IBI’s annual Good Citizenship award introduced in 2020 to recognize notable selfless contribution to the common good by any member of the Institute of Bioengineering.
Freely and respectfully inspired by Jeffrey Lebowski, main character in Joel and Ethan Cohen’s 1998 picture The Big Lebowski, a.k.a. “the Dude”, “el Duderino”, “His Dudeness”…
“Yeah? Well, you know, that is just, … like …, your opinion.“
Quote from Call for nominations:
Who it is for:
Anyone in bioengineering (member of the IBI) who has achieved or done something that has contributed to the general good in our institute. It is a good citizenship recognition. A recognition for the unrecognized. Do you have a colleague who selflessly contributes to the atmosphere of the group? Who does work that benefits many but is not seen? Nominate her or him for the annual Lebowski / Lebowska Award!
Who can nominate:
Anyone in the IBI. Nominations of multiple colleagues, or of self, are perfectly fine. Anything goes.
Important exceptions: a nomination of one’s boss, or of an organizer of this award (while in office), will be ignored.
What it is not for:
Scientific achievements. Teaching. We already have awards for that.
Award ceremony:
The Award is presented to its winner(s) on the occasion of IBI’s annual BioE Day event.
What the Award earns its recipient:
- The infinite recognition and admiration of her/his colleagues.
- The right to use the nickname “Dude” whenever, and for whomever.
- A Prize of exceptional beauty. Of course.
.
Past Award Winners: (in alphabetic order, by year awarded)
2025: (7 recipients)
- Yann Dixon (Micera Lab)
- Akhil Sai Naidu (Radenovic Lab)
- Nikita Norkin (Sakar Lab & Lutolf Lab)
- Mei-Wen Peng (Tang Lab)
- Florence Pojer (SV)
- Sahand Rahi (P.I.)
And: (honorary nomination)
- Dietrich Reinhard (IBI Office)
2024: (6 recipients)
- Remo Bättig (Barth Lab)
- Umberto Lupo (Bitbol Lab)
- Rania Mohni (STI)
- Kaltrina Paloja (Bastings Lab)
- Sylvia Widmer (Stergiopulos Lab)
- Wayne Yang (Radenovic Lab)
2023: (10 recipients)
- Luciano Abriata (Dal Peraro Lab)
- Outman Akouissi (Micera and Lacour Labs)
- Maartje Bastings (P.I.)
- Sandrine Georgeon (Correia Lab)
- Auke Ijspeert (P.I.)
- Yen-Cheng Liu (Altug Lab)
- Suliana Manley (P.I.)
- Maria Marcaida (Dal Peraro Lab)
- Marie Rodriguez (Lashuel Lab)
- Leo Scheller (Correia Lab)
2021-2022: (10 recipients)
- Santiago Andany (Fantner Lab)
- Sonja Bodmer (EDBB Office)
- Roger Clerc (SV)
- Mustafa Kangul (Fantner Lab)
- Xiangxiao Liu (Ijspeert Lab)
- Christina Mattsson (IBI Office)
- Heather Murray (Guiducci Lab)
- Rita Sarkis (Deplancke Lab)
- Rebecca Veselinov (Roke Lab)
- Yuqing Xie (Tang Lab)
2020: (8 recipients)
- Stephane Bigler (Stergiopulos Lab)
- Marie Bischoff (Roke Lab)
- Bruno Correia (P.I.)
- Georg Fantner (P.I.)
- Arianna Marchioro (Roke Lab)
- Camilla Pierella (Micera Lab)
- Aleksandra Radenovic (P.I.)
- Mario Romani (Auwerx Lab)