Three American scientists received the Enrico Fermi Presidential Prize, named after the Nobel Prize … (+)
Three American scientists were appointed by the White House as recipients of the Enrico Fermi Presidential Prize. Héctor D. Abruña, Paul Alivisatos and John H. Nuckolls were recognized for “their exemplary contributions to advancing efforts to address some of the world’s greatest challenges, including improving health outcomes, energy cleanliness and national security.
The Enrico Fermi Presidential Award is one of the most prestigious science and technology awards bestowed by the U.S. government. It was established in 1956 as a tribute to the legacy of Enrico Fermi, a naturalized American citizen of Italian descent who won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1938. Fermi is famous in part for creating the first artificial nuclear reactor in the world. The prize awarded in his memory recognizes scientists, engineers and scientific decision-makers for their work that benefits humanity.
“President Biden likes to say that America can be defined in one word: opportunity,” said Arati Prabhakar, assistant to the president for science and technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. as part of the announcement. “This year’s winners have used science and technology to transform what is possible by pushing the boundaries of knowledge. »
In addition to a presidential citation and a Fermi medal, recipients receive an honorarium of $100,000. If the prize is awarded to several people in the same year, it is divided equally among the recipients.
Here’s a little more about this year’s three winners.
Héctor D. Abruña is the Emile M. Chamot Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University. A doctorate from the University of North Carolina, Abruña’s research group focuses on the development and characterization of new materials using a wide variety of techniques for fuel cells, batteries, and molecular assemblies for molecular electronics.
His quote read: For revolutionizing the fundamental understanding of electroanalytical chemistry and innovative characterization for the development of batteries, fuel cells and energy materials that have led to advances in the field of power grid as well as in the transformation and creation of energy.
Paul Alivisatos is president of the University of Chicago, where he is also the John D. MacArthur Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry, the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, and the College.
Before joining the University of Chicago, Alivisatos was executive vice chancellor and dean at the University of California, Berkeley, where he had been on the faculty since 1988. Between 2009 and 2016, he served as director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory .
According to his citation, Alivisatos’ research helped develop fundamental materials and physical chemistry to produce beneficial nanocrystals and polymers of controlled size, shape, connectivity and topology that underpin energy-saving technology, optical devices and medical diagnostic technology.
“I am delighted to receive this award. It is a recognition that takes on special significance, given its namesake’s connection to the University of Chicago and its community of scholars, many of whom have dedicated themselves to acquiring knowledge and even greater understanding in an area in which Fermi has had such an extraordinary impact. “, Alivisatos said. “To have my contributions recognized alongside theirs is a true honor. »
John Hopkin Nuckolls is a physicist who made his career at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He was director of the laboratory from 1988 to 1994.
Nuckolls received his bachelor’s degree in physics from Wheaton College (Illinois) in 1953 and his master’s degree in physics in 1955 from Columbia University. He started at Livermore as a physicist in nuclear weapons design. In 1975, he became associate program leader in laser fusion, then division head in inertial fusion, and in 1983, he was named associate director for physics. Following his stint as laboratory director, Nuckolls served as associate director and then director emeritus.
His quote recognized his founding leadership in inertial confinement fusion and high energy density physics, outstanding contributions to national security, and visionary leadership of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory at the end of the Cold War.
“It is an honor to recognize three DOE scientists who have accomplished a tremendous feat in advancing scientific knowledge in the areas of nanoscience, electroanalytical chemistry and fusion,” said Secretary of Energy U.S. Jennifer M. Granholm, in the White House press release. “The legacy of their work will be felt for generations as America continues to be a global leader in technological innovation.”