent...
- 1946: Frans-H. van den DungenFrans-H. van den DungenFrans-H. van den Dungen was a Belgian scientist and professor at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. In 1946 he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Exact Sciences.-External links:*...
- 1946: Marcel FlorkinMarcel FlorkinMarcel Florkin was a Belgian biochemist. Florkin was graduated as a Doctor in Medicine and became a professor of biochemistry at the University of Liège....
- 1948: Léon H. DupriezLéon H. DupriezLéon H. Dupriez was a Belgian academic and economist.He was born in Leuven and studied at Harvard University , and the Catholic University of Leuven . From 1925 to 1928 he worked at the National Bank of Belgium. He became a professor at the University of Leuven in 1930, until his retirement in 1972...
- 1948: Marc de HemptinneMarc de HemptinneMarc de Hemptinne was a Belgian physicist. He was the son of Alexandre de Hemptinne, a professor at the University of Leuven. He studied chemistry at the University of Ghent and obtained a PhD in Science in 1926. Marc de Hemptinne was a pioneer of molecular spectroscopy. In 1948 he was awarded the...
- 1948: Zénon-M. BacqZénon-M. BacqZénon Bacq was a Belgian radiobiologist and inventor. He studied medicine at the Université Libre de Bruxelles , and became an MD in 1927. He studied at Harvard University , with a grant from the FNRS...
- 1948: Pol SwingsPol SwingsPol F. Swings was a Belgian astrophysicist who was known for his studies of the composition and structure of stars and comets. He used spectroscopy to identify the elements in astronomical bodies, and, in particular, comets...
- 1948: Jean BrachetJean BrachetJean Louis Auguste Brachet was a Belgian biochemist who made a key contribution in understanding the role of RNA....
- 1949: Léon RosenfeldLéon RosenfeldLéon Rosenfeld was a Belgian physicist. He obtained a PhD at the University of Liège in 1926, and he was a collaborator of the physicist Niels Bohr. He did early work in quantum electrodynamics that predates by two decades the work by Dirac and Bergmann. He coined the name lepton...
- 1950: Paul HarsinPaul HarsinPaul Harsin was a professor at the University of Liège, Belgium. In 1950, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Human Sciences.-External links:*...
- 1951: Henri Koch
- 1952: Florent BureauFlorent BureauFlorent-Joseph Bureau was a Belgian mathematician. He was a professor at the University of Liège. He worked on algebraic and differential geometry and the theory of analytical functions. In 1952, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Exact Sciences....
- 1953: Claire PreauxClaire PréauxClaire Préaux was a professor at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. In 1953 she was awarded the Francqui Prize on Human Sciences for "Philologie classique".-External links:*...
- 1953: Etienne LamotteÉtienne LamotteÉtienne Paul Marie Lamotte was a Belgian priest and Professor of Greek at the Catholic University of Louvain, but was better known as an Indologist and the greatest authority on Buddhism in the West in his time...
- 1954: Raymond JeenerRaymond JeenerRaymond Jeener was a Belgian molecular biologist and professor at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles . In 1954, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Biological and Medical Sciences.-References:...
- 1955: Ilya PrigogineIlya PrigogineIlya, Viscount Prigogine was a Russian-born naturalized Belgian physical chemist and Nobel Laureate noted for his work on dissipative structures, complex systems, and irreversibility.-Biography :...
(Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
Chemistry 1977) - 1956: Louis RemacleLouis RemacleLouis Remacle was a linguistics professor at the University of Liège. He made substantial contributions in the study of the Walloon language, showing that numerous developments considered typical of Walloon appeared between the 8th and 12th centuries...
- 1957: Lucien MassartLucien MassartLucien Massart was a specialist in the animal and plant enzymology. He was a professor and in 1957 was awarded the Francqui Prize on Biological and Medical Sciences.In 1951, together with Edouard J...
- 1958: Léon Van HoveLéon Van HoveLéon Van Hove was a Belgian physicist and a former Director General of CERN. He developed a scientific career spanning mathematics, solid state physics, elementary particle and nuclear physics to cosmology.-Biography:...
