Writer Han Kang (South Korea) delivered his speech accepting the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, along with the Nihon Hidankyo organization (Japan) as the two Asian representatives awarded the Nobel Prize last year.
PHOTO: THE NOBEL PRIZE
Nobel Prize does not consider nationality
At the Nobel 2025 exhibition and dialogue program organized by the Embassy of Sweden and RMIT University Vietnam recently, physicist Ulf Danielsson, professor of theoretical physics at Uppsala University (Sweden), member and scientific secretary of the Nobel Committee for Physics, informed that scholars participating in the selection of the Nobel Prize all have in mind that the prize must be awarded to "those who bring the greatest benefit to humanity".
"It could be a practical application that improves the world or fundamental research that paves the way for the future of basic science. In physics, we pay special attention to discovery or invention. Discovery can be theories, observations or experiments, while invention is something that can be directly applied in science or in everyday life," he shared.
Professor Danielsson said that the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is responsible for appointing the Nobel committees, including the Nobel Committee for Physics, and a large number of scholars serving on the committees will come from Sweden. According to current regulations, each committee must have at least five official members. The committees' task is to review all nominations from around the world and then make a final recommendation to the Academy for approval.
"This is a very thorough and lengthy process and in order to be considered for the Nobel Prize, a candidate must be nominated," he said.
Professor Ulf Danielsson shares online from Sweden about the selection process for the Nobel Prize in Physics
PHOTO: NGOC LONG
During the review process, committees also send requests for peer review to experts to evaluate the candidates and their research areas. All reports are kept confidential for at least 50 years, allowing experts to express their views frankly and honestly without fear of outside scrutiny. Notably, this process has been moved up a few months compared to before to keep the information flow as updated as possible.
"The Nobel Prize nomination process begins in the autumn of the previous year and in August of the following year we hold our most important meeting of the year to decide who will be the winner. In early October the approval is made and we officially announce the prize. And that's it. We do not accept any appeals or changes after that," Professor Danielsson informed.
One point to note, according to Professor Danielsson, is that the Nobel Prize does not consider nationality at all. "Nobel Prize winners can come from anywhere in the world and this is one of the core principles that make the value of the prize," he emphasized. This means that Vietnamese people have every opportunity to be nominated and receive the Nobel Prize.
In fact, Vietnam has had a Nobel Peace Prize and this honor belonged to diplomat Le Duc Tho, advisor to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, for his key role in the negotiations leading to the Paris Agreement signed in 1973, helping to end the war and restore peace in Vietnam. He was the first Asian to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and also one of two people to date who voluntarily refused to accept the Nobel Prize.
The number of female scientists is still in the minority.
Another point pointed out by physicist Ulf Danielsson is that science is "changing". Because the number of female scientists receiving the Nobel Prize in Physics is increasing, although from 1901 to 2024, only 5/226 female scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics (each Nobel category can be awarded to many people - PV). Notably, during the time Mr. Danielsson was on the Nobel Committee for Physics, up to 3 female scientists were honored.
"The above reality shows that the way of researching and recording scientific achievements is becoming more diverse and open than ever. This is a very positive signal," the male professor commented.
Specifically, the five female scientists who have won the Nobel Prize in Physics to date are Marie Skłodowska Curie (awarded in 1903), Maria Goeppert-Mayer (1963), Donna Strickland (2018), Andrea Ghez (2020) and most recently Anne L'Huillier (2023). Thus, the current female candidates receiving the Nobel Prize in Physics are only a few years apart, no longer a gap of decades like in the 20th century.
Nobel Prize Exhibition held in Ho Chi Minh City in September
PHOTO: NGOC LONG
In the field of physics alone, the award areas are also expanding, showing that the concept of physics is constantly being redefined to suit the contemporary context. No longer limited to particle physics and atomic physics, the Nobel Prize in Physics in recent years has been awarded to fields such as cosmology, astrophysics and by 2024, artificial intelligence (AI) - applications originating from fundamental physics and theoretical physics, according to Professor Danielsson.
Historian Gustav Källstrand, senior curator at the Nobel Prize Museum (Sweden), revealed an interesting perspective. That is, when he asked Nobel Prize winners the reasons for their success, in addition to familiar keywords such as hard work, passion, courage, the phrase...disrespect also appeared.
"Disrespect here does not mean 'rude', but rather not being too respectful of authority or previously proven knowledge. It is the spirit of daring to think differently," Mr. Källstrand emphasized, adding that there is no "formula" to win the Nobel Prize.
According to Mr. Källstrand, although the Nobel Prize is famous for its rigorous selection process, there are many other awards that do this. What makes the Nobel Prize a global symbol comes from its long history and wide influence, covering many important fields: science, literature, economics and peace. "The Nobel Prize has turned scholars into ambassadors for science," he said.
Gustav Källstrand shares online from Sweden about the history of the Nobel Prize and what makes it a global icon
PHOTO: NGOC LONG
Another observation Mr. Källstrand pointed out is that 100 years ago, politicians often dreamed of becoming war heroes. Statues at that time were often of generals, military leaders... for that reason. Today, politicians all over the planet dream of being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to become a symbol of peace.
“And while we have not yet achieved global peace, the world would certainly be a better place if leaders dreamed of peace rather than war,” Mr. Källstrand asserted.
This is one of the prime examples showing that Alfred Nobel's legacy has been making a positive impact on humanity, the senior curator emphasized.
The awards ceremony begins today.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 will be announced as early as today, October 6. The Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace, and Economics will be announced on October 7, 8, 9, 10, and 13, respectively. All award announcements will be broadcast live on the official digital channels of the Nobel Prize. The Nobel Prize reception will be held in December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death, the organizers added.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/giai-nobel-sap-trao-cac-buoc-lua-chon-va-hau-truong-xet-duyet-18525100602315444.htm
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