Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists
The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists was established in 2007 through a partnership between the Blavatnik Family Foundation, headed by Leonard Blavatnik (Russian: Леонид Валентинович Блаватник), chairman of Access Industries, and the New York Academy of Sciences, headed by president Mr. Ellis Rubinstein. The awards have been given annually to selected faculty and postdoctoral researchers age 42 years and younger who work in the life and physical sciences and engineering at institutions in the New York tri-state area. The first Blavatnik Awards were given in New York City on Monday, November 12, 2007. On June 3, 2013, the Blavatnik Family Foundation and the New York Academy of Sciences announced the expansion of the faculty competition to include young scientists from institutions throughout the United States. In April 2017, the Blavatnik Awards program was expanded to the United Kingdom (UK) and Israel.[1]
U.S. Regional Postdoctoral Competition
The regional program will continue to recognize postdoctoral researchers working at institutions in the New York tri-state area. The regional program accepts nominations for scientists working in the life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering. Nominations are accepted from institutions in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Submissions for the regional program are reviewed by a Judging Panel of senior scientists, science editors, and past Blavatnik winners from the Mid-Atlantic area. As of 2013, winners of the postdoctoral competition receive US$30,000 and finalists receive US$10,000, each in unrestricted cash prizes.
Past U.S. Regional Winners and Finalists
| Year | Winners | Finalists |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Leon Bottou, NEC Labs America, Computer Science
George Malliaras, Cornell University, Nanotechnology Ruslan Medzhitov, Yale University, Immunology Milan Stojanovic, Columbia University, Biotechnology Leslie Vosshall, The Rockefeller University, Behavioral Science |
Antje Baeumner, Cornell University, Environmental Engineering
Christoph Bregler, New York University, Computer Science Geoffrey Coates, Cornell University, Organic Chemistry Antonio Giraldez, Yale University, Developmental Biology Tarun Kapoor, The Rockefeller University, Cell Biology Scott Keeney, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Molecular Biology Philip Kim, Columbia University, Condensed Matter Physics Colin Nuckolls, Columbia University, Organic Chemistry Kathryn Uhrich, Rutgers University, Green Chemistry |
| 2008 | Andrey Pisarev, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Molecular & Cellular Biology
Steven Gubser, Princeton University, Nuclear & Particle Physics Andrew Houck, Princeton University, Electrical Engineering Laura Landweber, Princeton University, Evolutionary Biology Thomas Muir, The Rockefeller University, Biochemistry |
Alexei Aravin, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Developmental Biology
Matthew Evans, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Microbiology Valerie Horsley, Yale University, Developmental Biology Andreas Keller, The Rockefeller University, Neuroscience Shobha Vasudevan, Harvard University, Cell & Molecular Biology Daphne Bavelier, University of Rochester, Cognitive Neuroscience Geoffrey Coates, Cornell University, Organic Chemistry Christine Jacobs-Wagner, Yale University, Cell & Molecular Biology Eric Lai, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Developmental Biology Ken Shepard, Columbia University, Electrical Engineering Saeed Tavazoie, Columbia University, Genetics & Genomics |
| 2009 | Sreekanth Chalasani, The Rockefeller University, Behavioral Science
Paul Chirik, Cornell University, Chemical Biology Ofer Feinerman, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Computational Biology Carmala Garzione, University of Rochester, Geology Rebecca Oppenheimer, American Museum of Natural History, Astrophysics Eva Pastalkova, Rutgers University, Neuroscience Alexander Pechen, Princeton University, Theoretical Physics Shai Shaham, The Rockefeller University, Developmental Biology |
Tamas Horvath, Yale University, Molecular Neuroscience
Lam Hui, Columbia University, Astrophysics Daniel Sigman, Princeton University, Geology Denis Zorin, New York University, Computer Science |
| 2010 | Zoltan Haiman, Columbia University, Astronomy
Yaron Lipman, Princeton University, Computer Science Michal Lipson, Cornell University, Nanotechnology Haitao Liu, Columbia University, Nanotechnology Evgeny Nudler, New York University, Biochemistry Daniela Schiller, New York University, Behavioral Science Song-Hai Shi, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Neuroscience |
Nicolas Reyes, Institut Pasteur, Physiology & Biophysics
Agnel Sfeir, New York University, Cell Biology Elza Erkip, Polytechnic University of NYU, Electrical Engineering David Evans, Yale University, Geology & Geophysics Neal Weiner, New York University, Particle Physics |
| 2011 | Johannes Gehrke, Cornell University, Computer Science