- 1959: Gérard GaritteGérard GaritteGérard Garitte was a Belgian scientist at the Catholic University of Leuven and historian. He raised the study of Georgian ecclesiastical literature to a high level. In 1959, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Human Sciences .-External links:*...
- 1960: Christian de DuveChristian de DuveChristian René, viscount de Duve is a Nobel Prize-winning cytologist and biochemist. De Duve was born in Thames Ditton, Surrey, Great Britain, as a son of Belgian refugees. They returned to Belgium in 1920...
(Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
Medicine 1974) - 1961: Adolphe Van TiggelenAdolphe Van TiggelenAdolphe Van Tiggelen was a Belgian scientist and professor at the Université Catholique de Louvain . He made important contributions to the understanding of flame processes. In 1961, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Exact Sciences....
- 1961: Jules DuchesneJules DuchesneJules Duchesne was a Belgian scientist. He was awarded the Francqui Prize on Exact Sciences and the Gold Medal of the Francqui Foundation in 1961, for his work on molecular physics.-References:...
- 1962: Chaïm PerelmanChaim PerelmanChaïm Perelman was a Polish-born philosopher of law, who studied, taught, and lived most of his life in Brussels. He was among the most important argumentation theorists of the twentieth century...
- 1963: Hubert ChantrenneHubert ChantrenneHubert Chantrenne is a Belgian scientist, and one of the pioneers of molecular biology at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. He elucidated the messenger role played by the ribonucleic acid in the synthesis of proteins in ribosome, organelles of the cellular cytoplasm...
- 1964: Paul LedouxPaul LedouxPaul Ledoux was a Belgian astronomer. In 1964 Paul Ledoux was awarded the Francqui Prize for Exact Sciences. He was awarded the Eddington Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1972 for investigations into problems of stellar stability and variable stars...
- 1965: Roland MortierRoland MortierRoland Mortier is a Belgian scientist at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. He is a member of the Académie royale de Langue et de Littérature françaises de Belgique and the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques. In 1965, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Human Sciences. He was born in...
- 1966: Henri G. HersHenri G. HersHenri-Géry Hers is a Belgian physiologist and biochemist, and was a professor at the Universite Catholique de Louvain. Hers' suffers from an inborn glycogen metabolism disorder caused by deficiency of hepatic phosphorylase associated with an enlarged liver and mild hypoglycaemia...
- 1967: José J. FripiatJosé J. FripiatJosé J. Fripiat is a Belgian scientist and former professor at the Universite Catholique de Louvain. He obtained a M.S. degree in Chemistry and Physics in 1944 at the Universite Catholique de Louvain. He started his career as a "soil physicist" in a research institute located in the Belgian Congo...
- 1968: Jules HorrentJules HorrentJules Horrent, a Belgian scientist, was awarded the Francqui Prize in 1968 on Human Sciences for his historical work-References:...
- 1969: Isidoor LeusenIsidoor LeusenIsidoor Leusen was a Belgian physiologist was awarded the Francqui Prize on Biological and Medical Sciences in 1969.-External links:*...
- 1970: Radu BalescuRadu BalescuRadu Bălescu was a Romanian and Belgian scientist and professor at the Statistical and Plasma Physics group of the Université Libre de Bruxelles ....
- 1971: Georges ThinesGeorges ThinesGeorges Thines, a Belgian scientist, was awarded the Francqui Prize on Human Sciences in 1971 for his work on experimental psychology at the Laboratory of Experimental Psychology of the Universite Catholique de Louvain.-External links:*...
- 1972: Jean-Edouard DesmedtJean-Edouard DesmedtJean-Edouard Desmedt, a Belgian scientist, and professor at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles , was awarded the Francqui Prize on Biological and Medical Sciences for his work on neurophysiology...
- 1973: Pierre MacqPierre MacqPierre Macq , Belgian physicist, was the rector of the Universite Catholique de Louvain from 1986 until 1995...
- 1974: Raoul van CaenegemRaoul van CaenegemRaoul Charles, Baron van Caenegem , a Belgian historian, was a professor at the University of Ghent. In 1974, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Human Sciences for his work on medieval history. He studied the history of continental and common law, and why they diverge so sharply...
