John Bardeen’s speech at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm, December 10, 1972

Mr. Prime Minister, Ladies, and Gentlemen,

Science is a field which grows continuously with ever expanding frontiers. Further, it is truly international in scope. Any particular advance has been preceded by the contributions of those from many lands who have set firm foundations for further developments. The Nobel awards should be regarded as giving recognition to this general scientific progress as well as to the individuals involved.

Further, science is a collaborative effort. The combined results of several people working together is often much more effective than could be that of an individual scientist working alone. This is certainly true of the present award. My colleagues, Leon N. Cooper and J. Robert Schrieffer, and I collaborated very closely on the development of the theory of superconductivity and each made contributions essential to its success. I am pleased and grateful to the Nobel Foundation and the Royal Academy of Sciences for giving this well-deserved recognition to my two colleagues.

My earlier award was also based on a close collaborative effort. At least in my case, the arithmetic should not be one plus one equals two, but one third plus one third equals two thirds. I am honored to represent my colleagues, Leon Cooper and Robert Schrieffer, in expressing our deep gratitude for the very warm and generous hospitality of the Swedish people.