Heineken Prizes

For other uses, see Heineken (disambiguation).

The Dr. A.H. Heineken and Dr. H.P. Heineken Prizes, named in honor of Alfred Heineken, former Chairman of Heineken Holdings, and Henry Pierre Heineken, son of founder Gerard Adriaan Heineken, are a series of awards bestowed by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).

History

Alfred Heineken founded the biennial Heineken Prizes in the 1960s. They consist of five science prizes: the Dr. A.H. Heineken Prizes for History, Medicine, Environmental science, and (since 2006) Cognitive science, and the Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics.^[1] The Dr. A.H. Heineken Prize for Art has been awarded to Dutch artists since 1988.^[2] The scientific awards consist of a trophy and US$ 150,000, art awards come with 50,000 Euro.

Selection

The selection system of the Heineken Prizes can be compared to that of the Nobel Prizes. Scientists from all over the world are invited to nominate fellow scientists for the Heineken Prizes. Independent committees consisting of eminent scientists and chaired by a member of the board of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences select the winners.^[1] An independent jury of art historians acting in their personal capacity, chooses the winners of the Dr. A.H. Heineken Prize for Art.^[2]

The Heineken Prizes are awarded in a Special Session of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, which takes place every even year at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam.^[3] In 2002, 2004, and 2006 the Prizes were presented by HRH the Prince of Orange.^{[citation needed]}

The prizes are sponsored by the Alfred Heineken Fondsen Foundation and the Dr. H.P. Heineken Foundation.^[1] The foundations are chaired by Mrs. Charlene L. de Carvalho-Heineken, daughter of the late Alfred Heineken.^{[citation needed]}

Winners

The Heineken Prizes for Art and Sciences are now amongst the most prestigious international awards in the world.^{[citation needed]} The following nine winners of the Heineken Prizes for Medicine and Biochemistry and Biophysics have since won Nobel Prizes:

• Christian de Duve
  • Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 1973
  • Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1974

• Aaron Klug
  • Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 1973
  • Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1974

• Thomas Cech
  • Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 1988
  • Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1989

• Paul C. Lauterbur
  • Dr. A.H.Heineken Prize for Medicine in 1989
  • Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2003

• Paul Nurse
  • Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 1996
  • Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2001

• Barry J. Marshall
  • Dr. A.H.Heineken Prize for Medicine in 1998
  • Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2005

• Eric R. Kandel
  • Dr. A.H.Heineken Prize for Medicine in 2000
  • Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2000

• Andrew Z. Fire
  • Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 2004
  • Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2006

• Roger Y. Tsien
  • Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 2002
  • Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2008

• Jack W. Szostak
  • Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 2008
  • Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2009

• Elizabeth Blackburn
  • Dr. A.H.Heineken Prize for Medicine in 2004
  • Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2009

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "KNAW > The Heineken Prizes". http://www.knaw.nl/heinekenprizes/. Retrieved 2009-07-13. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "KNAW > The Dr A.H. Heineken Prize for Art". http://www.knaw.nl/heinekenprizes/prizes_art.html. Retrieved 2009-07-13. 
3. ^ "KNAW > News > Press releases > Dr H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics awarded to Jack Szostak". http://www.knaw.nl/cfdata/news/pressrelease_detail.cfm?nieuws__id=590. Retrieved 2009-07-13.