Szabolcs Marka, Columbia University, Astrophysics Frank Oury, Columbia University, Physiology Valentino Tosatti, Columbia University, Mathematics |
Roberto Bonasio, New York University, Biochemistry
Mary Kay Lobo, University of Maryland, Cellular Neuroscience Shaun Olsen, Medical University of South Carolina, Structural Biology Ruth Van de Water, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Nuclear & Particle Physics Robert Anderson, City College CUNY, Ecology Charalampos Kalodimos, Rutgers University, Structural Biology Jun Korenaga, Yale University, Geology Olga Troyanskaya, Princeton University, Computational Biology Gerard Wysocki, Princeton University, Electrical Engineering |
| 2012 | B. Andrei Bernevig, Princeton University, Particle Physics
Andrey Feklistov, The Rockefeller University, Structural Biology Jason Fridley, Syracuse University, Ecology 'Alison Galvani', Yale University, Epidemiology[2] Michael Hahn, Columbia University, Astronomy Robert Johnston, New York University, Developmental Biology Assaf Naor, New York University, Computer Science Elisa Oricchio, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Clinical Medicine Nicholas Stavropoulos, The Rockefeller University, Neuroscience |
Michael Collins, Columbia University, Computer Science
Wei Min, Columbia University, Physical Chemistry |
| 2013 | David Blei, Princeton University, Computer Science
Jonathan Fisher, The Rockefeller University, Behavioral Science[3] Kristjan Haule, Rutgers University, Condensed Matter Physics Patrick Holland, University of Rochester, Inorganic Chemistry[4] Samie Jaffrey, Weill Cornell Medical College, Chemical Biology[5] Frans Pretorius, Princeton University, Astrophysics Rachel Rosen, Columbia University, Astrophysics |
Bi-Sen Ding, Weill Cornell Medical College, Physiology
Emily Hodges, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Genetics & Genomics Mariangela Lisanti, Princeton University, Nuclear & Particle Physics Jason MacGurn, Vanderbilt University, Cell Biology Xiankai Sun, Yale University, Electrical Engineering |
| 2014 | Clément Hongler, Columbia University, Applied Mathematics
Jeremy Palmer, Princeton University, Chemical Engineering Panteleimon Rompolas, Yale University, Developmental Biology |
Stephen Brohawn, The Rockefeller University, Biochemistry & Structural Biology
Dilek Colak, Weill Cornell Medical College, Neuroscience Nathaniel Craig, Rutgers University, Theoretical Physics Knut Drescher, Princeton University, Immunology & Microbiology Xiaowei Hou, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Biochemistry & Structural Biology Jérémie Palacci, New York University, Condensed Matter Physics |
| 2015 | Hani Goodarzi, The Rockefeller University, Genetics & Genomics
Arash Nikoubashman, Princeton University, Chemical Engineering Nicolás Young, Columbia University, Geology & Geophysics |
Allyson Friedman, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Neuroscience
Ziv Shulman, The Rockefeller University, Immunology & Microbiology Xiang Gao, Yale University, Biochemistry & Structural Biology Jinzhong Lin, Yale University, Biochemistry & Structural Biology Yang Liu, Princeton University, Electrical Engineering Dennis Perepelitsa, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Nuclear & Particle Physics |
| 2016 | William Anderegg, Princeton University, Ecology
Tomoyasu Mani, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Physical Chemistry Jian Li, Princeton University, Condensed Matter Physics |
Kate Meyer, Weill Cornell Medical College, Molecular & Cellular Biology
Rachel Perry, Yale University, Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology Matthieu Gagnon, Yale University, Biochemistry & Structural Biology Kuang Yu, Princeton University, Theoretical Chemistry Xi Chen, Columbia University, Materials Science & Nanotechnology Eli Visbal, Astrophysics & Cosmology |
| 2017[6] | Chao Lu, The Rockefeller University, Chromatin Biology and Epigenetics
Andrew Ilott, New York University, Physical Chemistry June Huh, Institute for Advanced Study, Mathematics |
Ataman Sendoel , The Rockefeller University, Molecular & Cellular Biology
Eunyong Park, The Rockefeller University, Biophysics and Structural Biology Alan Healy, Yale University, Chemical Biology Wilhelm Palm, Memorial Sloane Kettering, Biochemistry & Structural Biology Douglas Stanford, Institute for Advanced Study, Theoretical Physics Chia Wei (Wade) Hsu, Yale University, Condensed Matter Physics |
U.S. National Faculty Competition
Beginning with the 2014 awards cycle, the national faculty competition accepts nominations for scientists working in three disciplinary categories: Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemistry.[7] Nominations are accepted from institutions throughout the United States. Members of the Awards’ Scientific Advisory Council may also submit nominations. Submissions are reviewed by a Judging Panel of senior scientists and past Blavatnik Awards winners. The awards will be conferred annually with one winner (“Laureate”) from each disciplinary category selected each year (for a total of three Laureates per year). Each Laureate will receive a US$250,000 unrestricted cash prize and be honored at a ceremony in New York City every fall.
