AWARD SHOW 2024
On Friday, October 11, 2024, the Cosmos Book Prize will be awarded for the third time to the best popular science book of the year. Both a professional jury and a student jury will give their verdict. This festive occasion will take place at CREA in Amsterdam.
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For this edition, we are still looking for enthusiastic students who would like to join the student jury. Does that sound like fun to you? Sign up below!
NOMINATED BOOKS 2024
PROFESSIONAL JURY
Melissa van Beekveld | Chair
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Melissa is a particle physicist who did her postdoc at the prestigious University of Oxford. She now works as a senior researcher at Nikhef, the particle physics center of the Netherlands. Her ultimate goal is to understand how all fundamental particles and forces shape our universe.
Koenraad Schalm
Koenraad researches string theory and its connections to models in particle physics and cosmology. He would like to see new future cosmological observations, as well as new experiments involving colliding particles or condensed matter, demonstrate that string theory is at work on the microscale.
Béatrice Bonga
Béatrice is an assistant professor of physics at Radboud University, where she conducts research in theoretical physics. In particular, she focuses on fundamental questions in general relativity theory and predictions for future gravitational wave observatories such as the Einstein Telescope (ET) and LISA.
Diederik Roest
Diederik studies theoretical aspects of cosmological models, exploring ways in which our universe may have originated. He calculates various inflation models and examines the properties of our universe when it was just born.
Ad Maas
Ad is a professor of museums and collections at Leiden University. Additionally, he is a science historian and curator at the Rijksmuseum Boerhaave, specializing in natural sciences. He is also the editor-in-chief of Wonderkamer: Magazine for the History of Science.
STUDENT JURY
For the student jury of the Cosmos Book Prize 2024, we are looking for a group of 30 students from the Netherlands (havo, vwo, gymnasium, MBO 3 and 4), aged 15 to 18 years.
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We ask you to read the nominated books and select a top three. We'll collect the votes, as well as organize an event in which you can meet (one of) the authors.
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The two winners will be announced during a festive award ceremony on 11 October 2024 in Amsterdam!
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BACKGROUND
The Cosmos Book Prize originated from the idea of scientist Gianfranco Bertone and is awarded to the best popular science book in the field of physics, mathematics or astronomy of the year. Both a professional jury and a jury of scholars will indicate their preference. The winner(s) will take home a beautiful award, as well as a cash prize of 1500 euros. The festive award ceremony will take place on 11 October 2024 in Amsterdam.
The Cosmos Book Award 2024 is organized by:
Jan Pieter van der Schaar Jim Jansen Eline Kraaijenvanger Alex Sieval Maureen Voestermans
PREVIOUS EDITIONS
2023
On Friday, October 27, 2023, students, teachers, scientists, and members of the jury gathered at CREA to present the Cosmos Book Prize 2023 to the best popular science book of the year. It was an evening filled with music and new insights, and ultimately, two winners took home the prize! The professional jury chose Ongekend by Margriet van der Heijden as the winner. The student jury favored Het eiland dat Higgs heet by Martijn van Calmthout and Stan Bentvelsen.
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Read the full report of the evening here.
Video: Robin de Ridder
Photos: Bob Bronshoff
2022
Video: Robin de Ridder