- 1975: René Thomas
- 1976: Walter FiersWalter FiersWalter Fiers is a Belgian molecular biologist.He obtained a degree of Engineer for Chemistry and Agricultural Industries at the University of Ghent in 1954, and started his research career as an enzymologist in the laboratory of Laurent Vandendriessche in Ghent. In 1956-57, he worked with Heinz...
- 1977: Jacques TaminiauxJacques TaminiauxJacques Taminiaux is a Belgian philosopher, since 1989 Professor at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts . He studied philosophy at the Universite Catholique de Louvain...
- 1978: Jacques NihoulJacques NihoulJacques Nihoul is a Belgian scientist, and professor emeritus of the Faculty of Science of the University of Liège. He is the director of the DEA Européen en Modélisation de l'Environnement marin. In 1978, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Biological and Medical Sciences. He signed the Manifesto...
- 1979: Jozef SchellJozef SchellJozef Stefaan Schell was a Belgian molecular biologist.Jozef Schell studied Zoology and microbiology at the University of Ghent, Belgium. From 1967 to 1995 he worked as a professor at the university...
- 1980: Jozef IJsewijnJozef IJsewijnJozef A.M.K. IJsewijn . He studied classical philology at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, where he became a professor in 1967. He was an authority on Neo-Latin literature . In 1980, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Human Sciences.-References:...
- 1981: André TrouetAndré TrouetAndré Trouet is a Belgian scientist, and professor emeritus of the Universite Catholique de Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve. He was a student of Christian de Duve, who received the 1974 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his research on the structural and functional organization of the cell. André Trouet is a...
- 1982: François EnglertFrançois EnglertFrançois Englert is a Belgian theoretical physicist. He was awarded the 2010 J. J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Particle Physics , the Wolf Prize in Physics in 2004 and the High Energy and Particle Prize of the European Physical Society François Englert (born 6 November 1932) is a...
- 1983: Alexis JacqueminAlexis JacqueminAlexis Jacquemin was a Belgian economist. He received his PhD at the Université de Liège, and became a professor at the Universite Catholique de Louvain in 1974. In 1983, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Human Sciences.-Major publications:...
- 1984: Désiré CollenDésiré CollenDésiré Collen is a Belgian physician and chemist. He was born in Sint-Truiden, Belgium.-Education:He graduated as an M.D...
- 1985: Amand LucasAmand LucasAmand Lucas is a Belgian scientist and professor at the Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix, at the Institute for Studies in Interface Sciences. In 1985, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Exact Sciences for his work on theoretical physics....
- 1986: Marc WilmetMarc WilmetMarc Wilmet is a Belgian linguist and professor at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. In 1986, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Human Sciences.-External links:*...
- 1987: Jacques UrbainJacques UrbainJacques Urbain is a Belgian scientist, and professor at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. In 1987, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Biological and Medical Sciences for his work on immunology.-External links:*...
- 1988: Pierre van MoerbekePierre van MoerbekePierre van Moerbeke is a Belgian mathematician. He studied mathematics at the Universite Catholique de Louvain , and received his PhD at Rockefeller University, New York. He is a professor of mathematics at Brandeis University and the UCL...
- 1989: Pierre PestieauPierre PestieauPierre Pestieau is a Belgian economist. Since receiving his B.A and M.A degrees in economics from the and then his PhD from , Pierre Pestieau has had over thirty-five years of experience teaching and conducting research in public economics and population economics first at and then at the...
- 1990: Thierry BoonThierry BoonThierry Boon is a Belgian scientist, Director of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Branch in and professor at the Université Catholique de Louvain...
- 1991: Jean-Marie AndreJean-Marie AndreJean-Marie André is a Belgian scientist and professor of Theoretical and Chemical Physics at the Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix . He made important contributions to polymer chemistry. In 1991, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Exact Sciences.-External links:*...
- 1992: Géry van Outryve d'YdewalleGéry van Outryve d'YdewalleGéry van Outryve d'Ydewalle is a Belgian scientist and professor of the Laboratory for experimental psychology at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven . In 1992, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Human Sciences...
- 1993: Gilbert VassartGilbert VassartGilbert Vassart, MD, PhD, is a Belgian scientist and professor at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. His research interests include molecular endocrinology, especially related to the thyroid, and pharmacology of G protein-coupled receptor along with medical genetics.He is the past director of the...
