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The Crafoord Prize

Illuminating Frontiers in Science

About the Prize ๐Ÿ‘‡ View Laureates ๐Ÿ†

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What is the Crafoord Prize?

A Prestigious Recognition

The Crafoord Prize is a distinguished international award established in 1980 by Holger and Anna-Greta Crafoord. It is presented annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Crafoord Foundation in Lund, Sweden.

Complementing Nobel's Scope

The prize's disciplines are strategically chosen to complement the Nobel Prizes, focusing on fields not traditionally covered. These include astronomy and mathematics, geosciences, and biosciences, with a particular emphasis on ecology. A special award for polyarthritis research is also granted when significant advancements are recognized.

Global Impact

Awarded for fundamental contributions that have led to breakthroughs in their respective fields, the Crafoord Prize celebrates scientific endeavors that push the boundaries of human knowledge and understanding across the globe.

Awarded Fields

Astronomy & Mathematics

Recognizing advancements in understanding the cosmos, from celestial mechanics to the structure of the universe, and foundational work in abstract mathematical concepts.

Geosciences

Honoring contributions to the study of Earth's systems, including its physical structure, processes, history, and the dynamic interplay of its components.

Biosciences

Specifically acknowledging pioneering work in ecology and other areas of biological science that deepen our understanding of life and its interactions.

Polyarthritis Research

A unique category awarded when substantial progress is made in understanding and treating inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, stemming from Holger Crafoord's personal experience.

The Genesis of the Prize

A Visionary Donation

Holger Crafoord, a Swedish industrialist, and his wife Anna-Greta established the prize through a significant donation to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1980. Their vision was to support and celebrate scientific research that might otherwise be overlooked.

Personal Motivation

The inclusion of polyarthritis research as a specific category was deeply personal, inspired by Holger Crafoord's own struggle with severe rheumatoid arthritis in his later years. This ensured a focus on advancing medical understanding in this area.

Awarding Authority

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

The selection of laureates is entrusted to the esteemed Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. This institution, renowned for its rigorous evaluation of scientific merit, ensures that the prize recognizes truly exceptional and impactful research.

Royal Patronage

The prize ceremony is traditionally graced by a member of the Swedish Monarchy, underscoring the national significance and prestige associated with the Crafoord Prize and its laureates.

Distinguished Laureates

A testament to scientific excellence, the Crafoord Prize has honored numerous influential figures across its designated fields.

Laureate Overview

The Crafoord Prize is typically awarded to one or up to three recipients each year, recognizing their profound contributions. The following table details some of the notable laureates and their cited achievements.

