The City of Liege awarded the title of Citizens and Citizenesses of Honor to several prominent personalities, including Coraline Radermecker, Christophe Collette, Frédéric Nguyen, and Serge Habraken, recognizing their exceptional contributions to science, research, and the international reputation of Liege. The ceremony was held at the City Hall and traditionally opened the Fête du 15-Août in Outremeuse.
Coraline Radermecker, a veterinary medicine doctor and FNRS qualified researcher at the GIGA Laboratory of Immunophysiology at the University of Liege, was previously awarded the Baillet Latour Biomedical Award 2025, supporting her research in pulmonary physiology and neutrophil function with a grant of one million euros.
The recognition also highlighted the contributions of professors involved in the Einstein Telescope project, a major European scientific initiative to establish a future underground gravitational wave observatory. Christophe Collette, director of the Laboratory of Precision Mechatronics, and Frédéric Nguyen, vice-dean for research at the Faculty of Applied Sciences, played key roles in developing cryogenic suspended mirrors and characterizing suitable sites for the telescope. Serge Habraken, president of the Executive Committee of the Liège Space Center, was also recognized for his significant involvement in the project.
The E-TEST program, coordinated by the University of Liege, involved 11 Euregio partners with funding of 8.11 million euros from the European FEDER Funds (Interreg V-A Euregio Meuse-Rhin). The cryogenic mirror prototype will be integrated into the CRISTAL laboratory at the Liège Space Center. Europe is expected to finalize the site selection for the Einstein Telescope in 2026.
The awards underline the University of Liege’s commitment to cutting-edge research and its pivotal role in advancing scientific knowledge while fostering economic and academic development in the region.
Source: University of Liege
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