Jonathan Mijs (1983) and Stefan Barakat (1984) receive a KNAW Early Career Award. The prize, a sum of 15,000 euros and a work of art, is intended for researchers in the Netherlands who are at the start of their careers and have innovative, original research ideas. The award ceremony will be held on 14 February 2022.
Economic inequality and a growing belief in meritocracy
Jonathan Mijs (1983) is a postdoctoral researcher in sociology at Erasmus University Rotterdam and receives the award for his research into why the growth of economic inequality is accompanied by a growing belief in meritocracy. In his comparative research Jonathan Mijs seeks an answer by analysing public perceptions of inequality in the Netherlands and the United States. In doing so, he makes use of an innovative combination of qualitative and quantitative research (including deliberative focus groups and survey experiments). In this way, he charts how people learn about inequality via the news, the Internet and the social environment, and what makes people change their minds.
Genetic cause of neurodevelopmental disorders
Stefan Barakat (1984) is associate professor and assistant physician in training for medical specialist at Erasmus MC. He investigates the genetic cause of neurodevelopmental disorders and the role of non-coding DNA in this. As a doctor and researcher, he builds bridges between patient care and fundamental research. His own research group focuses on disease modelling for new genetic disorders and develops new technology to better understand the influence of genetic variants outside the protein-coding genes. His research, for which he enters into extensive international collaborations, thus contributes to the knowledge of brain disorders and the development of new possibilities for therapy.
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About the KNAW Early Career Award
The KNAW Early Career Award consists of a sum of 15,000 euros, made available from the KNAW Academy Fund. The winners are free to spend this amount on their research career as they see fit. The KNAW Early Career Award is this year being awarded for the third time.
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