Lars Onsager Prize facts for kids
The Lars Onsager Prize is a special award given every year to scientists who are really good at something called statistical physics. This is a part of physics that uses mathematics and statistics to understand how huge groups of tiny particles, like atoms, behave. The prize is given by the American Physical Society, which is a big group of physicists in America.
When someone wins this prize, they get a cool medal, a certificate, and $10,000! The prize was started in 1993 by two people, Dr. Russell and Dr. Marian Donnelly. They created it to remember a famous scientist named Lars Onsager.
Who Wins the Lars Onsager Prize?
The Lars Onsager Prize celebrates scientists who have made amazing discoveries in theoretical statistical physics. These are people who use their brains to figure out how complex systems work, from the tiny parts of matter to how materials behave.
The first person to win this important award was Michael E. Fisher in 1995. Since then, many brilliant minds have received the prize. For example, in 2000, David J. Thouless and John M. Kosterlitz shared the award. More recently, in 2024, Jacques Prost was honored. The prize for 2025 will be shared by Jean-Philippe Bouchaud, Jorge Kurchan, and Leticia Fernanda Cugliandolo.
Winning this prize means a scientist has made a very big difference in how we understand the world around us, especially in the field of statistical physics.
Discover More About Physics Awards
If you're interested in other awards given to scientists for their work in physics, you can check out a list of many different physics awards.
