Image: Robin Alysha Clemens
Laurien Vastenhout receives Early Career Award from the KNAW
Published on 16 October 2025
Laurien Vastenhout, a researcher affiliated with NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies, has been awarded the Early Career Award by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). With this award, the KNAW recognizes young researchers who distinguish themselves through innovative and original research and through their inspiring role as scientists.
A total of twelve talented researchers received the Early Career Award. The prize consists of €15,000 to support their research and a work of art by artist Laura Klinkenberg. The winners represent a wide range of disciplines, from migration law and archaeology to medical sciences and mathematics.
Vastenhout conducts research into genocide and mixed marriages between Jews and non-Jews during the Second World War. She focuses on questions such as: what survival strategies did these couples use? And how strong are love, loyalty, and identity under extreme circumstances? In addition to her scientific work, Vastenhout is able to convey these sensitive themes in a nuanced and accessible way in the public debate.
Read more about the winners of the KNAW Early Career Award 2025 here.