31 Oct 2023

WISE researchers are recognized with prestigious awards

WISE researchers, Annica Black-Schaffer from Uppsala university and Anders Nilsson from Stockholm university, were recently awarded with the Rudbeck Medal and the Earle K. Plyler Prize, respectively. 

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Rudbeck Medal    

Uppsala university’s Rudbeck Medal was established in 2002 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the passing of Olof Rudbeck the Elder. The medal is bestowed “for extraordinarily prominent achievements in science, to be conferred primarily for such accomplishments or findings attained at Uppsala University”. This year, the medal was awarded to Annica Black-Schaffer, Gunilla Enblad and Neil Price. 

Annica Black-Schaffer is professor of materials theory at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Uppsala university. Her research focuses on quantum mechanical effects that control the properties of materials. Currently, she leads a WISE project entitled “New materials for enhanced superconducting spintronics.” The contribution of this project to a sustainable world is very important since superconducting spintronics has the potential to not only revolution IT technology but also to dramatically reduce energy consumption. 

– I am very honoured to have received the Rudbeck medal. I am also grateful that our work is recognized in this way as it is pure basic science research aimed to build fundamental understanding of exotic quantum effects in materials with no immediate applications, although the prospects within future quantum technologies are bright, says Annica Black-Schaffer. 

For more information about Annica Black-Schaffer’s prize, visit https://www.uu.se/nyheter/arkiv/2023-09-19-linnemedaljor-och-rudbeckmedaljorer-utsedda

Earle K. Plyler Prize 

The Earle K. Plyler Prize from the American Physical Society for molecular spectroscopy and dynamics was first introduced in 1976 and is now sponsored by the Journal of Chemical Physics, an AIP Publishing journal. 2024 recipient, Anders Nilsson, is a distinguished professor in chemical physics at Stockholm university. Nilsson is best known for his studies of the structure and dynamics of water. He is also interested in chemical reactions as they occur in real time and energy transformations that have implications for future energy use. His WISE project with title: “Catalytic methanol production for CO2 mitigation”, focuses on probing different catalytic materials for methanol synthesis using operando x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A goal on sustainability of this project is to aid the chemistry industry to reach neutral CO2 emissions. 

–  I am overwhelmed to have received such a recognition, comments Anders Nilsson on his prize. 

For more information about Anders Nilssons’ prize go to https://aps.org/programs/honors/prizes/plyler.cfm

You can read more about these WISE researchers’ activities in our website: https://wise-materials.org/research/projects-2/

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