KAVLI PRIZE - SCI & TECH
News: 2024 Kavli Prize Awarded In
Astrophysics, Nanoscience And Neuroscienceì
What's in the news?
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The winners of the 2024 Kavli Prize were announced,
recognising achievements in astrophysics, neuroscience, and nanoscience.
Kavli Prize:
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The Kavli Prize celebrates outstanding achievements in astrophysics, neuroscience, and
nanoscience.
Establishment:
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It is established in honour of Norwegian-American businessman and philanthropist Fred Kavli
(1927-2013).
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It was awarded
biennially to researchers whose work pushes the boundaries of human
knowledge and enhances our understanding of the universe, the brain, and
nanoscale phenomena.
Comparison with Nobel
Prize:
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The Kavli Prize mirrors the Nobel Prize in its
prestige and international recognition but differs by not limiting awards to
achievements within the preceding year, allowing broader scope and longevity in selection criteria.
Award Ceremony:
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Each Kavli Prize includes a $1 million cash award per field, a scroll, and a 7 cm diameter medal.
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The ceremony, held at the Oslo Concert Hall and attended by global scientific leaders,
features a red-carpet event, emphasizing its significance in the scientific
community.
Selection Process:
Committees:
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Three international committees nominate and review
candidates, providing a unanimous recommendation to the Norwegian Academy of
Science and Letters.
Nominees:
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Nominees come from prestigious institutions
worldwide, ensuring a diverse and comprehensive evaluation process.
Winners of the 2024
Kavli Prize:
Astrophysics:
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Winner - David
Charbonneau (Harvard University), Sara Seager (Massachusetts Institute of
Technology)
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Contributions - Pioneering methods for detecting atomic species in planetary atmospheres and measuring
their thermal infrared emission, are crucial for identifying molecular
fingerprints in atmospheres of exoplanets.
Nanoscience:
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Winner - Robert Langer (MIT), Armand Paul Alivisatos
(University of Chicago), Chad Mirkin (Northwestern University)
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Contributions:
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Langer - Nano-engineering for controlled drug delivery systems.
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Alivisatos - Development of semiconductor quantum dots for bio-imaging.
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Mirkin - Concept of spherical
nucleic acids (SNAs) for applications in gene regulation and immunotherapy.
Neuroscience:
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Winner - Nancy Kanwisher (MIT), Winrich Freiwald
(Rockefeller University), Doris Tsao (University of California, Berkeley)
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Contributions - Mapping
brain functions related to facial recognition using neuroimaging and
neuronal recording techniques, identifying brain centers and neural
architectures involved in face processing.
Go back to basics:
Fred Kavli:
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Fred Kavli, born in Erejsford, Norway, immigrated
to California in 1956 and quickly made a mark in the engineering field.
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His entrepreneurial journey began in 1958 with the
founding of Kavlico, a pioneering company known for its precision pressure
sensors used across diverse industries, from aviation to consumer electronics.
Kavli Foundation:
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In 2000,
after selling Kavlico for $340 million, Fred Kavli established the Kavli
Foundation.
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This philanthropic organisation supports fundamental research aimed at
improving global quality of life.
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The foundation operates
20 institutes worldwide dedicated to astrophysics, neuroscience,
nanoscience, and theoretical physics.