C.J. Kok Jury Award for Best Thesis of the Year
Sustainable cities, undiscovered antibiotics or the largest giant radio galaxies ever... Which PhD candidate has written the most impressive dissertation of 2024? The jury of the C.J. Kok Jury Award faces the challenging task of deciding that. Meet the nominees of the award for the Thesis of the Year 2024.
Stefano Polla
Leiden Institute of Physics
Stefano Polla designs smart algorithms for quantum computers that don’t exist yet, exploring how a single qubit can drive complex tasks like error correction and system cooling without significant capacity loss. By preparing smart algorithms for future quantum systems we ensure that investments in building quantum computers will pay off in the future.
‘It might seem strange, but we do not know yet what quantum computer will be useful for.’
Read more about Polla’s research
Martijn Oei
Leiden Observatory
Not everything that comes close to a black hole is swallowed by it. Black holes can also hurl material away, a phenomenon that Martijn Oei found to occur much more frequently than previously believed. He identified the largest giant radio galaxy ever discovered and revealed a hidden population of thousands of similar galaxies, transforming our understanding of galactic dynamics.
‘I saw a massive burst from a galaxy. Two clouds on either side of it, the distance from one to the other was a hundred times bigger than the galaxy itself.’
Read more about Oei’s research
Pim Spelier
Mathematical Institute
Pim Spelier explored the challenge of counting curves and their rational points, revealing intricate patterns in higher-dimensional spaces. His work resolved long-standing questions in algebraic geometry by proving the effectiveness of a new method for finding solutions to complex equations
‘The counting becomes easier when you break up complicated spaces into small spaces’
Read more about Spelier’s research
Wouter Remmerswaal
Leiden Institute of Chemistry
The dark matter of biology: clumps of sugar molecules that, for example, form sugary webs around pathogens. We know very little about them. Wouter Remmerswaal threw all his talent into the challenge – both in the lab and as a modeller – and succeeded developing more efficient methods for studying these mysterious sugars
‘I specialised in both laboratory work and modelling, a rare combination in one person.’
Read more about Remmerwaals’ research.
Janneke van Oorschot
Institute of Environmental Sciences Leiden
Van Oorscho’ work offers a roadmap for creating more sustainable, liveable cities. She explored the impact of urban development by combining grey infrastructure (buildings, energy systems) with green elements (trees, plants). She shows that an integrated approach can reduce the material demands of construction while boosting urban greening. This not only lowers the environmental impact of building materials but also enhances ecosystem services like cooling, air purification, and recreational spaces.
‘More housing in cities is possible without sacrificing green spaces’
Read more about Van Oorschot’s research
Marie Depuydt
Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research
In addition to cholesterol and high blood pressure as risk factors for atherosclerosis, we may need to address our own immune system to prevent a heart attack or stroke. Depuydt revealed which cells exactly reside in the atherosclerotic plaque that narrows an artery. The presence of a diverse set of T-cells suggests autoimmune-like characteristics for this disease.
‘While the autoimmune aspect we uncovered is’ the entire picture, it paves the way for new approaches to treating cardiovascular diseases, alongside factors like lifestyle, heredity, and aging.’
Read more about Depuydt’s research
Nataliia Machushynets
Institute of Biology Leiden
During her PhD, Machushynets set out to find unknown antibacterial compounds, capable of killing resistant pathogens. That sometimes felt as ‘looking for a needle in a haystack.’ But she did find what she was looking for, in the soil beneath our feet.
‘We probably know only 5 percent of the antibiotics that bacteria are capable of making.’
Read more about Machushynet’s research
Solomiia Kurchaba
Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Sciences
Ships are still emitting too much nitrogen oxide. Till now it has been impossible to measure this at sea, but that is set to change. Solomiia Kurchaba combined satellite data and developed algorithms to identify which ships are emitting too much.
‘Once the system is in place, we can use it to to identify ships with excessive emissions, allowing inspectors to board and check fuel quality and engine settings, ensuring compliance with stricter nitrogen and sulfur standards.’