Fred Kavli Honored as One of Scientific American's "50"
November 9, 2005
Philanthropist Fred Kavli, who has fulfilled a long-term dream by establishing The Kavli Foundation to support basic research, has been selected by the board of editors of Scientific American magazine for inclusion in the fourth annual Scientific American 50 as Policy Leader of the Year.
The award honors 50 individuals, teams, companies, and other organizations whose accomplishments in research, business, or policymaking during 2004—2005 demonstrated outstanding technological leadership. Kavli was specifically cited as policy leader of the year for his "generous philanthropic support of science and technology." The complete list of winners for the SA 50 will appear in the magazine's December 2005
issue.
Established in 2000, The Kavli Foundation supports basic research in the fields of nanoscience, astrophysics, and neuroscience, primarily through an international program of research institutes and the support of endowed chairs. In 2008 it will inaugurate The Kavli Prizes, three $1 million awards to recognize scientists who have made seminal advances in these three research areas.
"I am flattered to have been selected for this award by the editors of Scientific American, and I thank them for the honor" says Kavli, the foundation's chairman. "And I hope it will help in a small way to emphasize the importance of basic science research to this country."
"Science enriches our lives," he says. "Basic research, though, is chronically underfunded, yet requires consistent long-term investment, enormous patience, and persistence. Since the importance of new discoveries may not be recognized for many years, the work that scientists do is often undervalued, especially by the public at-large. Because the foundation's activities emphasize long term, basic research," he says, "I'm
gratified to be acknowledged for this by the magazine."
Says Editor-In-Chief John Rennie: "The Scientific American 50 is our annual opportunity to salute the people and organizations worldwide whose research, policy, or business leadership has played a major role in bringing about the science and technology innovations that are improving the way we live and offer the greatest hope for the future."