Year Category Laureate(s) Rationale
1982 Mathematics Vladimir Arnold
Louis Nirenberg
For outstanding achievements in the theory of non-linear differential equations.
1983 Geosciences Edward Norton Lorenz
Henry Stommel
For fundamental contributions to geophysical hydrodynamics, enhancing understanding of atmospheric and oceanic motions.
1984 Biosciences Daniel H. Janzen For imaginative studies on co-evolution that inspired extensive research.
1985 Astronomy Lyman Spitzer For pioneering studies of the interstellar medium and its observation via satellite.
1986 Geosciences Claude Allรจgre
Gerald J. Wasserburg
For pioneering isotope geochemical studies and their geological interpretations.
1987 Biosciences Eugene Odum
Howard T. Odum
For pioneering contributions to ecosystem ecology.
1988 Mathematics Pierre Deligne
Alexander Grothendieck
For fundamental research in algebraic geometry.
1989 Geosciences James Van Allen For pioneering space exploration, including the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts.
1990 Biosciences Paul R. Ehrlich
E. O. Wilson
For research on population dynamics, genetics, and island biogeography.
1991 Astronomy Allan Sandage For significant contributions to the study of galaxies, their evolution, and the Hubble relation.
1992 Geosciences Adolf Seilacher For innovative research on the evolution of life documented in the geological record.
1993 Biosciences W. D. Hamilton
Seymour Benzer
For theories on kin selection and studies on behavioral mutants in genetics.
1994 Mathematics Simon Donaldson
Shing-Tung Yau
For investigations in four-dimensional geometry and development of non-linear techniques.
1995 Geosciences Willi Dansgaard
Nicholas Shackleton
For developing and applying isotope geological analysis for studying Quaternary climatic variations.
1996 Biosciences Robert May For pioneering ecological research on population dynamics and ecosystem theory.
1997 Astronomy Fred Hoyle
Edwin Ernest Salpeter
For pioneering contributions to the study of nuclear processes in stars and stellar evolution.
1998 Geosciences Don L. Anderson
Adam M. Dziewonski
For fundamental contributions to understanding Earth's interior structures and processes.
1999 Biosciences Ernst Mayr
John Maynard Smith
George Christopher Williams
For fundamental contributions to the conceptual development of evolutionary biology.
2000 Polyarthritis Marc Feldmann
Ravinder N. Maini
For defining TNF-alpha as a therapeutic target in rheumatoid arthritis.
2001 Mathematics Alain Connes For work on operator algebras and founding non-commutative geometry.
2002 Geosciences Dan McKenzie For fundamental contributions to understanding lithospheric dynamics and plate tectonics.
2003 Biosciences Carl Woese For the discovery of a third domain of life.
2004 Polyarthritis Eugene C. Butcher
Timothy A. Springer
For studies of molecular mechanisms in white blood cell migration.
2005 Astronomy James E. Gunn
James Peebles
Martin Rees
For contributions towards understanding the large-scale structure of the Universe.
2006 Geosciences Wallace Smith Broecker For pioneering research on the global carbon cycle and its interaction with climate.
2007 Biosciences Robert Trivers For fundamental analysis of social evolution, conflict, and cooperation.
2008 Astronomy Rashid Alievich Sunyaev For decisive contributions to high energy astrophysics and cosmology.
2008 Mathematics Maxim Kontsevich
Edward Witten
For contributions to mathematics inspired by modern theoretical physics.
2009 Polyarthritis Charles Dinarello
Tadamitsu Kishimoto
Toshio Hirano
For pioneering work on interleukins and their role in inflammatory diseases.
2010 Geosciences Walter Munk For fundamental contributions to understanding ocean circulation, tides, and waves.
2011 Biosciences Ilkka Hanski For pioneering studies on how spatial variation affects population dynamics.
2012 Astronomy Reinhard Genzel
Andrea M. Ghez
For observations of stars orbiting the galactic center, indicating a supermassive black hole.
2012 Mathematics Jean Bourgain
Terence Tao
For brilliant work in harmonic analysis, partial differential equations, and number theory.
2013 Polyarthritis Peter K. Gregersen
Lars Klareskog
Robert J. Winchester
For discoveries concerning genetic and environmental factors in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis.
2014 Geosciences Peter Molnar For contributions to understanding global tectonics and climate impact.
2015 Biosciences Richard Lewontin
Tomoko Ohta
For pioneering analyses of genetic polymorphism.
2016 Astronomy Roy Kerr
Roger Blandford
For fundamental work concerning rotating black holes and their astrophysical consequences.
2016 Mathematics Yakov Eliashberg For the development of contact and symplectic topology.
2017 Polyarthritis Shimon Sakaguchi
Fred Ramsdell
Alexander Rudensky
For discoveries relating to regulatory T cells in autoimmune diseases.
2018 Geosciences Syukuro Manabe
Susan Solomon
For fundamental contributions to understanding the role of trace gases in Earth's climate system.
2019 Biosciences Sallie W. Chisholm For discovery and studies of Prochlorococcus, the most abundant photosynthesizing organism.
2020 Astronomy Eugene N. Parker For pioneering studies of the solar wind and magnetic fields.
2020 Mathematics Enrico Bombieri For outstanding contributions in number theory, analysis, and algebraic geometry.
2021 Polyarthritis Daniel L. Kastner For establishing the concept of autoinflammatory diseases.
2022 Geosciences Andrew H. Knoll For contributions to understanding early life on Earth and its environmental interactions.
2023 Biosciences Dolph Schluter For contributions to understanding adaptive radiation and ecological speciation.
2024 Astronomy Douglas Gough
Jรธrgen Christensen-Dalsgaard
Conny Aerts
For developing asteroseismology methods to study stellar interiors.
2024 Mathematics Claire Voisin For contributions to complex and algebraic geometry, including Hodge theory.
2025 Polyarthritis Christopher Goodnow
David Nemazee
For discovering mechanisms that prevent autoimmune disease.

Prize Specifics

Monetary Reward

The prize money associated with the Crafoord Prize is 6,000,000 Swedish Kronor (approximately US$560,000), reflecting its significant value and the caliber of its recipients.

Award Schedule

Laureates are typically announced in mid-January, with the formal award ceremony taking place in April or May during the designated "Crafoord Days" in Lund, Sweden.

Inaugural Award

The first Crafoord Prize was awarded in 1982, recognizing seminal work in mathematics by Vladimir Arnold and Louis Nirenberg.

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References

References

  1.  Grothendieck declined the prize.[11]
A full list of references for this article are available at the Crafoord Prize Wikipedia page

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