The Award is an international prize given to individuals or organizations for outstanding achievements in the fields of science, technology, and innovation. The Award was established in 2009 by the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The Award is presented biennially at a ceremony held in Paris, France. Each laureate receives a gold medal, a diploma, and a cash prize of US$1 million.
The Award has five different categories:
* The Life Sciences: Recognize outstanding achievements in the field of life sciences, such as medicine, biology, and agriculture.
* The Physical Sciences and Mathematics: Recognize outstanding achievements in the field of physical sciences and mathematics, such as physics, chemistry, astronomy, and mathematics.
* Engineering and Technology: Recognize outstanding achievements in the field of engineering and technology, such as computer science, materials science, and civil engineering.
* Social Sciences and Humanities: Recognize outstanding achievements in the field of social sciences and humanities, such as economics, psychology, sociology, and history.
* Science and Technology for the Developing World: Recognize outstanding achievements in the field of science and technology that have made a significant contribution to the development of the developing world.
The Award is one of the most prestigious awards in the world of science and technology. It is a recognition of the outstanding contributions that individuals and organizations have made to the advancement of knowledge and the betterment of society.
Past Laureates
The following is a list of some of the past laureates of The Award:
* 2019:
* Life Sciences: Prof. Maria Leptin, Germany, for her outstanding contribution to the field of immunology, in particular for her discovery of the role of IL-4 in the regulation of Th2 cell differentiation.
* Physical Sciences and Mathematics: Prof. David Spergel, USA, for his outstanding contribution to the field of cosmology, in particular for his development of the standard model of cosmology.
* Engineering and Technology: Prof. John Goodenough, USA, for his outstanding contribution to the field of materials science, in particular for his development of the lithium-ion battery.
* Social Sciences and Humanities: Prof. Martha Nussbaum, USA, for her outstanding contribution to the field of philosophy, in particular for her work on the capabilities approach to human development.
* Science and Technology for the Developing World: Prof. Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh, for his outstanding contribution to the field of microfinance, in particular for his founding of the Grameen Bank.
* 2017:
* Life Sciences: Prof. James Allison, USA, for his outstanding contribution to the field of immunology, in particular for his discovery of the role of CTLA-4 in the regulation of T cell function.
* Physical Sciences and Mathematics: Prof. Rainer Weiss, USA, for his outstanding contribution to the field of gravitational wave astronomy, in particular for his leadership of the LIGO project.
* Engineering and Technology: Prof. Frances Arnold, USA, for her outstanding contribution to the field of directed evolution, in particular for her development of methods for engineering enzymes with new functions.
* Social Sciences and Humanities: Prof. Michael Sandel, USA, for his outstanding contribution to the field of political philosophy, in particular for his work on the role of justice in a globalized world.
* Science and Technology for the Developing World: Prof. Manjul Bhargava, USA, for his outstanding contribution to the field of number theory, in particular for his work on the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture.
* 2015:
* Life Sciences: Prof. Tasuku Honjo, Japan, for his outstanding contribution to the field of immunology, in particular for his discovery of the role of PD-1 in the regulation of T cell function.
* Physical Sciences and Mathematics: Prof. Joseph Polchinski, USA, for his outstanding contribution to the field of string theory, in particular for his work on the AdS/CFT correspondence.
* Engineering and Technology: Prof. Robert Langer, USA, for his outstanding contribution to the field of biomedical engineering, in particular for his development of controlled drug delivery systems.
* Social Sciences and Humanities: Prof. Amartya Sen, India, for his outstanding contribution to the field of economics, in particular for his work on the causes of poverty and social justice.
* Science and Technology for the Developing World: Prof. Calestous Juma, Kenya, for his outstanding contribution to the field of sustainable development, in particular for his work on the role of technology in promoting economic growth and environmental protection.
* 2013:
* Life Sciences: Prof. Elizabeth Blackburn, USA, for her outstanding contribution to the field of molecular biology, in particular for her discovery of the role of telomeres in the regulation of cell division.
* Physical Sciences and Mathematics: Prof. Edward Witten, USA, for his outstanding contribution to the field of theoretical physics, in particular for his work on string theory.
* Engineering and Technology: Prof. Shuji Nakamura, Japan, for his outstanding contribution to the field of optoelectronics