The Austrian Association of Science and Education Journalists named quantum physicist Francesca Ferlaino Scientist of the Year. Born in Italy, she has been conducting research at the Department of Experimental Physics at the University of Innsbruck since 2006 and has been Scientific Director at IQOQI Innsbruck since 2014.
In the International Year of Quantum Science, Innsbruck-based quantum physicist Francesca Ferlaino succeeded in bringing her field of research to a wider audience. The researcher, who has been awarded prestigious prizes by the European Research Council (ERC), is engaged in the Atom*innen network, which she founded. With her enthusiasm for her field, the Italian-born scientist also inspired countless interested visitors at public events. For this commitment, Ferlaino has now been selected as the „Scientist of the Year 2025" by the Austrian Association of Science and Education Journalists .
The Austrian Association of Science and Education Journalists honors achievements in research and, above all, in communicating science to a broad public in this year's 32nd annual selection.
Major award for outstanding researcher
„I am deeply honored by this prestigious recognition. I have always been convinced that science is not a solitary effort, but a shared good whose value grows when knowledge is exchanged and communicated. This award gives special recognition to the importance of science communication and to the role it plays in making research meaningful for society. I am particularly proud if, through my work, I have been able to contribute to a broader understanding of the importance of fundamental science," says Francesca Ferlaino.
"Communicating scientific work in an easily understandable way is key to strengthening trust in science. We are proud to have Ferlaino in our ranks, not only as a highly qualified scientist, but also as an excellent communicator who is deeply committed to dialogue with the public.," emphasizes Heinz Faßmann, President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW).
"Francecsca Ferlaino is an outstanding scientist and, as a quantum physicist, serves as an important role model for women in science. It is a particular pleasure that her commitment is being given an even bigger platform with the Scientist of the Year award. I am really delighted," says Veronika Sexl, Rector of the University of Innsbruck.
A career in Italy and Innsbruck
Ferlaino studied physics at Federico II University in Naples and received her doctorate in 2004 from the University of Florence and the European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS). In 2006, she came to Innsbruck as a postdoctoral researcher to work in the research group of Rudolf Grimm, Austria's Scientist of the Year in 2009. A START Prize and an ERC Starting Grant enabled her to establish her own research group in 2009. In 2014, Francesca Ferlaino became a professor of experimental physics at the University of Innsbruck. Since then, she has also been scientific director of the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) in Innsbruck. In recent years, she has been awarded numerous prizes, including two further ERC grants. In 2021, she was elected a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW).
Super-solid states
Ferlaino's research focuses on quantum phenomena in atomic gases at ultra-low temperatures. In recent years, she has focused in particular on the strongly magnetic and hitherto little-researched atoms erbium and dysprosium. In 2020, she and her team were able to create the first long-lived supersolid states in the laboratory, an elusive and paradoxical state of matter in which crystalline order and superfluidity coexist.
Francesca Ferlaino is also active in numerous research networks. In 2024, she founded the "Atom*innen" platform as an international network for women in quantum sciences. The aim is to create a space where gender issues in physics can be discussed, experiences exchanged, advice sought, and research advanced.
The physicist has also been deeply committed to knowledge transfer for many years, intensifying her efforts during the International Year of Quantum Science. In 2025, she gave public lectures, participated in popular events such as "Willkommen Quantenwelt" at Vienna City Hall with hundreds of visitors, and sought dialogue with schoolchildren, for example as part of the school program "Quantastisch! Was geht in der Quantenwelt?" Not least to spark interest in the fascinating and promising field of quantum research among a younger audience.
