The APC is proud to announce that its postdoctoral researcher Kirsty Feijen has been selected as one of the 35 recipients of the 2026 French L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Young Talents Award. This prestigious distinction recognizes outstanding early-career women researchers whose scientific excellence, originality and potential contribute to advancing knowledge and inspiring future generations.
Supporting the next generation of women scientists
Created in 2007 by the Fondation L’Oréal in partnership with the French National Commission for UNESCO and the French Academy of Sciences, the French L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme aims to identify and support outstanding young women researchers. Every year, 35 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers are selected on the basis of their scientific excellence, the originality of their research projects and their commitment to sharing their passion for science. Hundreds of young researchers have benefited from the programme since its creation.
Originally awarded as the French L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellowships, the programme now takes the form of the French Young Talents Awards, while continuing its mission of supporting the next generation of scientific leaders.
Recognising Kirsty Feijen’s research
At APC, Kirsty Feijen conducts research on extreme environments resulting from the violent deaths of stars, studying their gamma-ray emissions as part of the AHE group’s H.E.S.S./CTA team.
Her recent work notably led to the first very-high-energy detection of the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) associated with PSR J0855−4644; this was achieved through a 3D analysis using the Gammapy software, which allows for distinguishing this emission from that of the Vela Junior supernova remnant (RX J0852.0−4622).
She also developed a method to quantitatively measure how the morphology of the nebula HESS J1825−137 changes with energy, demonstrating that it is more extended at low energies and progressively contracts at higher energies—a trend characteristic of electron cooling.
In addition, she plays an active role in developing the open-source Gammapy software—a project in which the APC team is heavily involved—and is committed to fostering more inclusive research within both the laboratory and the H.E.S.S. collaboration.
This award recognises both the quality of her scientific achievements and her contribution to the vibrant research environment of the laboratory. She now joins a distinguished community of young women scientists recognised nationally for their excellence and promise.
Continuing a tradition at APC
Kirsty Feijen joins a growing list of APC researchers who have been recognised through the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme. Before her, Valerie Domcke and Eleonora Capocasa also received this distinction while carrying out their research at APC in 2016.
Their achievements, together with Kirsty’s, reflect APC’s ability to attract and support outstanding women researchers working across cosmology, astrophysics, gravitational-wave science, particle physics and scientific instrumentation.
Inspiring future generations
Although significant progress has been made, women remain under-represented in many scientific disciplines and leadership positions. Through the For Women in Science programme, the Fondation L’Oréal and UNESCO work to promote gender equality in research, support women scientists throughout their careers and inspire future generations to pursue scientific careers.
The entire APC community warmly congratulates Kirsty Feijen on this remarkable achievement.
Further information
- Fondation L’Oréal – For Women in Science: https://www.fondationloreal.com/en/our-programs-women-science
- French L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Programme: https://www.academie-sciences.fr/programme-2026-france-loreal-unesco-pour-les-femmes-et-la-science