S&T students win prizes at KHMW Young Talent Awards

Three students from the Faculty of Science & Technology have been awarded prizes at the KHMW Young Talent Awards, which were presented on 24 November 2025 at the Hodshon House in Haarlem.

• Jasper de Jongh, second-year Applied Physics student, won the Encouragement Award for Physics and Applied Physics for being an active student and achieving the highest average grades of all first-year Applied Physics students.
• Tessa Bakker, a Biomedical Engineering student, received the Encouragement Award for Biomedical Engineering. Tessa stood out for her remarkable eagerness to learn and her thorough preparation; tutors observed her strong growth throughout the year.
• Ntando Ntenza, Chemical Science & Engineering student, won the Encouragement Award for Chemical Science & Engineering for her enthusiasm, serious dedication, and outstanding performance within the programme. Read here an interview with Ntando.

The Young Talent Encouragement Awards of the Royal Dutch Society of Sciences (KHMW) are presented annually to promising bachelor’s students with the best academic results in the first year of their programme at a Dutch university. Each award includes a cash prize of €500, designed to encourage young researchers to further develop their scientific talent. 

Jasper de Jongh

I feel honoured to have won this prize, and I am grateful for all the opportunities that made this possible. I would love to use it in the near future to travel and explore new places.

Tessa Bakker

When I received the email, I couldn’t believe for a long time that I had won an encouragement award for my first year of Biomedical Engineering. I am very happy with my choice of study and I hope to learn many new things throughout the programme. My goal with this degree has always been to use the knowledge I gain to contribute to research aimed at finding solutions to challenges in healthcare. It is a great honour to receive this award.

Ntando Ntenza

I’m honoured to be nominated for the KHMW Incentive Award and grateful for the support from my lecturers, family, and friends. This recognition motivates me to stay curious in my learning and to one day turn theory into practice — making a positive impact in the field of chemical engineering.

We are proud of our students' achievements and congratulate Jasper, Tessa and Ntando on this wonderful recognition of their talent and dedication. We wish them every success in their future development!