Three young researchers awarded

The Research Council of Norway honors Kyrre Eeg Emblem, Øivind Wilhelmsen, and Terje Lohndal

The Research Council of Norway
Lysaker, Norway

The Research Council of Norway’s three Awards for Young Outstanding Researchers have been awarded this year to cancer researcher Kyrre Eeg Emblem, nanotechnologist Øivind Wilhelmsen, and linguist Terje Lohndal. The winners each receive a cash prize of NOK 500,000. The awards will be presented on March 1.

Cancer research with vast potential

Kyrre Eeg Emblem’s research directly benefits cancer patients. Using MRI technology, it is possible to determine beforehand how different cancer treatments will work on human patients. The goal is to generate insight into how a treatment affects the disease panorama and consequently predict which patients will respond to that specific cancer treatment.

Dr. Emblem, 37, is a trained biophysicist. He is a research group leader at the Department of Diagnostic Physics at Oslo University Hospital’s (OUS) Division of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine. In its statement, the jury highlighted his ability to work across research groups:

“Dr. Emblem has an interdisciplinary background that he uses in an innovative, multidisciplinary approach to medical problems. He is highly recognized internationally and works together actively with world-leading groups in his field,” the jury writes.

What lies on the surface

Øivind Wilhelmsen’s research has led to new, original ideas and contributed to an advanced, deeper understanding of the formation of bubbles/droplets at the nano-scale. His research has great potential for applications within materials technology and biological systems,” the jury writes.

Dr. Wilhelmsen, 32, is a research scientist at SINTEF Energy Research and Professor II at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He has received the award for his groundbreaking contributions to research in thermodynamics and hydrogen technology.

Dr. Wilhelmsen’s research focuses particularly on what takes place on the outermost surface of objects and how insight into surface properties can be applied in current and future technologies.

Dr. Wilhelmsen has headed several large research projects and built up his own research group at NTNU. He is also very committed to active popular science and scholarly dissemination, and his research has received considerable attention in the national and international media.

Searching for linguistic building blocks

Terje Lohndal is searching for the building blocks of language and trying to find out whether there are particular mechanisms that control our capacity for language. Dr. Lohndal, 32, is Professor of English Linguistics at NTNU and Professor II at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. He was appointed professor at the young age of 27.

“Terje Lohndal’s work has had wide-ranging implications for how we view language structure. He has expanded the frontiers of current knowledge and presented new perspectives in theoretical linguistics. Dr. Lohndal is now considered one of the world’s leading researchers in phrase structure theory,” the jury writes in its statement.

Dr. Lohndal is an extremely productive researcher. He has already authored five books, published 25 articles and 17 chapters in scientific journals and books, and achieved a high citation rate.

Dr. Lohndal is often sought out by the international linguistics community and has been a guest lecturer in a number of countries. He is a member of the Language Council of Norway’s expert committee for language policy follow-up. He also served on the government commission that produced an official Norwegian report on students with higher potential for learning.

“We need more young research heroes”
“These prizes honor three researchers who have already achieved impressive careers at a young age. It is important to reward the enormous effort young researchers invest in their work. We need more young research heroes. We hope that this year’s recipients will be a source of inspiration for other young researchers and for young people considering a career in research,” says John-Arne Røttingen, Chief Executive of the Research Council.

About the Award for Young Outstanding Researchers
• These awards are intended to reward high scientific merit, independence, and innovative thinking at an early stage in the researcher’s career and are designed to motivate young researchers to expand their efforts.
• The awards are open to young researchers in any subject or discipline, including interdisciplinary research.
• One Award for Young Outstanding Researchers is awarded in each of the following categories: Humanities and social sciences; Medicine, health sciences, and biology; Mathematics, natural science, and technology.
• The awards are given out each year. Each award comprises a cash prize of NOK 500,000.
• The awardees must not be older than 38 at the time of their nomination.

This article originally appeared in the Feb. 23, 2018, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.