- 1994: Eric G. DerouaneEric G. DerouaneEric G. Derouane is a Belgian scientist born in 1944. In 1968 he obtained his MSc in Chemistry at Princeton University and his PhD at the University of Liège. He then became a Research Associate of FNRS...
- 1995: Claude d'Aspremont LyndenClaude d'Aspremont LyndenClaude d'Aspremont Lynden is a Belgian economist and professor at the Universite Catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics , and Département des sciences économiques . He obtained a Ph.D. at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University in 1973...
- 1996: Etienne PaysEtienne PaysEtienne Pays is a Belgian molecular biologist and professor at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. His research interest is on trypanosomes....
- 1997: Jean-Luc BrédasJean-Luc BrédasJean-Luc Brédas is a Belgian chemist and professor at Georgia Tech in the United States, and at the Université de Mons-Hainaut . He studied chemistry and obtained a PhD in 1979 at the Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix , Belgium under the direction of Professor Jean-Marie André...
- 1998: Mathias DewatripontMathias DewatripontMathias François Dewatripont is a Belgian economist and professor at the Université libre de Bruxelles and visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ....
- 1999: Marc ParmentierMarc ParmentierMarc Parmentier is a Belgian scientist, and professor at the Institute of Multi-disciplinary Research in Human and Molecular Biology of the Université Libre de Bruxelles . He obtained an M.D. in 1981, and a Ph.D. in 1990 at the ULB.His research interest is on G protein-coupled receptors , and of...
- 2000: Marc HenneauxMarc HenneauxMarc Henneaux is a Belgian physicist and professor at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles . He studied physics at the ULB and obtained his PhD in 1980. Presently he serves as Director of the Service de Physique Théorique et Mathématique at the ULB and as the chair of the International Solvay...
- 2000: Eric RemacleEric RemacleEric Remacle is a Belgian scientist and professor at the Department of Political Sciences of the Universite Libre de Bruxelles . In 2000, together with Paul Magnette, he was awarded the Exceptional Francqui Prize for European Research-External links:...
and Paul MagnettePaul MagnettePaul Magnette is a Belgian politician for the PS and former political science professor at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles ....
(Exceptional Francqui Prize for European Research) - 2001: Philippe Van ParijsPhilippe Van ParijsPhilippe Van Parijs is a Belgian philosopher and political economist, mainly known as a proponent and main defender of the basic income concept.-Education:...
- 2002: Peter CarmelietPeter CarmelietPeter Carmeliet is a Belgian physician and professor at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven . He is also Adjunct Director of the VIB Department of Transgene Technology and Gene Therapy, K.U.Leuven...
- 2003: Michel Van Den BerghMichel Van Den BerghMichel Van den Bergh is a Belgian mathematician and professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and does research at the Universiteit Hasselt. His research interest is on the fundamental relation between algebra and geometry. In 2003, he was awarded the Francqui Prize on Exact Sciences.-External...
- 2004: Marie-Claire FobletsMarie-Claire FobletsMarie-Claire Baroness Foblets is a Belgian lawyer and anthropologist and professor at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven . Her research interests are interculturalism, migration and minorities. In 2004, she was awarded the Francqui Prize on Human Sciences for her research on antropology.-External...
- 2005: Dirk InzéDirk InzéDirk Inzé is a Belgian molecular biologist and professor at Ghent University . In 2002, he succeeded Marc Zabeau as head of the VIB Department of Plant Systems Biology, UGent of VIB. His research interest is on oxidative stress and the cell cycle. He is a member of the European Molecular Biology...
- 2006: Pierre Gaspard
- 2007: François de Callataÿ
- 2008: Michel A. J. GeorgesMichel A. J. GeorgesMichel A. J. Georges is a Belgian biologist and a professor at the University of Liège.- Birth and education :Michel A. J. Georges was born in 1959 in Schoten, Belgium. He received his Doctor in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Liège in 1983, and his M.Sc. in Molecular Biology from the...
- 2009: Eric Lambin
- 2010: François Maniquet
- 2011: Pierre Vanderhaegen