The Kavli Prize

Royal celebration of excellence in science

His Majesty King Harald will present the Kavli Prize in Astrophysics, Nanoscience and Neuroscience to the eight laureates from US, Germany and UK at a gala performance in Oslo Concert Hall on the 7th of September. The prize winners will receive a gold medal, a scroll and a share of the one million US dollars awarded in each of the scientific fields. Åse Kleveland, artist and former Minister of Culture, will be the Master of Ceremonies. Fred Kavli and Tora Aasland, the Minister of Research and Higher Education will be among the many prominent guests at the gala, where several artists will be performing.

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Åse Kleveland under the ceremony in 2008
Åse Kleveland at the ceremony in 2008. Photo: Scanpix

The 2010 Kavli Prize laureates have made discoveries that have dramatically expanded human understanding in the fields of astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience. The chairmen of the international prize committees, Oddbjørn Engvold, Arne Skjeltorp and Jon Storm-Mathisen respectively, will introduce the winners and give a brief account of why they were chosen to receive the Kavli Prize.

 

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Fred Kavli and Tora Aasland at the ceremony in 2008
Fred Kavli and Minister of Higher Education and Research, Tora Aasland in 2008. Photo: Scanpix

HM King Harald presents the prizes

His Majesty King Harald will present the Kavli Prize, awarded by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, to the laureates.

The Kavli Prize in Astrophysics will be presented to Jerry Nelson, Ray Wilson and Roger Angel for their contributions to the development of giant telescopes that have allowed us glimpses of ever more distant and ancient objects and events in the remote corners of the Universe.

The Kavli Prize in Nanoscience will be presented to Donald M. Eigler and Nadrian Seeman for their development of unprecedented methods to control matter on the nanoscale.

The Kavli Prize in Neuroscience will be presented to Thomas Südhof, Richard Scheller and James Rothman for their work to reveal the precise molecular basis of the transfer of signals between nerve cells in the brain.

The names of the 2010 Kavli Prize laureates were announced by Nils Chr. Stenseth, President of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters on the 3rd of June. Nils Chr. Stenseth will also give the opening speech in connection with the award ceremony in September.

The gala performance

The gala performance at Oslo Concert Hall given in honor of the Kavli Prize Laureates will feature young artists who have shown their excellence in music. Among the performing artists is Oslo Camerata, an "Ensemble in residence" at the renowned Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo. The orchestra is described as "Fresh, young experience - combining tradition and future".

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Oslo Camerata
Oslo Camerata. Copyright: Oslo Camerata

Trond Sagbakken, the 12 years old acclaimed trumpeter will perform at the galla. He won the 1. prize at the Norwegian youth music contest in 2009 for his accomplishments on the trumpet.

Additional performing artists will be announced.

The gala performance will be followed in the evening by at state banquet at Oslo City Hall hosted by Tora Aasland, Minister of Research and Higher Education, in honor of the Kavli Prize Laureates.

Scientific program

The Kavli Prize Week September 6-9, 2010 also includes an extensive scientific program. The Kavli Prize Science Forum is a new biennial international forum to facilitate high-level, global discussion of major topics on science and science policy. For the inaugural forum, September 6, global leaders critical in shaping science policy in the US, Europe and Asia will convene in Oslo, Norway to discuss in "The Role of International Cooperation in Science".

The Kavli Prize symposia in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience will take place on the 6th of September. The lectures will be delivered by leading scientists in the three different fields.

The Kavli Prize Laureates will give their prize lectures at the University of Oslo on the 8th of September.

For a complete overwiev of all the events in Oslo, Trondheim and Tromsø during the Kavli Prize week  September 6-9, 2010, see: