Scientific Excellence of the EPS Nuclear Physics Division celebrated at EuNPC2025 in Caen

From 22 to 26 September 2025, the European nuclear physics community convened in Caen, France, for the 6th European Nuclear Physics Conference (EuNPC2025) — the flagship event of the EPS Nuclear Physics Division (NPD). A major highlight of the gathering was the official presentation of the 2024 EPS NPD Prizes, which honoured both established figures and promising young scientists in the field.

Lise Meitner Prize 2024: Honouring Pioneers in Nuclear Science

During the conference’s social dinner, the prestigious Lise Meitner Prize — awarded biennially by the EPS-NPD for outstanding contributions to nuclear science — was jointly presented to:

• Prof. Muhsin N. Harakeh (University of Groningen, Netherlands)

• Prof. Achim Richter (TU Darmstadt, Germany)

On the final day of the conference, both laureates gave keynote lectures showcasing their pioneering work on collective excitations in nuclei, including giant resonances, isospin modes, and the “scissors mode.” Their groundbreaking experimental and theoretical contributions were recognized by the prize committee for their lasting impact on nuclear structure research and accelerator development.

Prof. Achim Richter was not able to attend the conference and Dr Peter von Neumann-Cosel gave the talk on his behalf.

Named in honour of the trailblazing physicist Lise Meitner, the award is one of the most prestigious distinctions in the field. This year’s joint recognition reflects the complementary nature of the winners’ scientific careers and their influence across generations of nuclear physicists.

PhD Thesis Prizes: Celebrating Emerging Talent

Also presented during the conference’s social dinner were the EPS NPD PhD Thesis Prizes for the period 2021–2023, recognising exceptional doctoral research conducted at European institutions.

The three recipients were:

• Dr. Chloé Fougères (University of Caen / GANIL): “Understanding the cosmic abundance of ²²Na: lifetime measurements in ²³Mg”

• Dr. Sandro Fabian Kraemer (KU Leuven): “Vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy of the radiative decay of the low energy isomer in ²²⁹Th”

• Dr. Francesco Marino (University of Milan / INFN): “Microscopic theory of infinite nuclear matter and non empirical energy functionals”

On the final day of the conference, each awardee presented their thesis work to a broad audience of peers, mentors, and senior scientists. Their presentations spanned nuclear astrophysics, fundamental nuclear structure, and theoretical models of nuclear matter — underscoring the richness and diversity of current research directions.

EPS Poster Prize awarded at the conference

As per tradition, the European Physical Society (EPS) is supporting the EPS Poster Prize.
This year, the Nuclear Physics Division Board has awarded the prize to Dr. Marta Satrazani from KU Leuven for her outstanding work on “Gamma-ray spectroscopy of ²²⁹Ac following the β decay of ²²⁹Ra” on behalf of the IDS Collaboration.

Additional poster prizes, supported by NuPECC, one of the conference sponsors, have also been presented to other talented young researchers.

A Ceremony Rooted in Community Spirit

The awards ceremony, held during the social dinner at EuNPC2025, was a moment of celebration and recognition. The laureates’ presentations on the final day provided the entire conference community with the opportunity to engage directly with the scientific achievements being honoured.

“These awards are more than symbolic,” commented Alessandra Fantoni, the chair of the EPS-NPD Board. “They represent the creativity, depth, and continuity of the nuclear physics community in Europe and beyond.”

Lise Meitner laureates  Achim Richter (represented by Peter Von Neumann-Cosel) and Muhsin Harakeh 

with Alessandra Fantoni (EPS NPD chair and EuNPC2025 co-chair) and Marek Lewitowicz (EuNPC2025 co-chair)

 PhD best thesis Chloe Fougères with Alessandra Fantoni (EPS NPD chair and EuNPC2025 co-chair) and Marek Lewitowicz (EuNPC2025 co-chair)

 PhD best thesis Sandro Kramer with Alessandra Fantoni (EPS NPD chair and EuNPC2025 co-chair) and Marek Lewitowicz (EuNPC2025 co-chair)

 PhD best thesis Francesco Marino with Alessandra Fantoni (EPS NPD chair and EuNPC2025 co-chair) and Marek Lewitowicz (EuNPC2025 co-chair)  

 Best EPS poster prize Marta Sartrazani with Alessandra Fantoni (EPS NPD chair and EuNPC2025 co-chair)