Franklin Institute Awards

The Franklin Institute Awards (or Benjamin Franklin Medal) is an American science and engineering award presented by the Franklin Institute, a science museum in Philadelphia.[1] The Franklin Institute awards comprises the Benjamin Franklin Medals in seven areas of science and engineering, the Bower Awards and Prize for Achievement in Science, and the Bower Award for Business Leadership.[2] Since 1824, the institute has recognized "world-changing scientists, engineers, inventors, and industrialists—all of whom reflect Benjamin Franklin's spirit of curiosity, ingenuity, and innovation".[3] Some of the noted past laureates include Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Marie Curie, Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking.[3] Some of the 21st century laureates of the institute awards are Bill Gates,[4] James P. Allison, Indra Nooyi, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Blackburn, George Church,[5] Robert S. Langer, and Alex Gorsky.[6]

Franklin Institute Awards
CountryUnited States
Presented byFranklin Institute
First awarded1824
Websitewww.fi.edu/awards

Benjamin Franklin Medals

In 1998, the Benjamin Franklin Medals were created by reorganizing all of the endowed medals presented by The Franklin Institute at that time into a group of medals recognizing seven areas of study: Chemistry, Computer and Cognitive Science, Earth and Environmental Science, Electrical Engineering, Life Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics. The first Benjamin Franklin Medals were presented in 1998.[2]

Medalists are selected by a Committee on Science and the Arts (CS&A), composed of local academics and professionals from the Philadelphia area.[7]

Bower Awards

The Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science and the Bower Award for Business Leadership are the newest awards, established by a $7.5 million bequest from Henry Bower in 1988.[2] The annual Bower Prizes are US$250,000 each.

Former awards

List of laureates

The following table lists laureates of the Benjamin Franklin Medal (including the Bower Prizewinners), from 1998 onwards.[8]

