June 21, 2012
Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe(Kavli IPMU)
The Gruber Foundation announced that Johns Hopkins University professor Charles L. Benett and WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe) team won the 2012 Gruber Cosmology Prize.
Two Kavli IPMU scientists were among the twenty six members of the WMAP team. They are David Spergel of Princeton University and Kavli IPMU Principal Investigator, and Eiichiro Komatsu of University of Texas and Kavli IPMU Visiting Senior Scientist.
WMAP brought precise and accurate understandings of the age, content, geometry and origin of the universe, and led to the firm foundation of the Standard Cosmological Model.
According to the announcement, the citation further recognizes that the exquisite specificity of these results has helped transform cosmology itself from “appealing scenario into precise science.” Professor Benett and the team will receive the $500, 000 award at the International Astronomical Union meeting in Beijing on August 21.
* The Gruber prize is established by The Gruber Foundation to recognize excellence in science and humanities by highlighting five fields; Cosmology, Genetics, Neuroscience, Justice and Women's Rights. Each prize is given annually.
For further details, see The Gruber Prize Web site.