The Emmy Noether Distinction for Women in Physics was established in February 2013 to enhance the recognition of noteworthy women physicists with a strong connection to Europe through nationality or work. The scope includes personal achievements in areas such as research, education, outreach and industry, service to the scientific community, and the candidate’s efforts for the furthering of gender equality and empowerment of women in physics.
The Distinction consists of a diploma, a medal, and a cash prize, accompanied by an interview to be published in an EPS publication.
The chair of the EPS Equal Opportunities Committee receives the nominations for the preceding year by January 15th.
(Example: The 2023 award nominees are received by Jan 15, 2024.)
2024 Full career Prof. Daniela Bortoletto, from Particle Physics at the University of Oxford, UK
for revolutionising silicon detector technology, that enabled the discoveries of the top quark and Higgs boson, and pioneering key experimental methods now central to high-energy particle physics, as well as for her important engagement for female undergraduate students
2024 Mid-career Prof. Doris Reiter, of the Faculty of Physics of the Technical University of Dortmund, Germany
for her groundbreaking contributions to theoretical photonics and quantum technology, transformative leadership, and innovative outreach, exemplified by the SUPER scheme and the QuanTour project
2023 Full Career Prof. Gloria Platero, research professor at the Materials Science Institute of Madrid of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC),
in recognition of her remarkable contributions to the theoretical understanding of out-of-equilibrium (Floquet) systems and their impactful application to quantum materials, for her excellent mentorship of young researchers and for tirelessly fostering female talent in physics.
2023 Mid-career Prof. Lavinia Heisenberg, professor at the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, University of Heidelberg, Germany
for her fundamental contributions to gravitational physics and theoretical cosmology, for her engagement for women in science and her outstanding leadership.
2022 Full Career Prof. Monika Ritsch-Marte, Institute of Biomedical Physics, Dept. of Physiology & Medical Physics, Medical University of Innsbruck (Medizinische Universität Innsbruck) Austria
for exceptional contributions to optical microscopy and manipulation methods and for the promotion of women’s careers in physics.
2022 Mid-career Prof. Ilaria Zardo, Department of Physics, University of Basel, Switzerland
for her contributions in the methodology of characterizing nanoscale materials and the consequent discovery of their new functional properties.
2021 Winter Prof. María Pilar López Sancho, CSIC – ICMM, Spain
for her contributions to the understanding of the electronic structure of low-dimensional materials and in recognition of her continuous, tireless, and successful actions for the empowerment of women in physics.
2021 Summer Dr. Sara Bolognesi, CEA – IRFU, France
for her development of data analysis techniques that conclusively improved the sensitivity of the CERN-CMS experiment, thus allowing the discovery of the Higgs boson and the first measurement of its spin and parity.
2020 Winter Prof. María García Parajo, Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO), Spain
for her outstanding contributions to nano-biophysics and to numerous programs to support women in physics
2020 Summer Prof. Dr. Hatice Altug, Institute for Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland
for her seminal contributions to light-matter interaction at the nanoscale, manipulation of light on-chip and application of nanophotonics in biology, and her inspiring role for the next generation of researchers and women
2019 Winter Prof. Dr. Cristiane Morais Smith, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
for her outstanding contributions to the theory of condensed matter systems and ultracold atoms to unveil novel quantum states of matter.
2019 Summer Prof. Dr. Sarah Köster, Institute for X-Ray Physics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Germany
for her seminal contributions to the physics of biological cells and biopolymers, in particular for the understanding of intermediate filaments, and her impressive ability in teaching and recruiting women scientists in her field of research.
2018 Winter Dr. Chiara Mariotti, INFN, Italy, and CERN, Geneva, Switzerland
for her outstanding contributions to the discovery and characterisation of the Higgs boson, for her leading role as founder and coordinator of the LHC-wide Higgs Cross Section Working Group, and for her impressive capacities and achievements in outreach, in particular towards the young generation of physicists.
2017 Winter Dr. Françoise Remacle, University of Liege, Belgium
for ground breaking contributions to interdisciplinary domains bridging Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, for her leading role in European and International research projects and for her excellent mentoring activity.
2017 Spring/Summer Dr. Catalina Curceanu, Frascati National Laboratory of the Italian Institute for Nuclear Research (LNF-INFN)
for her substantial contributions to a better understanding of low-energy QCD in the non-perturbative regime, and for her pioneering research in foundational issues. With her strong scientific record, and a rich scope of successful outreach and education activities, Dr. Curceanu is an outstanding role model for women researchers.
2016 Autumn/Winter Dr. Patricia Bassereau, Institut Curie, CNRS, France,
for her important and innovative work on the studies of soft matter and in vitro biological systems at the forefront of the Physics-Biology science. Her rich and fruitful career is an inspiration for young women researchers.
2016 Spring/Summer Dr. Eva Monroy, CEA, France,
for playing a key role in the field of nitride semiconductor nanostructures. With her brilliant research and teaching activities, she is a model for women scientists.
2015 Autumn Prof. Sibylle Günter, IPP, Germany,
for her leading role in the study of the effects of microscopic physics on the large-scale behavior and stability of hot magnetized plasmas in fusion devices. With her solid scientific record, many leadership roles and mentoring of researchers and students, she is a model for women physicists.
2015 Spring Prof. Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland,
for pioneering contributions to the physics of semiconductor nanostructures and their applications in mesoscopic physics and energy harvesting.
2014 Autumn Prof. Anne L’Huillier, Faculty of Engineering, LTH in Lund, Sweden,
for playing a key role in a field at the interface of atomic and molecular physics and advanced optics, nonlinear optics and laser physics: high-order harmonic generation in gaseous media exposed to intense laser fields and its applications. Her rich and fruitful career is an inspiration for young women researchers”.
2014 Spring Dr. Rumiana Dimova, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam, Germany,
for her distinguished contributions to membrane biophysics, in particular for the important breakthroughs she has made in recent years in two major fields, namely electric field effects on membranes and aqueous microcompartments within vesicles, pioneering the use of new experimental techniques.
2013 Autumn Prof. Nynke Dekker, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands,
for her research including the study of different proteins on DNA and RNA, the development of novel, physics-based single molecule techniques for the measurement of DNA torque and twist, and the translocation of DNA and RNA through nanopores for structural determination.
2013 Spring Dr. Alessandra Gatti, Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnologies [IFN-CNR], Como, Italy
for pioneering contributions to the field of quantum imaging.
