Membership in The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters is election based. The Academy has Norwegian and foreign members.

Foreign members residing permanently in Norway also count as Norwegian members.

The members are divided into two divisions:

The Natural Sciences Division

•     Group 1 Mathematics
•     Group 2 Physics (including Astronomy and Geophysics)
•     Group 3 Geological sciences
•     Group 4 Chemistry
•     Group 5 Biology
•     Group 6 Cellular and Molecular Biology
•     Group 7 Medical sciences
•     Group 8 Technological sciences

The Humanities and Social Sciences Division

•     Group 1 History
•     Group 2 Culture and Aesthetics (including Archeology, Anthropology and Art History)
•     Group 3 Philosophy and Psychology
•     Group 4 Literary studies
•     Group 5 Philology and Linguistics
•     Group 6 Law
•     Group 7 Social sciences (including Sociology, Political Science and Economics)
•     Group 8 History of Religion and Theology

The Natural Sciences Division may have up to 140 Norwegian and 100 foreign members under the age of 70. The Humanities and Social Sciences Division may have up to 120 Norwegian and 60 foreign members under the age of 70.

The two divisions are subdivided into groups based on fields or disciplines.

A seat becomes available when a member passes away or turns 70 years of age. Members who have passed the 70 year age limit remain full members and keep the right to vote. 

The Academy may also have up to ten honorary members, who are exempt from the class- and group division.

The membership numbers of the Academy are as follows in September 2024:

The Natural Sciences Division:

• Norwegian members: 275
• Foreign members: 271

The Humanities and Social Sciences Division:

• Norwegian members: 253
• Foreign members: 149

The Natural Sciences Division 2024
New Norwegian members:
Paul Arne Østvær from the University of Oslo and Università degli Studi di Milano. He is elected to group 1: Mathematics.

Jemma Louise Wadahm from the University of Tromsø The Arctic University of Norway. She is elected to group 3: Geological sciences. 

Marit Reigstad from the University of Tromsø The Arctic University of Norway. She is elected to group 5: Biology.

Jan Terje Andersen from the University of Oslo. He is elected to group 6: Cellular and Molecular biology.

Torbjørn Omland from the University of Oslo. he is elected to group 7: Medical sciences.

New foreign members:
Michel Talagrand from Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), France. He is elected to group 1: Mathematics. Abel prize laureate for 2024.

David Charbonneau from Harvard University, Cambridge, USA. He is elected to group 2: Physics (including Astronomy and Geophysics). Kavli prize laureate in astrophysics for 2024.

Maria H. Figueiredo Godinho from NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal. She is elected to group 2: Physics (including Astronomy and Geophysics).

Sara Seager from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA. She is elected to group 2: Physics (including Astronomy and Geophysics). Kavli prize laureate in astrophysics for 2024.

Armand Paul Alivisatos from The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA. He is elected to group 4: Chemistry. Kavli prize laureate i nanoscience for 2024.

Robert L. Langer from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA. He is elected to group 4: Chemistry. Kavli prize laureate i nanoscience for 2024.

Chad A. Mirkin Mirkin from Northwestern University, Evanston, USA. He is elected to group 4: Chemistry. Kavli prize laureate i nanoscience for 2024.

Winrich Freiwald from The Rockefeller University, New York, USA. He is elected to group 5: Biology.

Roger Pielke jr. University of Colorado, Boulder, USA. He is elected to group 5: Biology.

Nancy Kanwisher from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA. She is elected to group Cellular and Molecular biology. Kavli prize laureate in neuroscience for 2024.

Gordon Brent Mills from Oregon Health & Science University, USA. He is elected to group 6: Cellular and Molecular biology.

Doris Ying Tsao from University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, USA. She is elected to group Cellular and Molecular biology. Kavli prize laureate in neuroscience for 2024.

Pierre Magistretti from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi-Arabia. He is elected to group 7: Medical sciences.

Valery A. Kashparov from the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine. He is electe to group 8: Technological studies.

Bilde

Bilde

Bilde

The Humanities and Social Sciences Division 2024
New Norwegian members

• Frerik W. Thue from Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet). He is elected to group 1: History.
• Espen Røysamb from the University of Oslo. He is elected to group 3: Philosophy and Psychology.
• Eirik Holmøyvik from the University of Bergen. He is elected to group 2: Law.
• May-Len Skilbrei from the University of Oslo. She is elected to group 6: Law.
• Johs. Hjellbrekke from the University of Bergen. He is elected to group 7: Social studies (including Sociology, Political Science and Economics).
• Katrine V. Løken from the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH). She is elected to group 7: Social studies (including Sociology, Political Science and Economics).
• Magne Mogstad from the University of Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is elected to group 7: Social studies (including Sociology, Political Science and Economics).
• Liv Ingebord Lied MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society. Sheis elceted to group 8: History of Religion and Theology

New foreign member

• Pia Quist from the University of Copenhagne, Denmark. She is elected to group 5: Philology and Linguistics.
• Andreas Paulus form the Georg-August-universitetet in Göttingen, Germany. He is elected to group 6: Law.

Bilde