The Story of The Kavli Prize

What if we could understand the origin of the universe? What if we could improve lives by controlling atomic structures? What if we could truly grasp the complexities of the human brain? The story behind The Kavli Prize started in the 1930s with a curious boy named Fred, growing up among the tall mountains of Eresfjord in Norway. A deep curiosity about nature and the universe stayed with Fred throughout his studies in physics and his entrepreneurial success in the United States. Until he eventually established a philanthropic foundation with the vision of advancing science for the benefit of humanity. One of the first activities of this foundation led to the inauguration of The Kavli Prizes, beginning in 2008. The prizes are awarded every two years in a partnership between The Kavli Foundation, the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, and the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research. Each of three international prize awards consists of 1 million USD and a gold medal, received in a ceremony in Oslo, presided over by a member of the Norwegian royal family. The Kavli Prize laureates are selected by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters based on recommendations from prize committees comprised of leading international scientists from six of the world's most renowned science societies and academies, in the three scientific fields: astrophysics, nanoscience, and neuroscience. The big. The small. And the complex. The Kavli Prize has four ultimate purposes: to recognize outstanding scientific research, honor highly creative scientists, promote public understanding of and appreciation for scientists and their work, and to foster international cooperation among scientists. Time and time again, we have seen that achieving these goals has been critical to making this world a better place. The Kavli Prize continues to be driven by the same sense of awe and curiosity felt by Fred Kavli as he grew up in the midst of nature at its most sublime, experiencing the vastness of the universe.