KNOWLEDGE BOOSTER #2

Nobel prizes

The Nobel Prize is a set of annual international awards bestowed in a number of categories by Swedish and Norwegian institutions in recognition of academic, cultural, and/or scientific advances.

Background

The Nobel Prizes were created by Alfred Nobel for promoting outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and for work in peace. They were established by the 1895 will of Alfred Nobel, which dictates that the awards should be administered by the Nobel Foundation &
most of his fortune should be used for prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind.

The Categories:

The six prizes awarded are:

Nobel Prize in Physics – Awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

 Nobel Prize in Chemistry – Awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine – Awarded by the Karolinska Institute

Nobel Prize in Literature – Awarded by the Swedish Academy

Nobel Prize in Peace – Awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee

Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics – Also known as the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, it was instituted in 1969 by Sveriges Riksbank, the Bank of Sweden. Although it is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences with the official Nobel prizes, it is not paid for by his money, and is technically not a Nobel Prize. 

 

Nominations & Selections:

Each year, thousands of members of academies, university professors, scientists, previous Nobel Laureates and members of parliamentary assemblies and others, are asked to submit candidates for the Nobel Prizes for the coming year. 

These nominators are chosen in such a way that as many countries and universities as possible are represented over time.

 Forms, which amount to a personal and exclusive invitation, are sent to about 3,000 selected individuals to invite them to submit nominations for noteworthy candidates.

 The strictly enforced submission deadline for nominations is January 31.

 Self-nominations are automatically disqualified.

 Only living persons are eligible for the Nobel Prize. 

 The names of the nominees cannot be revealed until 50 years later.

After the nomination deadline, a committee reduces the number of nominations to a list of 200 preliminary candidates.

 The list is sent to selected experts in the field of each nominee's work and the list is further shortened to around 15 final candidates.

The Prize:

Each recipient, or "laureate", receives a gold medal, a diploma, and a sum of money, which is decided by the Nobel Foundation, yearly.

Award Ceremonies:

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway and the Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine and Literature and the Prize in Economic Sciences are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden.