During the evening show hosted by Arjen Lubach, it was announced that Ionica Smeets has won the Irispenning Award 2023 for Excellence in Science Communication. According to the Irispenning Award jury, Smeets is someone who has excelled in the field of science communication with humor for a long time and always seeks collaboration. For 15 years, Smeets has been writing columns on mathematics and numbers and has presented various programs on mathematics and science.
The Irispenning Award for Excellence in Science Communication was first introduced in 2019. This is thanks to three government-supported science museums: NEMO Science Museum, Rijksmuseum Boerhaave, and Teylers Museum. The award is intended for institutions, projects, or individuals in the Netherlands who have been able to reach and inform a broad audience on science and technology topics in an innovative manner.
Since Smeets was appointed as a professor of Science Communication at Leiden University in 2015, she has been advocating for universities to not only provide time and rewards for education and research but also for science communication. It's not surprising that Smeets, along with Alex Verkade, was asked by Irispenning Award laureate Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf to serve as a pioneer for the national center for science communication, due to her excellent contributions to science communication as noted in the jury report.
On Monday, October 9th, the award will be presented at the Evening of Science & Society in the Pieterskerk in Leiden. Robbert Dijkgraaf, the Minister of Education, Culture, and Science, will personally present it to Ionica Smeets. The Irispenning Award includes a prize mony of ten thousand euros provided by the Royal Holland Society of Sciences, and finally, a medal crafted by Jennifer Hoes. The prize money will be allocated for students in Leiden who will embark on new projects.
Watch the item of De Avondshow back here!
