Andra Cristiana Minculescu and Prof. Francesco Picchioni win FSE Impact Award 2024

Andra Cristiana Minculescu and Prof. Francesco Picchioni won this year's FSE Impact Award. Andra Cristiana Minculescu received the Award in the student category and will receive a cash prize of EUR 1,000. She has conducted valuable research into collaborative decision-making in dermatology, introducing a screening method demonstrating the role of AI in healthcare. Picchioni received the Award in the researchers category and receives a cash prize of 1,500 euros for impact activities. His project focuses on recycling rubber, significantly reducing raw material needs and environmental impact of the rubber industry. The prize was awarded during the yearly New Year's Reception in the Energy Academy.

The Dean Joost Frenken presented the award to the winner. Minculescu and Picchioni are now FSE's candidates for the UG-wide Ben Feringa Impact Award 2025.

Student category: ‘Human-AI Interaction for Improved Healthcare Decision-Making: A Theory of Mind Approach’ - Andra Cristiana Minculescu

Andra Cristiana Minculescu receives the FSE Impact Award for her research project ‘Human-AI Interaction for Improved Healthcare Decision-Making: A Theory of Mind Approach’. The jury is impressed by Minulescu's innovative project, which combines two scientific approaches to enhance collaborative decision-making in healthcare, focusing on dermatology. Her development of a new screening method, in close collaboration with UMCG and TNO, demonstrates significant potential to improve both the healthcare system and patient well-being. The jury also commends her forward-thinking approach in reframing AI as a companion rather than just a tool and her efforts to involve stakeholders from the outset. Additionally, her achievement of presenting at scientific conferences as a student is truly remarkable.

Want to learn more about Minculescu's project? Read this interview.

Researcher category: ‘Rubber Recycling’ - Francesco Picchioni

Prof. Francesco Picchioni receives the FSE Impact Award for his research project ‘Rubber Recycling’. The jury has high praise for Picchioni's innovative project tackling the environmental challenge of 1 billion discarded rubber tires annually. By developing a patented chemical process to reprocess vulcanized rubber, the recipient has found a method to significantly reduce the need for petroleum-based materials and, in turn, the harmful impact of tire incineration. The successful implementation of this method in a pilot plant, capable of processing up to 1,500 tons of rubber annually and producing durable recycled materials, demonstrates concrete societal impact. The production of the first products using recycled rubber further highlights the project's practical and measurable contributions. Picchioni is affiliated with the Engineering and Technology institute Groningen (ENTEG).

Want to learn more about Picchioni's project? Read this UG Makers article.

Honourable mentions

The jury also wishes to mention the runner-ups in both categories because of their impressive research projects.

• In the student category: Sidra Jendo with the project ‘Assessing the efficacy of the established protocol for identifying and managing infectious diseases among asylum seekers in the Netherlands’

• In the researcher category: Prof. Reinoud Gosens with the project ‘Osteoglycin as a novel regenerative therapeutic for COPD’

FSE Impact Award

Since 2019, the Faculty rewards a student who has made a special achievement with a project in connecting scientific research to social, economic or professional practice. The student (team) receives a cash prize of EUR 1,000. The researcher (or research team) receives a cash prize of EUR 1,500.

The winners of the FSE Impact Award will automatically be the FSE candidates for the university-wide Ben Feringa Impact Award. The student winner of which receives a cash prize of EUR 2,500, while the researcher EUR 5,000.

A jury advises the Faculty Board about the selection of a winner for each category.

Jury

The jury for the FSE Impact Award 2024 was composed of the following members:

• Prof. Ton Broekhuis, chairman, honorary professor of Product Technology (ENTEG)

• Prof. Gert-Jan Euverink, professor of Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology

• Dr. Henk Mulder, lecturer and former programme director Master Science Education and Communication. Science Shop coordinator (Science LinX)

• Tamar Puttman, former FSE student assessor; Master's student Biology

• Dr. Victor Stoica, business developer FSE