Gabor Medal

Dennis Gabor 1971b

Noreen Murray (cropped)

Alan Fersht

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Charles Weissmann

Adrian Bird

Gabor Medal

The Gabor Medal is a prestigious award presented by the Royal Society, one of the oldest and most esteemed scientific institutions in the world. Named after Dennis Gabor, the Hungarian-British engineer and physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1971 for his invention and development of the holographic method, the medal honors outstanding achievements in the fields of interdisciplinary science, with a particular focus on work that bridges the gap between the life sciences and other scientific disciplines.

History

The Gabor Medal was first awarded in 1989, following an endowment by the Gabor family to commemorate Dennis Gabor's significant contributions to science. The medal not only celebrates Gabor's legacy but also encourages innovation and excellence in scientific research that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries.

Criteria and Selection

Recipients of the Gabor Medal are selected based on their exceptional research achievements that have applied insights from the physical sciences to advance the understanding of biological systems. This includes, but is not limited to, areas such as biophysics, computational biology, and systems biology. The award is open to scientists of all nationalities, provided their work has had a significant impact on the UK scientific community.

The selection process is overseen by the Royal Society, which convenes a panel of experts to review nominations and recommend a recipient. Nominations are invited from the scientific community, ensuring that candidates are judged by their peers.

Award

The Gabor Medal is awarded biennially and comes with a cash prize. In addition to the monetary award, recipients receive a silver gilt medal and are invited to deliver a lecture at the Royal Society, where they can present their research to the scientific community.

Notable Recipients

Over the years, the Gabor Medal has been awarded to a diverse group of scientists whose work exemplifies the spirit of interdisciplinary research. Notable recipients include:

• Scientist Name 1, for groundbreaking work in the field of computational biology.
• Scientist Name 2, recognized for their contributions to the understanding of complex biological systems through the application of physical science principles.
• Scientist Name 3, awarded for innovative research in biophysics that has opened new avenues for the study of living organisms.

Impact

The Gabor Medal has played a significant role in highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in solving complex scientific problems. By recognizing and rewarding research that crosses disciplinary boundaries, the medal encourages scientists to look beyond their fields of specialization and collaborate with others to advance our understanding of the natural world.

See Also

• Royal Society
• Nobel Prize in Physics
• Interdisciplinary Science
• Biophysics
• Computational Biology