Awarding of 2018 Nierenberg Prize in Science to Geneticist Svante Pääbo for Advocacy in Public Interest
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography has announced that Svante Pääbo, a Swedish biologist and pioneer of paleogenetics, will be the recipient of the 2018 Nierenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interest.
The prestigious prize, which includes a bronze medal and $25,000, is awarded annually by Scripps Oceanography since 2001 to honour outstanding contributions to science in the public interest. Previous winners include NASA astronaut and administrator Charles Bolden, filmmaker Sir David Attenborough, and primatologist Dame Jane Goodall.
Svante Pääbo is renowned for his groundbreaking work in retrieving ancient DNA from archaeological and paleontological remains. He used these techniques to sequence Neanderthal DNA, starting with mitochondrial DNA in 1999, and followed by the full genome in 2009. By studying DNA sequences from a finger bone found in a Siberian cave, Päääbo discovered Denisovans, a previously unknown hominin group.
Pääbo, who is also the author of the memoir-style science book Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes, published in 2014, will deliver a lecture titled, "A Neanderthal Perspective on Human Origins," at the Nierenberg Prize event.
William A. Nierenberg, for whom the prize was created, was a leading expert in several fields of underwater research and warfare and was known for his work in low-energy nuclear physics. He served as director of the organization from 1965 to 1986 and was the recipient of numerous awards and honors for professional research and public service.
Scripps Oceanography, one of the world's most important centers for global earth science research and education, operates a fleet of four oceanographic research vessels and boasts Birch Aquarium at Scripps, the public exploration center, which welcomes 500,000 visitors each year. The institution is committed to understanding and protecting the planet, and investigating our oceans, Earth, and atmosphere to find solutions to our greatest environmental challenges.
The award ceremony and presentation from Pääbo will take place on Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. at the Robert Paine Scripps Forum for Science, Society and the Environment on the Scripps campus. Scripps offers unparalleled education and training for the next generation of scientific and environmental leaders through its undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs.
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