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Alessandro Volta Prize

The European Physical Society and Acinque S.p.A. have created a joint award to promote excellent research and achievements in physics. The award shall be made for outstanding achievements in physics: discoveries, significant breakthroughs in research, relevant contributions to his/her field of research, research methods, instruments, facilities, etc.

The Distinction consists of a diploma, a medal, and a monetary award of 10,000 €

Who is eligible?

  • The Distinction is open to research physicists or anyone carrying out physics-related work.

How to nominate ?

  • There are no restrictions on who can make nominations.
  • The nomination should include:
    • Personal details of the nominee(s), including biographical statement(s).
    • Citation(s) highlighting the work of the nominee(s). 
    • Up to three statements of support for the nomination from individuals who are familiar with the work of the nominee(s)

Key Dates

  • The EPS will call for nominations through its website, electronic newsletter e-EPS, bimonthly magazine Europhysics News (EPN), and other communications to its members. Acinque S.p.A. will publish the call for nominations on their respective websites or in any other media they will choose for this scope.
  • The award’s announcement will typically occur during the EPS Annual Council Meeting.

This new initiative builds upon the legacy of the former EPS Edison Volta Prize.

2020

Klaus Ensslin, ETH Zurich Laboratorium für Festkörperphysik, Switzerland
Jurgen Smet, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart, Germany
Dieter Weiss, Universität Regensburg Institut für experimentelle und angewandte Physik, Germany

2018

Alain Brillet, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
Karsten Danzmann, Max-Planck- Institut für Gravitationsphysik and Leibniz University, Hannover, Germany
Adalberto Giazotto, INFN, Pisa, Italy
Jim Hough, University of Glasgow, UK

2016

Michel A.G. Orrit, University of Leiden, The Netherlands

2015

Nazzareno Mandolesi, University of Ferrara, Italy
Jean-Loup Puget, Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris Sud & CNRS, France
Jan Tauber, Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration, European Space Agency

2014

Jean-Michel Raimond, France

2012

Rolf Dieter Heuer, CERN Director General
Sergio Bertolucci, CERN Director for Research and Computing
Stephen Myers, CERN Director for Accelerators and Technology.

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