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December 9, 2024
Northwestern University is accepting nominations for $300,000 Nemmers Prizes in Mathematics, Earth Sciences and Economics, to be awarded in 2024.
Candidacy for the prize is open to those with careers of outstanding achievement in their disciplines as demonstrated by major contributions to new knowledge or the development of significant new modes of analysis. Individuals of all nationalities and institutional affiliations are eligible, except current or recent members of the Northwestern faculty, past recipients of the Nemmers Prize and recipients of the Nobel Prize.
The three 2024 recipients of the Nemmers Prize each will deliver a public lecture and participate in other scholarly activities at Northwestern for at least a week during the 2024-25 academic year.
The 2022 Nemmers Prize winners were:
- Emily Brodsky, University of California, Santa Cruz; Emily Brodsky received the Nemmers Prize in Earth Sciences, honored for her “fundamental, transdisciplinary contributions to understanding the physics of earthquake networks at all scales.”
- Ariel Pakes, Harvard University; Ariel Pakes received the Erwin Plein Nemmers Prize in Economics, honored for his “fundamental contributions to the development of the field of empirical industrial organization as it is applied to the study of market power, prices, mergers and productivity.”
- Bhargav Bhatt, University of Michigan, Institute for Advanced Study and Princeton University; Bhargav Bhatt received the Frederic Esser Nemmers Prize in Mathematics for his “revolutionary contributions to algebraic geometry in mixed characteristic through a new synthesis of ideas in topology, algebra and arithmetic.”
The 2022 winners visited Northwestern in May for lectures, seminars and a dinner.
“Our past Nemmers Prize winners are trailblazers and innovators who have not only made immense contributions to their fields but also have inspired their peers with their steadfast work ethic and desire to positively impact society,” said Northwestern Provost Kathleen Hagerty. “We look forward to honoring another group of scholars who are making a difference in our world through their dedication and vision.”
Nominations will be accepted until Dec. 31, 2023. Nominating letters should be a maximum of 1,000 words and should describe the nominee’s professional experience, accomplishments and qualifications for the award. The submission also should include the nominee’s curriculum vitae. Nominations from experts in the field and institutional nominations are welcome; direct applications will not be accepted.
Northwestern announced in May that it is accepting nominations for its $350,000 Mechthild Esser Nemmers Prize in Medical Science. The biennial prize will be awarded in fall 2024.
The Nemmers Prize is named for the family of Erwin Esser Nemmers, a former faculty member in the Kellogg School of Management who held degrees in music, law, aeronautical engineering and economics. He and his brother, Frederic Esser Nemmers, made a generous gift to Northwestern for the establishment of the prizes.
The Frederic Esser Nemmers Prize in Mathematics and the Erwin Plein Nemmers Prize in Economics (named for the Esser brothers’ father) were established in 1994. The Michael Ludwig Nemmers Prize in Music Composition, established in 2004, honors their grandfather, and the Mechthild Esser Nemmers Prize in Medical Science, established in 2015, honors their mother. The Nemmers Prize in Earth Sciences, established in 2016, is the most recent prize to be added.
