Graduation Prize and Encouragement Prizes for Faculty of Science students

On Monday, 27 November, Master in Theoretical Physics Enea Mauri was presented with the Shell Graduation Prize. The award includes a cash prize of € 5,000. Five other Utrecht University science students also received a Young Talent Encouragement Prize. The young talents are Hidde Schönberger (Mathematics & Applications), Bouke Jansen (Physics & Mathematics), Luc van der Krabben (Chemistry), Marien Raat (Computer Science) and Merel de Boer (Pharmaceutical Sciences). In addition to the award, each also received a cash prize of € 500.

Enea Mauri was awarded one of the three Shell Graduation Prizes in Physics. Mauri studied Theoretical Physics, and graduated on research into high-temperature superconductors. His work is unique in that he used a holographic model in order to gain insight into the behaviour of these types of superconductors.

‘Mature physicist’

According to the jury, Mauri’s excellent understanding of the underlying physics marked him as a ‘mature physicist’, who stands head and shoulders above what can be expected of a Master’s student. His thesis supervisor Henk Stoof is therefore pleased that he will be continuing his studies as a PhD Candidate in Stoof’s research group.

Average GPA of 9.25

The winners of the Young Talent Encouragement prizes each earned the highest grade point average of all first-year students in their study programme at their university. Their combined average GPA was 9.25. The Encouragement prizes are awarded each year by a variety of companies and scientific associations.

Double Bachelor’s

In total 56 talented young scholars in the exact sciences and technical studies were presented with an encouragement prize (photo). Even more than in previous years, the jury recognised that many of the nominees attended more courses than was required by their main study programme. Many were enrolled in an honours programme or even double Bachelor’s.