François Hammer (born in 1958) is currently the leading French researcher in optical/near-infrared instrumentation. He is famed for his knowledge of stellar formation. Hammer has worked at the Paris Observatory since 1987, where his scientific publications have made him one of most-cited researchers. The Descartes-Huygens Prize will enable him to pay a number of working visits to the Anton Pannekoek Astronomical Institute at the University of Amsterdam and to give lectures at the three other institutes associated with the Netherlands Research School for Astronomy (NOVA).

Ieke Moerdijk (born in 1958) is Professor of Algebra and Topology for the Faculty of Science, Mathematics and Information Science at Radboud University Nijmegen. A member of the Royal Academy, Moerdijk received his PhD in 1985 and is regarded as one of the founders of algebraic set theory. His research focus in recent years has been on algebraic and differential topology. He has authored various authoritative books and articles on this subject. The Descartes-Huygens Prize will enable Moerdijk to apply his knowledge of topology to the development of programming languages at Paris Diderot University. The prize will also make it possible for him to continue his successful research at the research institutes of the universities of Nice, Paris XIII and Toulouse.

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