With the Nobel Prize in chemistry set to be announced Oct. 8, Rice University’s Pernilla Wittung Stafshede, a member of the Nobel Prize committee for chemistry, is available to explain the selection process for laureates and what happens behind the scenes. As one of only a few Nobel committee members worldwide, Wittung Stafshede offers unique insights into this process and its impact on science and society.
She will also be available the day of the award announcement to describe and explain the discoveries that earn the Nobel Prize in chemistry.
Who: Pernilla Wittung Stafshede, the Charles W. Duncan Jr.-Welch Chair in Chemistry at Rice University, a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Scholar and a member of the committee for the Nobel Prize in chemistry.
What: Wittung Stafshede is available for media interviews to provide insight into the Nobel Prize in chemistry, including:
- How the Nobel committee evaluates nominations and recommends laureates.
- The rules and traditions that guide the selection process.
- The historical underrepresentation of women among Nobel Prize winners in science and whether that is changing.
- The global impact of discoveries awarded with the Nobel Prize.
- On Oct. 8, an explanation of the Nobel Prize in chemistry announcement.
When: Wittung Stafshede will be available Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 ahead of the Nobel Prize in chemistry announcement Oct. 8. She will also be available Oct. 8 to explain this year’s prize winner.
Where: Interviews can be arranged virtually or in person.
Background: The Nobel Prize is one of the most prestigious honors in science, awarded annually since 1901 in the fields of chemistry, physics and medicine or physiology. It recognizes discoveries that transform our understanding of the natural world and improve human life. One prize category is announced per day during early October.
The Nobel Prize committee for chemistry is responsible for recommending laureates in chemistry to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Very few universities worldwide have faculty members participating in this historic process, making Rice uniquely positioned to share this perspective.