The winners of the Edmond Hustinx and Student Awards 2017

This year’s Edmond Hustinx prize for science has been awarded to Dr. Sanne ten Oever of the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience. The Student Award 2017, presented to students for excellent achievements in society or culture, goes to Victoria Freiin von Salmuth. The two prizes were handed out during Monday’s official opening of the academic year in Maastricht .

Edmond Hustinx prize for science

Since obtaining her cum laude PhD at Maastricht University, Sanne ten Oever has been part of Prof. Alexander Sack’s group, working in the field of cognitive neuroscience. After graduating, she acquired a NWO Toptalent scholarship entirely under her own steam. Titled 'Brain rhythms and multisensory perception: Unraveling the basic of fundamental brain oscillations', the study followed up on the research she had initiated in Maastricht. Ten Oever’s dissertation led to a number of high-quality scientific publications and earned her Cum Laude honours. Her work has won international recognition. Because she is currently in Finland for work, Sanne ten Oever couldn’t attend the ceremony in Maastricht. The prize, carrying with it €15,000, was therefore presented to her partner.

UM Student Award

Victoria Freiin von Salmuth is a sixth-year student of Medicine. During an internship at Shirati Hospital in Tanzania in 2015, she witnessed the critical urgency of the need for good nutrition. Mothers often cannot give their newborn children sufficient breast milk, simply because they don’t have enough to eat. This prompted Freiin von Salmuth to found the Shirati Food Program, which sends money to Shirati hospital every month. In November, she will return to Tanzania to visit the hospital and evaluate the project. The Student Award carries €1,000 as well as a work of art and a portrait of the winner, which will be added to the ‘Student hall of fame’ in the main UM administrative building.

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