Past U.S. National Laureates and Finalists
| Year | Laureates | Finalists |
|---|---|---|
| 2017[8] [9] | Yi Cui, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Photon Science and Chemistry, Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Melanie Sanford, Moses Gomberg Distinguished University Professor and Professor of Chemistry, University of Michigan Feng Zhang, Core Member, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard |
Mohamed El-Naggar, University of Southern California, Life Sciences
Antonio Giraldez, Yale University, Life Sciences Stavros Lomvardas, University of California, San Francisco, Life Sciences Franziska Michor, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Life Sciences Celeste Nelson, Princeton University, Life Sciences Bradley Pentelute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Life Sciences Antonis Rokas, Vanderbilt University, Life Sciences Pardis Sabeti, Harvard University, Life Sciences Benjamin Tu, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Life Sciences Andrea Alù, The University of Texas at Austin, Physical Sciences & Engineering Nicolas Dauphas, The University of Chicago, Physical Sciences & Engineering Julia Greer, California Institute of Technology, Physical Sciences & Engineering Mark Hersam, Northwestern University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Sergei V. Kalinin, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Physical Sciences & Engineering Jure Leskovec, Stanford University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Tommaso Treu, University of California, Los Angeles, Physical Sciences & Engineering Anastasia Volovich, Brown University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Gleb Yushin, Georgia Institute of Technology, Physical Sciences & Engineering Matthew Becker, University of Akron, Chemistry William Dichtel, Northwestern University, Chemistry Matthew Disney, Scripps Florida, Chemistry Michael Fischbach, University of California, San Francisco, Chemistry Nathan Gianneschi, University of California, San Diego, Chemistry Christy Haynes, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Chemistry Bo Huang, University of California, San Francisco, Chemistry Michael Strano, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Chemistry Dmitri Talapin, University of Chicago, Chemistry |
| 2016 [10] | David Charbonneau, Professor of Astronomy, Harvard University
Phil Baran, Professor of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute Michael Rape, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Berkeley |
Xi Chen, Johns Hopkins University, Life Sciences
Casey Dunn, Brown University, Life Sciences Antonio Giraldez, Yale University, Life Sciences Rob Knight, University of California, San Diego, Life Sciences Oliver Rando, University of California, Berkeley, Life Sciences Antonina Roll-Mecak, National Institutes of Health, Life Sciences Pardis Sabeti, Harvard University, Life Sciences Beth Shapiro, University of California, Santa Cruz, Life Sciences Leor Weinberger, Gladstone Institutes, Life Sciences Feng Zhang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Life Sciences Andrea Alù, The University of Texas at Austin, Physical Sciences & Engineering Alexei Borodin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Physical Sciences & Engineering Yi Cui, Stanford University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Jenny Greene, Princeton University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Julia Greer, California Institute of Technology, Physical Sciences & Engineering Sergei Kalinin, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Physical Sciences & Engineering Aydogan Ozcan, University of California, Los Angeles, Physical Sciences & Engineering Amit Singer, Princeton University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Anastasia Volovich, Brown University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Garnet Chan, Princeton University, Chemistry Matthew Disney, Scripps Florida, Chemistry Pieter Dorrestein, University of California, San Diego, Chemistry Michael Fischbach, University of California, San Francisco, Chemistry David Ginger, University of Washington, Chemistry Bo Huang, University of California, San Francisco, Chemistry Nevan Krogan, Gladstone Institutes, Chemistry Teri Odom, Northwestern University, Chemistry Edward Valeev, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Chemistry |
| 2015 [11] | Christopher Chang, Professor of Chemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Berkeley and Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Edward F. Chang, Associate Professor in Residence of Neurological Surgery and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Co-Director of the Center for Neural Engineering and Prosthetics, UC Berkeley and UCSF Syed Jafar, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Irvine |
Jonathan Kagan, Boston Children's Hospital, Life Sciences
