On 22 September, the first winners of the OGANESSON Prize were announced at the 134th session of the Scientific Council of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna. The award was created at the suggestion and expense of RAS Academician Yuri Oganessian and established at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in 2023. The award’s founders are Scientific Leader of the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions Yuri Oganessian and JINR.

A jury of international experts made the decision to present the award. The jury is headed by Scientific Director of the National Centre for Physics and Mathematics, RAS Academician Alexander Sergeev, JINR Director RAS Academician Grigory Trubnikov approved the decision.

Prize founder RAS Academician Yuri Oganessian and Professor Ana María Cetto Kramis

The winners of the OGANESSON Prize in 2023 are:

• Ana María Cetto Kramis, a physics professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and JINR Scientific Council member.
  
  For outstanding scientific works in quantum mechanics and theoretical physics, for great personal contribution to the strengthening of global scientific cooperation for peace and sustainable development.


• Mikhail Shvydkoy, Doctor of Arts, Art director of the Moscow Musical Theatre. Cultural, public, and state figure.
  
  For outstanding personal contribution to the development of international scientific and cultural cooperation, and the popularisation of modern science achievements in mass media.


• Valeria Pershina, a chemistry professor at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany.
  
  For theoretical studies of the electronic structure and chemical properties of superheavy elements of Mendeleev’s Periodic Table.


• Nominated in the young laureates category: Vasily Semin, Head of the Scientific and Technological Department of Accelerators of the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions at JINR.
  
  For significant personal contribution at the beginning of his scientific career to the creation of new primary experimental facilities at JINR, providing breakthrough scientific results in nuclear physics.

“I am very pleased to name the first winners of the OGANESSON Prize as the chairman of the award committee. A good tradition is being started thanks to the wise decision of an outstanding scientist, RAS Academician Yuri Oganessian. Under his guidance, new chemical elements were synthesised at JINR, the 118th is known as oganesson. Such awards and foundations, organized by recognised scientists, contribute to increasing the importance of science in general. The first laureates are four well-known researchers, including a young scientist Vasily Semin, Head of the Scientific and Technological Department of Accelerators of the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions at JINR, he made a significant contribution to the creation of new primary experimental facilities at JINR, providing breakthrough scientific results in nuclear physics. His example shows what young people can achieve in their scientific activities,” Scientific Director of the National Centre for Physics and Mathematics, RAS Academician Alexander Sergeev said.

This award is presented according to the decision of an independent jury of scientists and public figures and presented not only for scientific achievements, but also for missionary work in science. It is presented to people who are engaged in science, love science, promote it, and carry its values to society both in Russia and around the world,” Grigory Trubnikov commented on the announcement of the first award winners.

We shall remind you that Academician Yuri Oganessian became the winner of the Sber Scientific Prize for fundamental work on the synthesis of superheavy elements in 2022. Academician Oganessian decided to direct his prize in the amount of 20 million rubles to support talented scientists and popularisers of science, including young people. That is why Yuri Oganessian announced the establishment of the OGANESSON Prize in April 2023.

“I think that Yuri Oganessian’s decision after winning the Sber Scientific Prize is highly important. The organization of the OGANESSON Prize proves loyalty to our spirit, to the long-standing traditions of scientific patronage in Russia. In addition, in the 19th century, according to the will of a famous historian, theologian, member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences Metropolitan Macarius — born Mikhail Bulgakov — the Macarius Prize was founded with funds from the publication of his works. By supporting young people, scientists in our country, and scientists from different countries, we broadcast a vision of our values, the way we create science,” Alexander Sergeev highlighted. He also noted that the award bears the spirit of Dubna, a major international scientific centre. There are people from different countries of the world, of different ages, and different fields of activity among the laureates of the Prize.

The award’s founder, Academician Yuri Oganessian, commented on the results of the first OGANESSON award competition, “To be honest, I did not even expect that the Committee would approach the selection of candidates so carefully, considering their scientific and public merits, taking into account the popularisation of science. I could not have imagined a better choice. In addition, he noted that Sberbank had invited the award winners to attend the ceremony of awarding the Sber Scientific Prize this year.

The OGANESSON Prize is given annually for significant achievements in theoretical and experimental research in physics, chemistry, biology, and applied problems and for creative endeavours that popularise science by means of educational and scientific activities. Individual scientific, engineering, and technical specialists or teams (no more than 3 people), whose contribution was decisive in solving scientific problems and/or popularisation projects, can participate in the competition for the award.

The OGANESSON Prize in 2023 was organized with Sberbank’s support.

For more information, visit the OGANESSON Prize website.