UU duo nominated for Huibregtsen Award

UU duo nominated for Huibregtsen Award

Rens van de Schoot, full professor of collaborative Methods in AI and Data Science, and Jonathan de Bruin (FAIR Data and Software expert at the Open Science Office) have been jointly nominated for the prestigious Huibregtsenprijs. This award is given to a research project that is scientifically innovative and offers a convincing perspective on societal application. The project by Van de Schoot and De Bruijn competing for the Huibregtsen Award is titled: ASReview: Working with AI.

With their project, the Utrecht researchers provide a comprehensive package for the revolution currently taking place in the world of systematic information processing. Van de Schoot states, "We advocate for reliable AI applications. With ASReview, we determine which model is most suitable for a specific task, among other things. We develop software that is used to quickly organise large volumes of text based on relevance. In our AI lab, we use this software to create overviews of tens of thousands of articles on topics such as PTSD, mental urban health, and individual health."

Reliable information

The Huibregtsen Award jury praises the project's smart possibilities for research in various fields. The jury is also impressed by its societal impact. "For example, it helps policymakers to assess the effects of certain measures, and medical specialists and pharmaceutical companies to formulate new medical guidelines. The general public can also more easily obtain a complete picture of reliable information on a particular subject." According to the jury, Van de Schoot and De Bruijn succeed with ASReview in boosting trust in scientific data and AI.

A sudden call: an unknown number.

Something involving a child

Van de Schoot received the news of the nomination just as he was about to speak at an ASReview symposium. "We had organised a symposium for experts involved in medical guidelines, including people from the RIVM and the Trimbos Institute. We were exploring how AI could be integrated into the development of medical guidelines. Suddenly, I received a call from an unknown number. I hesitated for a moment but decided to answer-it could be something important, maybe even involving a child. You never know."

A great honour

The Utrecht professor couldn't quite hear the person on the phone. "I was in the University Hall, where the acoustics are terrible, and my mind was, of course, focused on the start of our symposium. I kept thinking, 'Who am I talking to?'" It was only after a while that Van de Schoot realised he was speaking with the secretary of the Huibregtsen Award jury. "I was, of course, incredibly pleased when I understood that we had been nominated for this prestigious award! It is a great honour for our entire ASReview team."

The Huibregtsen Award

Each year, a minimum of four and a maximum of six projects are nominated, with one ultimately being awarded the Huibregtsen Award. On the Evening of Science & Society, held on 7 October 2024 in the Pieterskerk in Leiden, jury chair Marileen Dogterom (President of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, KNAW) will announce the winner. The Huibregtsen Award consists of a sculpture, "The Thinker" [De denker] by artist Wil van der Laan, a cash prize of € 25,000 earmarked for research activities, and a workshop offered by the Lorentz Center in Leiden.