Rob Knight, University of California, San Diego, Life Sciences Harmit Malik, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Life Sciences Luciano Marraffini, The Rockefeller University, Life Sciences Michael Rape, University of California, Berkeley, Life Sciences Jared Rutter, University of Utah, Life Sciences Alice Ting, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Life Sciences Feng Zhang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Life Sciences Yi Zuo, University of California, Santa Cruz, Life Sciences Yi Cui, Stanford University & SLAC, Physical Sciences & Engineering Xiangfeng Duan, University of California, Los Angeles, Physical Sciences & Engineering Eric Ford, Pennsylvania State University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Markus Greiner, Harvard University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Ali Khademhosseini, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Physical Sciences & Engineering Hakho Lee, Massachusetts General Hospital, Physical Sciences & Engineering Yueh-Lin Loo, Princeton University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Aydogan Ozcan, University of California, Los Angeles, Physical Sciences & Engineering Abhay Pasupathy, Columbia University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Ashvin Vishwanath, University of California, Berkeley, Physical Sciences & Engineering Phil Baran, Scripps Research Institute, Chemistry Bianxiao Cui, Stanford University, Chemistry Matthew Disney, Scripps Florida, Chemistry Michael Fischbach, University of California, San Francisco, Chemistry Rustem Ismagilov, California Institute of Technology, Chemistry Nevan Krogan, Gladstone Institutes, Chemistry Hening Lin, Cornell University, Chemistry Melanie Sanford, University of Michigan, Chemistry Michael Strano, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Chemistry Peng Yin, Harvard University, Chemistry |
| 2014 | Rachel Wilson, Harvard University, Life Sciences
Marin Soljačić, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Physical Sciences & Engineering Adam Cohen, Harvard University, Chemistry |
Helen Blackwell, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Life Sciences
Howard Chang, Stanford University, Life Sciences Jonathan Kagan, Boston Children’s Hospital, Life Sciences Rob Knight, University of Colorado, Boulder, Life Sciences Harmit Malik, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Life Sciences Sarkis Mazmanian, California Institute of Technology, Life Sciences Michael Rape, University of California, Berkeley, Life Sciences Alice Ting, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Life Sciences Sinisa Urban, Johns Hopkins University, Life Sciences Yi Cui, SLAC National Laboratory and Stanford University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Ali Hajimiri, California Institute of Technology, Physical Sciences & Engineering Patrick Hopkins, University of Virginia, Physical Sciences & Engineering Ali Javey, University of California, Berkeley, Physical Sciences & Engineering Ali Khademhosseini, Harvard University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Teri Odom, Northwestern University, Physical Sciences & Engineering Aydogan Ozcan, University of California, Los Angeles, Physical Sciences & Engineering Leonardo Rastelli, Stony Brook University, Physical Sciences & Engineering William Shih, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Physical Sciences & Engineering Phil Baran, The Scripps Research Institute, Chemistry Garnet Chan, Princeton University, Chemistry Christopher Chang, University of California, Berkeley, Chemistry Peng Chen, Cornell University, Chemistry Ruben Gonzalez, Columbia University, Chemistry Melanie Sanford, University of Michigan, Chemistry Michael Strano, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Chemistry Peng Yin, Harvard University, Chemistry Martin Zanni, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Chemistry |
Israel Faculty Competition
In 2017 the Blavatnik Awards launched a national competition in Israel modeled on the U.S. Faculty awards. The Blavatnik Awards in Israel are administered by The New York Academy of Sciences in collaboration with the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Three Laureates from Israel are chosen each awards cycle and receive US$100,000 in unrestricted funds. The first awards were granted during a ceremony held at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem on February 4, 2018.[12] [13][14][15][16][17]
Past Israel Laureates
| Year | Laureates |
|---|---|
| 2018[18] | Anat Levin, Associate Professor, The Andrew & Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology
Charles Diesendruck, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology Oded Rechavi, Senior Lecturer, Department of Neurobiology, Tel Aviv University |
United Kingdom (UK) Faculty Competition
In 2017 the Blavatnik Awards launched a national competition across the United Kingdom modeled after the U.S. Faculty awards. A laureate and two finalists in each of three categories (Chemistry, Life Siences, and Physical Sciences and Engineering) are chosen in the UK every awards cycle. Laureates are awarded US$100,000 and finalists receive US$30,000. The first awards were granted during a ceremony held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London on March 7, 2018.[19]
