Patrizio Antici Honoured with the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Award
An international distinction highlighting a remarkable scientific career
Professor Patrizio Antici of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) has been awarded the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Award , a prestigious distinction conferred by the Fondation Alexander von Humboldt .
Each year, the award is presented to approximately twenty internationally renowned researchers in recognition of exceptional scientific achievements and demonstrated leadership in their field.
A specialist in applied photonics, Professor Antici is distinguished for his cutting‑edge research in laser and plasma physics, particularly in light–matter interactions and laser‑driven particle acceleration, including relativistic laser–plasma interactions and laser‑driven ion acceleration.
“I am deeply honoured to receive this distinction, which recognizes not only my work, but also the commitment and rigour of my students and collaborators. This award reflects a collective effort grounded in scientific excellence and collaboration, and I am proud to join a community of researchers whose contributions significantly advance research on an international scale,” says Professor Antici.
Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Award highlights the impact of Professor Antici’s work in the fields of energy and materials sciences.
Based at INRS’s Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre , Professor Antici has received several awards and distinctions over the course of his career, reflecting his scientific leadership both in Canada and internationally.
Scientific exchanges on both sides of the Atlantic
As part of this award, Professor Patrizio Antici will conduct research activities as a collaborator at the Center for Advanced Laser Applications (CALA) in Germany, with the support of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, under the German federal government’s Global Minds Initiative . CALA, the largest university-based laser center in Germany, was initiated by Ferenc Krausz, recipient of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics.
At CALA, Professor Patrizio Antici will work with Professor Jörg Schreiber on experiments involving laser‑driven proton sources, with applications in materials science, radiation oncology, and radiation chemistry.
This collaboration will help strengthen scientific exchanges between Québec and Germany.