Mohamed Atalla, silicon semiconductor pioneer and inventor of the MOSFET (MOS transistor), received the 1975 Stuart Ballantine Medal in Physics.[9][10]
Douglas Engelbart, inventor of the computer mouse, received the 1999 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics.
Shuji Nakamura, inventor of the blue LED, received the 2002 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics.
John McCarthy, AI pioneer, received the 2003 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer Science.
John Kerry receives the Benjamin Franklin Medal for Leadership in 2016.
Vinton Cerf, Internet pioneer, received the 2018 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer Science.
Frances Arnold, pioneer of directed evolution, received the 2019 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry.
YearNameField
1998John DiebelBower Award for Business Leadership
1998Emmanuel DesurvireEngineering
1998Robert B. LaughlinPhysics
1998David N. PayneEngineering
1998Stanley B. PrusinerLife Science
1998Martin J. ReesPhysics, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
1998Horst L. StormerPhysics
1998Daniel C. TsuiPhysics
1998Ahmed H. ZewailChemistry
1999Ralph J. CiceroneEarth Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
1999Noam ChomskyComputer and Cognitive Science
1999Douglas C. EngelbartComputer and Cognitive Science
1999Walter KaminskyChemistry
1999Barry J. MarshallLife Science
1999John C. MatherPhysics
1999Richard W. ShorthillComputer and Cognitive Science
1999Akira TonomuraPhysics
1999P. Roy VagelosBower Award for Business Leadership
1999Victor ValiComputer and Cognitive Science
2000John Cocke Computer and Cognitive Science
2000Eric CornellPhysics
2000Gordon DanbyMechanical Engineering
2000Eville GorhamEarth Science
2000Robert H. GrubbsChemistry
2000Wolfgang KetterlePhysics
2000Antoine LabeyrieElectrical Engineering
2000James R. PowellMechanical Engineering
2000Alexander RichLife Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2000William J. RutterLife Science, Bower Award for Business Leadership
2000Carl WiemanPhysics
2001Paul BaranElectrical Engineering, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2001Judah FolkmanLife Science
2001Alan H. GuthPhysics
2001Irwin Mark JacobsBower Award for Business Leadership
2001Marvin MinskyComputer and Cognitive Science
2001K. Barry SharplessChemistry
2001Rob Van der VooEarth Science
2001Bernard WidrowElectrical Engineering
2002Norman L. AllingerChemistry
2002 John W. CahnMaterials Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2002Mary-Dell ChiltonLife Science
2002Sumio IijimaPhysics
2002Gordon E. MooreBower Award for Business Leadership
2002Shuji NakamuraEngineering
2002Alexandra NavrotskyEarth Science
2002Lucy SuchmanComputer and Cognitive Science
2003Bishnu S. AtalElectrical Engineering
2003John N. BahcallPhysics
2003Raymond Davis Jr.Physics
2003Jane GoodallLife Science
2003Robin M. HochstrasserChemistry
2003Masatoshi KoshibaPhysics
2003Paul B. MacCreadyEngineering, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2003John McCarthyComputer and Cognitive Science
2003Norman A. PhillipsEarth Science
2003Joseph SmagorinskyEarth Science
2003Charles H. ThorntonEngineering
2004Roger BaconMechanical Engineering
2004Seymour BenzerLife Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2004Raymond V. DamadianBower Award for Business Leadership
2004Harry B. GrayChemistry
2004Richard M. KarpComputer and Cognitive Science
2004Robert B. MeyerPhysics
2004Robert E. NewnhamElectrical Engineering
2005Elizabeth Helen BlackburnLife Science
2005Aravind K. JoshiComputer and Cognitive Science
2005Henri B. KaganChemistry, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2005Yoichiro NambuPhysics
2005Peter R. VailEarth Science
2005Andrew J. ViterbiElectrical Engineering
2005Alejandro ZaffaroniBower Award for Business Leadership
2006Ray W. CloughEngineering
2006Samuel J. DanishefskyChemistry
2006Narain G. HingoraniElectrical Engineering, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2006Luna B. LeopoldEarth Science
2006Donald NormanComputer and Cognitive Science
2006Fernando NottebohmLife Science
2006Giacinto ScolesPhysics
2006J. Peter ToenniesPhysics
2006R.E. TurnerBower Award for Business Leadership
2006M. Gordon WolmanEarth Science
2007Norman R. AugustineBower Award for Business Leadership
2007Klaus BiemannChemistry
2007Stuart K. CardComputer and Cognitive Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2007Robert H. DennardElectrical Engineering
2007Merton C. FlemingsMaterials Science
2007Arthur B. McDonaldPhysics
2007Steven W. SquyresEarth Science
2007Yoji TotsukaPhysics
2007Nancy WexlerLife Science
2008Victor AmbrosLife Science
2008David BaulcombeLife Science
2008Wallace BroeckerEarth Science
2008Albert EschenmoserChemistry
2008Deborah JinPhysics
2008Takeo KanadeComputer and Cognitive Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2008Judea PearlComputer and Cognitive Science
2008Arun PhadkeElectrical Engineering
2008Gary RuvkunLife Science
2008Frederick SmithBower Award for Business Leadership
2008James ThorpElectrical Engineering
2009Ruzena BajcsyComputer and Cognitive Science
2009Stephen J. BenkovicLife Science
2009Sandra M. FaberPhysics, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2009J. Frederick GrassleEarth Science
2009T. Boone PickensBower Award for Business Leadership
2009Richard J. RobbinsEngineering
2009George M. WhitesidesChemistry
