Klaus Mølmer and Claes Holger de Vreese awarded the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025

From left: Majken Schultz, Claes Holger de Vreese, H.M. The Queen, Klaus Mølmer, Christina Egelund and Mette Birkedal Bruun. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Published:

03.09.2025

Professor Klaus Mølmer from the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, and Professor and Director of Digital Democracy Center at the University of Southern Denmark, Claes Holger de Vreese, receive this year’s Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes. The prizes recognise many years of scientific endeavour in their respective fields of quantum physics and artificial intelligence in relation to media and democracy.

The Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025 were presented by Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark and Danish Minister for Education and Research Christina Egelund in a ceremony this evening at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen. Each prize is worth DKK 2 million, of which DKK 1.5 million is earmarked for research activities and DKK 500,000 is a personal gift.

Klaus Mølmer. Photo: OLALA

Klaus Mølmer is awarded the prize for his groundbreaking research into theoretical quantum optics and quantum mechanics, and Claes Holger de Vreese for his extensive and internationally acclaimed research into the role played by algorithms and artificial intelligence in democratic processes. 

Claes Holger de Vreese. Photo: OLALA

“On behalf of the Carlsberg Foundation’s Board of Directors, I take great pleasure in congratulating Klaus Mølmer and Claes Holger de Vreese on receiving the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025,” says Professor Majken Schultz, Chair of the Carlsberg Foundation. “For many years, both have delivered remarkable insights and results that underline the great value of basic research for society and our shared future. Klaus Mølmer has made an outstanding research contribution to many aspects of quantum physics and also been very active in communicating and advising on the application of quantum mechanics both nationally and internationally. Claes Holger de Vreese has paved the way for important new knowledge in the highly topical intersection between democracy and artificial intelligence.”

Download press photos of the prize recipients

Klaus Mølmer. Foto: Malthe Ivarsson

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Claes Holger de Vreese. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

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Prize ceremoni 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

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Klaus Mølmer. Photo: Olala

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Claes Holger de Vreese. Photo: Olala

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Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

Pictures from the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes 2025. Photo: Malthe Ivarsson

About the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes

The Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes were instituted in 2011 to mark the bicentenary of the birth of the foundation’s founder J.C. Jacobsen. The objective is to acknowledge two active Danish researchers in Denmark or abroad who have made crucial contributions to Danish basic research at a high international level. The prizes are also intended to encourage further research and be used for stays abroad, fieldwork, purchases of equipment or wages for scientific work.

The Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes are awarded annually on the recommendation of an international Prize Committee.

Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark and Danish Minister for Education and Research Christina Egelund presented this year’s prizes together with Professor Mette Birkedal Bruun, Chair of the Prize Committee, and Professor Majken Schultz, Chair of the Carlsberg Foundation.

Open nomination process

The Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes are awarded on the basis of an open call for nominations from the scientific community. All academic employees at post-doctoral level or above at Danish universities and research institutions were able to submit a nomination.

The Prize Committee for 2025 comprised Professor Mette Birkedal Bruun from the University of Copenhagen (Chair), Professor Gøsta Esping-Andersen from Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Professor Anja Groth from the University of Copenhagen, Professor Peter Landrock from the University of Cambridge and Professor Klaus Müller-Wille from Universität Zürich.

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