Fred Kavli facts for kids

Fred Kavli (born August 20, 1927 – died November 21, 2013) was a Norwegian-American businessman. He was also a philanthropist, which means he gave away a lot of his money to help others. Fred Kavli was born on a small farm in Eresfjord, Norway.

He started a company called Kavlico Corporation. This company became one of the biggest suppliers of sensors in the world. These sensors are used in planes, cars, and many other machines.

In 2000, Fred Kavli created The Kavli Foundation. Its main goal is to "advance science for the benefit of humanity." This means the foundation helps science grow to make life better for everyone. It also helps people understand and support scientists and their important work. The foundation does this by setting up research institutes and giving out special awards called the Kavli Prizes. These prizes are for amazing discoveries in space science, tiny materials, and brain science.

Fred Kavli's Early Life and Career

Fred Kavli grew up on a family farm in the small Norwegian village of Eresfjord. When he was 14, during World War II and the Nazi occupation of Norway, he started his first business. He and his brother made wood pellets to fuel cars.

His father had lived in San Francisco for 13 years, which inspired young Fred. After getting his engineering degree from the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH), he left for America. He first moved to Montreal, Canada, in 1955 because his visa for the U.S. was not ready.

In 1956, his U.S. visa was approved, and he moved to the United States. He found a job as an engineer in Los Angeles. He worked on flight controls for Atlas missiles and became a Chief Engineer.

Fred Kavli wanted to start his own business. He put an ad in the Los Angeles Times newspaper that simply said, "Engineer seeking financial backing to start own business." This helped him find people to invest in his idea.

Two years later, he started the Kavlico Corporation in Moorpark, California. His company grew to be a huge supplier of sensors. These sensors were used in airplanes, cars, and industrial machines. They supplied big companies like General Electric and Ford Motor Company.

In 2000, Fred Kavli sold Kavlico for $345 million. Much of his wealth also came from smart real estate investments. After selling his company, he used a lot of his money to create The Kavli Foundation. He dedicated his wealth to supporting scientific research around the world.

Recognitions and Awards

Fred Kavli received many honors for his work and generosity. On June 19, 2006, the King of Norway, Harald V of Norway, made him a Grand Officer of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. This was to thank him for his contributions to Norway and humanity.

In 2008, he received an honorary doctorate from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. This recognized his efforts to help science and research grow. He was also a member of important groups like the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In 2009, Northwestern University gave him an honorary Doctor of Science degree. In 2011, he received the Bower Award for Business Leadership from the Franklin Institute. He also received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy. This medal is given to people who use their personal wealth to help the public, just like Andrew Carnegie did.

Fred Kavli passed away on November 21, 2013, at his home in Santa Barbara, California.

The Kavli Prizes: Honoring Science

Through The Kavli Foundation, Fred Kavli created special scientific awards called the Kavli Prizes. These prizes are given in three fields: Astrophysics (the study of space), Nanoscience (the study of super tiny things), and Neuroscience (the study of the brain).

The Kavli Prizes are given out every two years in Oslo, Norway, since 2008. Each winner receives a scroll, a gold medal, and $1,000,000!

Fred Kavli chose these three areas because he believed they were the most exciting and important for the 21st century. He thought they would bring great benefits to humanity. He also wanted the Kavli Prizes to be different from the Nobel Prizes. For example, the winners are chosen by committees of famous international scientists. These scientists are recommended by top academies from around the world.

The first Kavli Prize winners were announced on May 28, 2008. They were honored by President George W. Bush at the White House.

The Kavli Foundation: Supporting Research

The Kavli Foundation is based in Oxnard, California. Its main goals are to help science grow and to encourage people to understand and support scientists. Fred Kavli started it in 2000.

The foundation helps set up major research institutes at leading universities and institutions. These institutes are located in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

The Kavli Foundation has given money to create Kavli Institutes at many famous universities. These include the University of California Santa Barbara, Stanford University, the California Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and the University of Cambridge. The list of these special institutes continues to grow.

Besides the institutes, the foundation has also created six Kavli professorships. These are special teaching positions at universities like the University of California Santa Barbara and Columbia University.

Kavli Institutes Around the World

KAVLI Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, in Japan

The Kavli Foundation has created 20 research institutes at top universities worldwide. These institutes focus on four main areas:

• Astrophysics (the study of space and the universe)
• Nanoscience (the study of extremely small things)
• Neuroscience (the study of the brain and nervous system)
• Theoretical physics (the study of how the universe works using math and ideas)

Fred Kavli had a business-like approach. He required each university to match the foundation's donation, which was usually around $7.5 million. The institutes are free to research any basic science they choose.

Seven researchers connected to the Kavli institutes have won Nobel Prizes. This shows the high quality of the research happening there.

As of October 2023, there are Kavli Institutes in several countries:

• 13 in the United States
• 2 in China
• 1 in the Netherlands
• 1 in Norway
• 2 in the United Kingdom
• 1 in Japan

Here are some examples of the Kavli Institutes:

Astrophysics Institutes

• The Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology at Stanford University
• The Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago
• The Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University

Nanoscience Institutes

• The Kavli Institute for Nanoscale Science at Cornell University
• The Kavli Institute of Nanoscience at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands
• The Kavli Nanoscience Institute at the California Institute of Technology

Neuroscience Institutes

• The Kavli Institute for Brain Science at Columbia University
• The Kavli Institute for Brain & Mind at the University of California, San Diego
• The Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Theoretical Physics Institutes

• Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara
• The Kavli Institute for Theoretical Sciences (KITS) at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Honours

• Royal Norwegian Order of Merit - Grand Officer (a high honor from the King of Norway).
• Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences – fellow.
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology – honorary doctor.

Quotes

The curiosity of the human being is what has brought us where we are today, and I have complete confidence that it will take us where we need to be in the future.