2009Lotfi A. ZadehElectrical Engineering
2010J. Ignacio CiracPhysics
2010Shafrira GoldwasserComputer and Cognitive Science
2010Peter C. NowellLife Science
2010Gerhard M. SesslerElectrical Engineering
2010D. Brian SpaldingMechanical Engineering
2010JoAnne StubbeChemistry
2010James WestElectrical Engineering
2010David J. WinelandPhysics
2010Peter ZollerPhysics
2010W. Richard PeltierEarth and Environmental Science, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2010William H. GatesBower Award for Business Leadership
2011John Robert AndersonComputer and Cognitive Science
2011Jillian F. BanfieldEarth and Environmental Science
2011Nicola CabibboPhysics
2011Ingrid DaubechiesElectrical Engineering
2011Dean KamenMechanical Engineering
2011K.C. NicolaouChemistry
2011George ChurchLife Science, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2011Fred KavliBower Award for Business Leadership
2012Vladimir VapnikComputer and Cognitive Science
2012Lonnie ThompsonEarth and Environmental Science
2012Ellen Stone Mosley-ThompsonEarth and Environmental Science
2012Sean B. CarrollLife Science
2012Jerry NelsonElectrical Engineering
2012Rashid SunyaevPhysics
2012Zvi HashinMechanical Engineering
2012Louis E. BrusChemistry, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2012John ChambersBower Award for Business Leadership
2013Jerrold MeinwaldChemistry
2013William LabovComputer and Cognitive Science
2013Robert A. BernerEarth and Environmental Science
2013Rudolf JaenischLife Science
2013Subra SureshMechanical Engineering
2013Alexander DalgarnoPhysics
2013Michael S. DellBower Award for Business Leadership
2013Kenichi IgaElectrical Engineering, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2014Daniel KleppnerPhysics
2014Christopher T. WalshChemistry
2014Lisa TauxeEarth and Environmental Science
2014Shunichi IwasakiElectrical Engineering
2014Mark H. KryderElectrical Engineering
2014Joachim FrankLife Science
2014Ali H. NayfehMechanical Engineering
2014Edmund M. ClarkeComputer and Cognitive Science, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2014William W. GeorgeBower Award for Business Leadership
2015Stephen Lippard[11]Chemistry
2015Elissa Newport[12]Computer and Cognitive Science
2015Syukuro ManabeEarth and Environmental Science[13]
2015Roger F. HarringtonElectrical Engineering[14]
2015Cornelia BargmannLife Science[15]
2015Charles L. Kane[16]Physics
2015Eugene Mele[17]Physics
2015Shoucheng Zhang[18]Physics
2015Jon Huntsman, Sr.[19]Bower Award for Business Leadership
2015Jean-Pierre Kruth[20]Mechanical Engineering, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2016Nadrian C. SeemanChemistry
2016Yale N. PattComputer and Cognitive Science
2016Brian F. AtwaterEarth and Environmental Science
2016Solomon W. GolombElectrical Engineering
2016Robert S. LangerLife Science
2016Shu ChienMechanical Engineering
2016Patrick Soon-ShiongBower Award for Business Leadership
2016William J. BoruckiPhysics, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2017Krzysztof MatyjaszewskiChemistry
2017Mitsuo SawamotoChemistry
2017Michael I. PosnerComputer and Cognitive Science
2017Nick Holonyak, Jr.Electrical Engineering
2017Douglas C. WallaceLife Science
2017Mildred S. DresselhausMaterials Science and Engineering
2017Marvin L. CohenPhysics
2017Claude LoriusEarth and Environmental Science, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2017Alan MulallyBower Award for Business Leadership
2018Susan TrumboreEarth and Environmental Science
2018Manijeh RazeghiElectrical Engineering
2018Adrian BejanMechanical Engineering
2018Helen Rhoda QuinnPhysics
2018John B. GoodenoughChemistry
2018Vinton Gray CerfComputer and Cognitive Science
2018Robert E. KahnComputer and Cognitive Science
2018Philippe HorvathLife Science, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2018Anne M. MulcahyBower Award for Business Leadership
2019John J. HopfieldPhysics
2019John A. RogersMaterials Engineering
2019James P. AllisonLife Science
2019Eli YablonovitchElectrical Engineering
2019Gene E. LikensEarth and Environmental Science
2019Marcia K. JohnsonComputer and Cognitive Science
2019Frances H. ArnoldChemistry, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2019Indra K. NooyiBower Award for Business Leadership
2021Roberto CarChemistry
2021Michele ParrinelloChemistry
2021Henry C. KapteynPhysics
2021Margaret MurnanePhysics
2021Jeremy NathansLife Science
2021C. Daniel MoteMechanical Engineering
2021Monica TurnerEarth and Environmental Science
2021Barbara ParteeComputer and Cognitive Science
2021Kunihiko FukushimaBower Award for Achievement in Science
2021Arthur D. LevinsonBower Award for Business Leadership
2022Sallie W. ChisholmEarth and Environmental Science
2022Sheldon WeinbaumBiomedical Engineering
2022Carol V. RobinsonChemistry
2022Russell D. DupuisElectrical Engineering
2022P. Daniel DapkusElectrical Engineering
2022Katalin KarikóLife Science
2022Drew WeissmanLife Science
2022Edward C. StonePhysics
2023R. Lawrence EdwardsEarth and Environmental Science
2023Nader EnghetaElectrical Engineering
2023Kenneth C. FrazierBower Award for Business Leadership
2023Elaine FuchsLife Science
2023Philip KimPhysics
2023Barbara H. LiskovComputer and Cognitive Science
2023Deb NiemeierCivil and Mechanical Engineering and Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2023Monika Schleier-SmithPhysics
2023Richard ZareChemistry

See also

References

External links