Marion Koopmans has been awarded the Iris Penning for Excellent Science Communication. According to the jury, Marion deserves the award because in the communication surrounding the coronal pandemic she ‘seemingly tirelessly put complicated issues into words, time and time again and in such a way that the public can actually derive information from them’.

From the jury report: ‘Without shying away from tricky subjects, she has managed to interpret this difficult subject in an unambiguous, patient and knowledgeable manner. With relentless energy, she continues to engage in public debate, including on social media. She is always able to ‘normalize’ the conversation and bring it back to sober, scientific facts, even in the case of unsubstantiated opinions. As a virologist, she has earned her spurs far and wide. She gave an early warning of the outbreak of a pandemic. With infectious enthusiasm, she manages time and again to distinguish between what people say and what we know about the virus, in understandable language. That is why Marion Koopmans deserves the Iris Penning 2021.’