Nicolaas Mulerius Foundation Dissertation Prize

The Nicolaas Mulerius Foundation dissertation prize, the successor to the Wierenga-Rengerink dissertation prize, is awarded to the PhD candidate who has written the best UG dissertation in the previous year of the award ceremony. Each faculty nominates a maximum of one candidate. The final winner is selected from this group by the jury, which consists of the current rector magnificus and a number of former rectors magnifici. Only exceptionally good dissertations are eligible (at least cum laude).

The prize is awarded annually during the Ceremony of Merits. The Nicolaas Mulerius Foundation makes the prize money available. The winner will receive €10,000 for further academic development, for example for participation in symposia abroad.

2025, Dr Jana Holthöwer (FEB)

Dr Jana Holthöwer received the first edition of the Nicolaas Mulerius Foundation Dissertation Prize for her dissertation on AI-powered service robots, which earned her a PhD from the Faculty of Economics and Business. In her dissertation, she discusses how people can be encouraged to embrace these robots, at what point people are satisfied with the services provided, and how people can best interact with the robots. According to the jury, her research is an important contribution to the successful integration of these robots in service sectors, focussing on user experiences and satisfaction. This is particularly important in view of staff shortages due to ageing, for example in the care sector.