Kavli Medal facts for kids

The Kavli Medal is the name for two special awards. The Royal Society gives out these medals every two years. They honor amazing achievements in science, engineering, and education.

Royal Society Kavli Medal: Science and Engineering

The Royal Society Kavli Medal is given out every two years, in odd-numbered years. It celebrates great work in science and engineering. The award focuses on areas like the environment or energy.

This medal is for scientists who are still early in their careers. They should have done research for no more than 15 years after getting their PhD. To be considered, the scientist must be a citizen of a Commonwealth country or Ireland. They also need to have lived and worked there for at least three years.

The winner receives a bronze medal with a gold finish. They also get a personal gift of £500. The person who wins is invited to give a public talk about their research. This talk happens at the Royal Society.

The Council of the Royal Society chooses the winner. They get advice from a special committee. Nominations for the award are good for five years.

Past Winners of the Science and Engineering Medal

• 2011: Clare Grey for her work on lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are used in many devices.
• 2013: Neil Greenham for his work on new materials for solar cells. These cells turn sunlight into electricity.
• 2015: Matt King for his research on ice sheets. His work helped understand how much ice sheets add to sea level.
• 2017: Henry Snaith for finding and developing efficient perovskite solar cells. These are a new type of solar cell.
• 2019: Ed Hawkins for helping us understand climate change. He also shared climate science with many people.
• 2020: Ian Chapman for his insights into plasma physics. This work helps prepare for fusion energy.
• 2021: Magdalena Titirici for her work on sustainable energy storage. She helped improve batteries and other energy devices.

Kavli Education Medal: Impact on Learning

The Kavli Education Medal is also awarded every two years, but in even-numbered years. This medal honors someone who has made a big difference in science or math education. The impact must be within the United Kingdom.

Past Winners of the Education Medal

• 2010: Celia Hoyles for her great work in math education research.
• 2012: Margaret Brown for her big impact on math education in the UK.
• 2014: Sir John Holman for his important contributions to science education in the UK.
• 2016: Becky Parker for starting the Langton Star Centre. This center helps school children learn about science.
• 2018: Alice Rogers for her outstanding work in math education.
• 2020: Simon Humphreys for his huge impact on computer science education. He influenced national rules and helped many teachers.