18/12/2025
The PRISM2025 award ceremony took place on Monday, December 15th, 2025, at the Rome headquarters of the National Research Council (CNR). The prize, promoted by the CNR Istituto di Struttura della Materia (Cnr-Ism), is awarded annually by an international jury to two outstanding researchers whose contributions over the past five years have had a significant impact in the field of materials science.
The PRISM Senior Award was presented to Kin Fai Mak, Director of the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (Germany), in recognition of his pioneering contributions to the study of two-dimensional materials and quantum heterostructures.
The PRISM Junior Award was awarded to Wouter Van Gompel, Assistant Professor at Hasselt University (Belgium), for his innovative research on next-generation optoelectronic materials designed to overcome the limitations of traditional semiconductors.
During the ceremony, Professor Aldo Di Carlo, Director of Cnr-Ism, explained: The PRISM Award is our way of recognizing those who, over the past five years, have carried out research of excellence in materials science. We award it in two categories—Senior and Junior—because we believe it is essential to value both experience and emerging talent. To the winners we offer not only recognition, but access to our resources and a voice within our institute, because the best science is born from dialogue, collaboration, and support for the most innovative ideas.”
Also in attendance was Dr. Stefano Fabris, director of the Department of Physical Sciences and Technologies of Matter of the CNR: “I would like to extend my sincerest congratulations to the winners. This initiative is of strategic importance: not only does it recognize the scientific excellence and commitment to research of those awarded, but it also brings significant visibility to the entire institution and the Institute's prestige nationally and internationally. At a time when science is more than ever a key player in social and technological progress, initiatives like this are useful for promoting innovation and collaboration among researchers”.
Kin Fai Mak: Beyond the Boundaries of the Electron
In his speech, Professor Mak dedicated the award to his team: “This recognition belongs to my entire team—and especially to my wife, with whom I have collaborated for years and who has played a fundamental role in this journey. It's really recognizing the work of many years from my entire group, including my wife. We are long-term collaborators”.
His research explores central questions in condensed matter physics, such as the mechanisms underlying high-temperature superconductivity and electron fractionalization. Beyond theoretical aspects, his group actively works to translate these phenomena into reliable quantum technologies. Looking to the future, Mak highlighted the potential of two-dimensional materials as programmable quantum simulators: today it is possible to design materials capable of reproducing complex quantum systems—not only to answer unresolved theoretical questions, but also to build real devices.
He addressed young researchers with an encouragement to apply for next year’s Prize: “Go for it, right? And you can share your work to a broad audience here. You also get the opportunity to visit Rome!”
Wouter Van Gompel: Tailor-Made Materials for Sustainable Electronics
Professor Van Gompel, for his part, emphasized the collective value of the achievement: “I see it as really a culmination of the research of my whole team and also the past members of my team. And it's a great honor to win this award and to be selected by your peers in the field”.
His research aims to develop solution-processable molecular materials designed for key applications such as solar cells and LEDs, with the goal of overcoming the limitations of silicon and accelerating the energy transition and sustainable electronics. His approach is based on a “molecular toolbox”: starting from molecular building blocks, he designs tailor-made materials—whether to absorb light in photovoltaic panels or emit it in displays. It is a targeted method, essential for reaching new performance frontiers.
Despite his young age, Van Gompel is already a reference point for the new generation of scientists. His message to emerging colleagues is straightforward: “I think if your research shows promise, then you can be selected like me. I was pleasantly surprised by this recognition by the field and it offers, of course, a broad audience from different parts of the sciences. So I would surely encourage all the young researchers to apply for this award.”
A Forward-Looking Recognition
The PRISM 2025 awards confirm the leading role of Cnr-Ism in supporting cutting-edge research and in promoting international talent. Through the work of Mak and Van Gompel, the prize highlights two crucial frontiers of materials science: on the one hand, quantum materials as the foundation for future technologies; on the other, molecular materials as the key to more efficient and sustainable electronics.
Per informazioni:
Ufficio Comunicazione
CNR - Istituto di struttura della materia
comunicazione.ism@ism.cnr.it