Dr. Alex Kerkhof is a researcher at the Fryske Akademy and as of today may call himself winner of the Campus Fryslân 2023 Science Prize. Kerkhof conducted interdisciplinary research into the disappearance of 'Frisian' from Zeeland and Holland in the early and high Middle Ages. As a historical linguist and historian with knowledge of geography and place name science, Alex Kerkhof looks across themes and connects them in inspiring ways. Alderman Nathalie Kramers presented the Science Prize on behalf of the Municipality of Leeuwarden.

Young talent

The jury of the Science Prize Campus Fryslân 2023 is impressed by the young talent doing research related to Friesland. Chairman Prof. Anne Beaulieu praises the diversity of the entries and sees that researchers are increasingly working interdisciplinary. 'This is an important development in science, which also says something about how innovative science is being done in Friesland. This can be seen in the questions and also in how scientists communicate about their research and how they implement it concretely. We see this very clearly in Dr. Alex Kerkhof's research and it makes its scientific contributions innovative and thought-provoking.'

The other two nominees were Wido Heeman of MCL (Clinical translation of laser speckle contrast imaging) en Deike Schulz of NHL Stenden Hogeschool (The construction of organizational legitimacy in online communities).

All information about the prize and the jury's decision can be found on the Campus Fryslân website.