Fred Kavli receives the Franklin Institute's 2011 Bower Award for Business Leadership

January 20, 2011 The Franklin Institute today has announced Fred Kavli as the recipient of the 2011 Bower Award for Business Leadership. Kavli is a Norwegian-born physicist, entrepreneur, innovator and philanthropist who is dedicated to supporting research and education that has a positive, long-term impact on the human condition. For ten years now, Kavli's foundation has been committed to supporting basic scientific research, and through the establishment of three biennial $1 million prizes, recognizing and energizing the careers of researchers with great potential. Through The Kavli Foundation and Prizes, and the many scientists they encourage and support, Fred Kavli's influential contributions to the scientific enterprise continue to resonate, extending the revitalization of innovation through the rest of this century and beyond.

Kavli, along with seven fellow extraordinary trailblazers in science and technology, will be recognized and honored during the annual Franklin Institute Awards Ceremony and Dinner on Thursday, April 28, 2011. This event will also mark the final night of the recently-announced Philadelphia Science Festival. Beginning April 15, this two-week celebration will focus on bringing science education to the community with a series of hands-on activities, special exhibitions, and other informal science education experiences.

THE 2011 FRANKLIN INSTITUTE LAUREATES

Fred Kavli, Chairman and Founder, The Kavli Foundation; Founder, Kavilico Corporation

Bower Award for Business Leadership

For his distinguished career in technology and for his commitment, with The Kavli Foundation, to the global advancement of science and science education for the betterment of humankind.

George Church, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School, Personal Genomes.org

Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science

For innovative and creative contributions to genomic science, including the development of DNA sequencing technologies, as well as for his subsequent efforts to promote personal genomics and synthetic biology.

K. C. Nicolaou, Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute, University of California, San Diego

Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry

For his achievements in synthetic organic chemistry, particularly for the development of methods for preparing complex substances found in nature, which have potential applications in the field of medicine.

John R. Anderson, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University

Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer and Cognitive Science

For the development of the first large-scale computational theory of the process by which humans perceive, learn and reason, and its application to computer tutoring systems.

Ingrid Daubechies, Ph.D., Princeton University

Benjamin Franklin Medal in Electrical Engineering

For fundamental discoveries in the field of compact representations of data, leading to efficient image compression as used in digital photography.

Jillian F. Banfield, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley

Benjamin Franklin Medal in Earth and Environmental Science

For discovering the underlying principles of mineral formation and alteration by microbes, which are critical to understanding the form, composition, and distribution of minerals in the presence of living organisms.

Dean Kamen, DEKA Research and Development Corporation

Benjamin Franklin Medal in Mechanical Engineering

For his resourcefulness and imagination in creating mechanical devices that broadly benefit society and enable people with disabilities to improve their quality of life and health.

Nicola Cabibbo, Ph.D. (1935-2010), Università di Roma

Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics

For his fundamental insight into the process by which elementary particles decay through the weak interaction.

The rich tradition of the Franklin Institute Awards dates back to 1824. These prestigious awards have been bestowed upon such luminaries as Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Frank Lloyd Wright, Marie and Pierre Curie, Orville Wright, and Jane Goodall. In fact, many Franklin Institute Award winners have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize.

Programs like The Franklin Institute Awards, that inspire a passion for learning about science and technology, are made possible by its generous partners. Bank of America continues its leadership support since 2003 as the Presenting Sponsor of the Awards Ceremony and Dinner. CBS Sunday Morning anchor, Charles Osgood will again serve as host of the black-tie event. For more information including photos, visit http://www2.fi.edu/press/awards/.

Provided by The Franklin Institute