Do you know who won the Nobel Prize this year? And why they won it? Let’s understand this concept of Nobel Prize and how it works.
What is the Nobel Prize?
The Nobel Prize, considered the most prestigious award in the world, is set of annual international awards bestowed on people and organizations for outstanding contribution to mankind in their respective fields.
Who started this tradition?
The tradition was started by Alfred Nobel, way back in 1901, when he wrote in his will, that his vast fortune was to be used to create annual prizes for those who confer the greatest benefit to mankind. It is administered by the Nobel Committee, set up by Alfred Nobel before his death.
What are the categories for a Nobel Prize award?
The Nobel prize is awarded for outstanding contribution in the areas of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace and Economic Sciences. Every year, laureates are awarded this honor for distinguished advances or achievements in these six areas. Famous examples include Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, Barack Obama among many others.
So what do the Nobel Laureates win? What is the prize money/trophy awarded to them?
Each or laureate (recipient) receives a gold medal, a diploma and a sum of money, which is decided by the Nobel Foundation.
Do you know who the first people to receive this honorable award were?
In 1901, the Nobel prizes were awarded to
- Wilhelm Röntgen , a German Physicist, for his contribution to Physics by discovering X -rays
- Jacobus van’t Hoff, a Dutch chemist, for his contribution to Chemical thermodynamics
- Sully Prudhomme, a French poet, for his contribution to Literature.
- Emil von Behring, a German microbiologist for his contribution to Medicine
- Henry Dunant and Frédéric Passy, for their roles in founding Red Cross and the Universal peace Congress respectively.
Now that we know so much about this award, you’re probably wondering how to win a Nobel prize winner.
So what does one do to win a Nobel Prize?
Well, for starters, you get nominated. That’s easier said than done though, so let’s take a look at the official process
1. Preparation – In September, the Nobel Committee prepares to receive nominations for Laureates in various fields.
Anyone can be a nominee, however, there are rules as to who can nominate! Interesting twist huh? The list, although different for the different fields, generally consists of reputable experts, professors, Nobel Laureates and government officials.
2. Receiving Nominations – The committee receives nominations from qualified nominators. The proposal for nominations must be submitted by Jan 31st for Physics, Chemistry, Medicine and Literature and February 1st for the Peace prize
3. Evaluation and Shortlisting – The Committee evaluates the candidates’ work and prepares a short list from February to March. This is done in consultation with reputable experts of the respective fields.
4. Review – The review process comes next, and it usually goes on till August. This step includes exchange of reports and recommendations with the Swedish Academy, after which a list of finalists is prepared.
5. Selection – Come October, a Laureate is chose through majority votes by the committee members. The decision is final and without appeal.
6. Award – The Nobel Laureates receive their awards at a ceremony that takes place in Stockholm on December 10th
And that’s how you win a Nobel Prize!
Winning a Nobel prize isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. And to be honest, most of the Laureates simply set out to do the best they can for the benefit of mankind. The prize, though extremely honorable, was merely a recognition of their exemplary contribution.
Nobel Prize Fact
The average age of Nobel prize winners is 59. There are however, exceptions to this apparent norm. The oldest Nobel Laureate so far, is Leonid Hurwicz, having received the prize at the age of 90, in 2007. On the other extreme, the youngest Nobel Laureate is Malala Yousafzai, who was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 2014.
Note : To know all about Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Prize, visit https://mocomi.com/alfred-nobel/