Science for everyone

PRESS>SPEAK

Science Communication contest for young researchers

2026 winners

The annual PRESS>SPEAK competition, with its final on Thursday 12 March, has once again come to a close.

  • Seven young researchers presented their work in a maximum of five minutes, answered questions from the audience and received feedback from the jury.
  • All attendees received the texts from the writing competition, featuring six participants.

They all deserved — and received — a prize.
Special mention goes to:

  • Presentation competition winners:
    1st Kaat Colman | Slaap als vroege voorspeller van de ziekte van Parkinson: het kritieke tijdsvenster
    2nd Ruxandra Bighiu | Hoe we de eiwitten in kaart brengen die horen mogelijk maken
    3rd Stéphanie De Keulenaer | Vergeetachtigheid of dementie: Sporen we binnenkort het verschil op met hersengolven?
    Audience winner: Sam Van Daele | Schilder jij straks jouw kamer met CO2?
  • Writing competition winners:
    1st Hannah Zaryouh | Wanneer kanker leert ontsnappen, vechten wij terug
    2nd Krithika Ganesan | A Glass of Water: An Invisible Science
    3rd Tinne Vandenbroeke | Horen doen we niet enkel met onze oren
    Audience winner: Christina Makoundou | The Materials Around Us. The most intimate strangers we know

Full photo coverage on our

PRESS>SPEAK 2026 Programme

The annual PRESS>SPEAK competition will take place this year on Thursday 12 March.
After an intensive training programme, the participating researchers are fully prepared to present their research clearly, confidently and accessibly.

  • Seven young researchers will present their work in a maximum of five minutes, take questions from the audience, and receive feedback from the jury.
  • The texts from the writing competition, submitted by six participants, will be made available to all attendees (in English or Dutch).
  • During the reception, the winners of both competitions will be announced — and the audience will also have the chance to vote!

Would you like to attend?

University of Antwerp, Campus Middelheim (Building G, auditorium 010)

From 13:30 to around 17:00.
The full programme will be available on 25 February.
Free and open to everyone — please .​

Presentation competition contestants

  • Kaat Colman | Slaap als vroege voorspeller van de ziekte van Parkinson: het kritieke tijdsvenster
  • Warre Clarys | Een warmere toekomst voor borstreconstructies
  • Ilse Lindenbergh | Na sluitingstijd: de verborgen afvalberg van musea
  • Charline Vandenhove | Een rots in de klimaatbranding
  • Ruxandra Bighiu | Hoe we de eiwitten in kaart brengen die horen mogelijk maken
  • Sam Van Daele | CO2 als bouwsteen voor morgen
  • Stéphanie De Keulenaer | Vergeetachtigheid of dementie: Sporen we binnenkort het verschil op met hersengolven?

Writing competition contestants 

  • Tamazouzt Chennit | Seeing Tiny Materials Without Breaking Them
  • Christina Makoundou | The materials around us. The most intimate strangers we know
  • Hannah Zaryouh | Wanneer kanker leert ontsnappen, vechten wij terug
  • Sam Van Daele | Schilder jij straks jouw kamer met CO2?
  • Krithika Ganesan | A Glass of Water: an invisible science
  • Tinne Vandenbroeke | Horen doen we niet enkel met onze oren