Front row: prof. Marica Branchesi (GSSI, ENGRAVE), Christina Egelund (Danish Minister of Higher Education and Science), Her Majesty Queen Mary of Denmark, prof. Stephen Smartt (Oxford, ENGRAVE). Top row: prof. Andrew Levan (Radboud, ENGRAVE), professor Peter Lodahl (Niels Bohr Institute, winner of Into Innovation), prof. Darach Watson (Niels Bohr Institute, ENGRAVE), prof. Nial Tanvir (Leicester, ENGRAVE). Missing: Elena Pian (INAF). Photo credit: Malthe Ivarsson.

The Into Change Award ceremony in Copenhagen

20 December 2025

The award ceremony for the 2025 Into Change award was held in Copenhagen.

The ENGRAVE collaboration has been awarded the Danish Government’s Into Change Award for 2025 in a ceremony at Copenhagen’s Royal Opera House on 15 December 2025.

Her Majesty Queen Mary of Denmark and Minister for Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund presented the award, one of the largest in science at 8,000,000 DKK (over 1 million euros) to Marica Branchesi (GSSI, Italy), Andrew Levan (Radboud University), Elena Pian (INAF, Trieste), Stephen Smartt (University of Oxford, UK), Nial Tanvir (University of Leicester, UK) and Darach Watson (Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen) on 15 December. Elena Pian could not be present in person due to unfortunate logistics.

The award goal is “To celebrate the power of European research and innovation in tackling today’s challenges”, and recognises ENGRAVE as a model of scientific excellence and collaboration. The University of Oxford submitted a nomination naming the recipients for leading breakthroughs (both before and after the formation of ENGRAVE) that have established neutron star mergers as cosmic factories of heavy elements, including valuable elements such as gold and platinum, and several thought to be necessary for complex life on Earth.

Speaking in a pre-recorded message, the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen congratulated ENGRAVE, noting that “ENGRAVE is a model of European collaboration and cross-border research. It’s groundbreaking work not only helps to explain the mysterious origins of gold, platinum, and uranium, but it also shows the value of science to help frame our understanding of the world.”

View on the Copenhagen Opera house from the back of the stage, featuring the awardees. Photo credit: Malthe Ivarsson.

The winners of Into Change receive the award. From left to right: Stephen Smartt, Andrew Levan, Darach Watson, Marica Branchesi, Nial Tanvir. Missing: Elena Pian. Photo credit: Malthe Ivarsson.

The Into Change winners converse with Her Royal Majesty Queen Mary of Denmark, and the Minister for Higher Education and Science, Christina Egelund.