by Assar Lindbeck Introduction In conjunction with its tercentenary celebrations in 1968, Sveriges Riksbank (the central bank of Sweden) instituted a new award, “The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel” on the basis of an economic commitment by the bank in perpetuity. The award is given by the Royal Swedish…

by Francis SejerstedChairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, 1991-1999 Alfred Nobel’s will In 1895 Alfred Bernhard Nobel drew up a according to which his wealth was to be devoted to the annual award of five prizes “to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.” That three of the…

by Geir LundestadSecretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, 1990 – Long history There are over one hundred peace prizes in the world. The exact number depends on how one chooses to define the term “peace”. None of the other peace prizes are as well known as the Nobel Peace Prize. Time and again, as Secretary…

by Olav Njølstad Research Director, the Norwegian Nobel Institute, 1999 – Since the end of the Cold War, many surprising facts and well-kept secrets about the policy-making in the former Soviet Union have been disclosed through the release of newly declassified documents. In more ways than one, this new openness has added to our knowledge…

by Bo Svensén* Organisation of work Once the of the Nobel Foundation had been ratified in June 1900, the Swedish Academy immediately set to work on the preparations required to enable the award of the first Nobel Prize in 1901. A Nobel Committee consisting of five members of the Academy was established in October 1900.…

by Judith Goodstein California Institute of Technology The California Institute of Technology is a small, independent university of research and teaching in science and engineering, with 900 Ph.D. level researchers, including almost 300 regular faculty, 900 undergraduates, and 1,000 graduate students. In spite of its small size, it has become one of the world’s leading…

Short biography Kostøl, Esther Marie 1936 – Trade union leader and politician Labour Esther Kostøl worked for the Norwegian Civil Servants’ Association (Norsk Tjenestemannslag) in 1977 and in the period 1978-1985, she worked for the Civil Servants’ Cartel (Statstjenestemannskartellet). She was Secretary of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions in 1985-1989, its Deputy Chairman in…

Prizes related to the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize In 2008, Martti Ahtisaari received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to resolve international conflicts. Find out here about previous Nobel Prizes relevant to his work. The Nobel Peace Prize 2002 Jimmy Carter “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts,…

Every year, students from different countries and Nobel Laureates in Physics, Chemistry or Physiology or Medicine are invited to Lindau in the south of Germany. The meetings rotate by discipline each year. The idea is to let students with interest in science and research meet Nobel Laureates and to let Nobel Laureates meet students informally.…

Prizes related to the 2008 Medicine Prize In 2008, Harald zur Hausen, Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries of viruses linked to diseases. Find out here about previous Nobel Prizes relevant to their work. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1966 Peyton Rous “for his discovery…