Statement by Dr. Colwell on Nobel Prizes in Science and NSF onnection

Of the 12 Nobelists announced this week, eight were supported by NSF at some time in their careers and five currently receive NSF funding. All eight -- physicists Carl Wieman, Eric Cornell and Wolfgang Ketterle; chemist Barry Sharpless; economists George Aklerlof, Joseph Stiglitz and Michael Spence; and geneticist Leland Hartwell -- received the prize for work funded by NSF.

The impact of the Nobelists and their NSF support extends beyond the research itself, into the network of people who support or benefit from it. Most of the laureates serve regularly as reviewers of NSF proposals. All three physicists play key roles in NSF-funded centers which integrate various groups behind a common research goal. Wieman was honored earlier this year as a recipient of the 2001 Director's Awards for Distinguished Teaching Scholars, NSF's highest honor for excellence in both teaching and research.

Another past award foreshadowed this week's announcement: Cornell was honored by NSF in 1997 with the Alan T. Waterman Award for outstanding young scientists.

The NSF connection spans the history of the awards; of Nobelists named since 1960, 118 have received NSF funding. As the only federal agency to fund fundamental research across all fields of science and engineering, NSF is the agent of the American public to invest in a more secure and productive future. We are honored with this stewardship, and honored by the accomplishments of this year's NSF-supported Nobel laureates.

For a list of 2001 Nobel laureates, see: http://www.nobel.se/
For historical context on NSF's connection to the Nobel prizes, see: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/media/2000/nsfnobels.htm
For more information on this year's NSF-funded Nobelists, contact:
Economists: Bill Noxon, 703-292-8070, [email protected]
Physicists and chemists: Amber Jones, 703-292-8070, [email protected]
Geneticist: Andrea Dietrich, 703-292-8070, [email protected]