The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has announced the 2022 Kavli Prize laureates in the fields of astrophysics, nanoscience, and neuroscience, and laureates in each field will share $1 million.

First awarded in 2008, the biennial prizes recognize scientists for their contributions to pioneering advances in our understanding of existence at its biggest, smallest, and most complex scales. The prizes are awarded in partnership with the California-based Kavli Foundation and the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and include a gold medal and cash award of $1 million.

Conny Aerts (Belgium), Jørgen Christensen-Dalsgaard (Denmark), and Roger Ulrich (USA) will share the Kavli Prize in Astrophysics for their pioneering work in developing the fields of helioseismology and asteroseismology, and for breakthrough research that laid the foundations of solar and stellar structure theory. The 2022 Kavli Prize in Nanoscience honors David L. Allara (USA), Ralph G. Nuzzo (USA), Jacob Sagiv (Israel), and George Whitesides (USA), whose work has transformed surface science and led to applications shaping our daily lives in areas from medical diagnostics to semiconductor devices. And Jean-Louis Mandel (France), Harry T. Orr (USA), Christopher A. Walsh (USA), and Huda Y. Zoghbi (Lebanon/USA) were recognized for pioneering the discovery of genes underlying a range of serious brain disorders and establishing a blueprint for neuroscience research, diagnosis, and treatment for fragile X syndrome, Spinocerebeller ataxia, Rett syndrome, and rare forms of epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder.

“We honor the 2022 Kavli Prize Laureates for their transformative contributions to science and society,” said Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters president Lise Øvreås. “Their discoveries created entirely new fields, opened up new realms of scientific research and advanced science for the benefit of humankind.”