Past United Kingdom (UK) Laureates and Finalists
| Year | Field | Laureate | Finalists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018[20] | Chemistry | Andrew Goodwin, Professor of Materials Chemistry, University of Oxford | Robert Hilton, Durham University |
| Philipp Kukura, University of Oxford | |||
| Life Sciences | M. Madan Babu, Programme Leader, Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology | Timothy Behrens, University of Oxford; honorary Principal Investigator, University College London (UCL) | |
| John Briggs, Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology | |||
| Physical Sciences and Engineering | Henry Snaith, Professor of Physics, Group Leader Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics Device group, University of Oxford | Claudia de Rham, Imperial College London | |
|
Andrew Levan, University of Warwick | |||
| 2019[21] | Chemistry | Philipp Kukura, University of Oxford | Igor Larrosa, University of Manchester |
| Rachel O'Reilly, University of Birmingham | |||
| Life Sciences | Ewa Paluch, University College London (UCL) & University of Cambridge | Timothy Behrens, University of Oxford & Honorary Principal Investigator, University College London (UCL) | |
| Kathy Niakan, Francis Crick Institute | |||
| Physical Sciences and Engineering | Konstantinos Nikolopoulos University of Birmingham | Gustav Holzegel, Imperial College, London | |
| Máire O'Neill, Queen's University Belfast | |||
| 2020[22] | Chemistry | Kirsty Penkman, University of York | Matthew Fuchter, Imperial College London |
| Stephen Goldup, University of Southampton | |||
| Life Sciences | Timothy Behrens, University of Oxford and University College London (UCL) | Eleanor Stride, University of Oxford | |
| Edze Rients Westra, University of Exeter | |||
| Physical Sciences and Engineering | Claudia de Rham, Imperial College London | Ian Chapman, UK Atomic Energy Authority and Culham Centre for Fusion Energy | |
| Amaury Triaud, University of Birmingham | |||
References
- "The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists Celebrates Its First Decade with International Expansion | Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists". blavatnikawards.org. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
- "Turning point: Alison Galvani". Nature.com. 11 July 2012. doi:10.1038/nj7406-263a.
- "Jonathan Fisher receives Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists". The Rockefeller University Newswire. 20 June 2013. Archived from the original on 9 August 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
- "Pat Holland wins Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists". University of Rochester newswire. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- "Dr. Samie Jaffrey Wins Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists". Weill Cornell Newswire. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- http://blavatnikawards.org/news/items/2017-blavatnik-regional-awards-young-scientists-winners/
- Fontevecchia, Agustino. "Billionaire Len Blavatnik Pledges $30M To Fund Young Scientists And Keep Innovation In The U.S." Forbes. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
- http://blavatnikawards.org/news/items/winners-2017-blavatnik-national-awards-young-scientists-include-pioneering-bioengineer-chemist-and-nanoscientist-will-receive-250000-prizes/
- http://blavatnikawards.org/news/items/americas-top-young-researchers-named-finalists-2017-blavatnik-national-awards-young-scientists/
- "2016 National Laureates". New York Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
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- "New Worlds: Young innovators get awards". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
- "Billionaire Len Blavatnik Pledges $30M To Fund Young Scientists And Keep Innovation In The U.S." Forbes. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
- "Billionaire and Science Academy Create Annual Prizes". The New York Times. 1 June 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- "Science prizes: The new Nobels". Nature. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- "New Award to Target Young Scientists". Science. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- "Blavatnik Foundation to extend awards to Israeli scientists". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
- https://www.nyas.org/news-articles/academy-news/winners-announced-for-the-inaugural-blavatnik-awards-for-young-scientists-in-israel/
- "Inaugural Ceremony of the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the United Kingdom". New York Academy of Sciences. May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
- "2018 UK honorees". Blavatnik Awards Young Scientists. New York Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- "2019 UK honorees". Blavatnik Awards Young Scientists. New York Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
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