CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- MIT Professor Wolfgang Ketterle, six graduates and a former MIT professor will receive Nobel Prizes in five fields Monday in the historic ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the prize.
The event in Stockholm will be broadcast live on Ch. 8 of MIT's cable TV from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Monday, December 10. The Stockholm event covers all the Nobel Prizes except the Peace Prize, which occurs three hours earlier in Norway. In all, 14 people will receive the Prize this year.
The 2001 Nobel Prize Laureates are:
Physics: Eric A. Cornell (MIT PhD 1990), Wolfgang Ketterle, MIT Professor of Physics, Carl E. Wieman (MIT SB, 1973)
Chemistry: William S. Knowles, Ryoji Noyori, K. Barry Sharpless (MIT Professor of Chemistry 1970-77, 1980-90)
Physiology or Medicine: Leland H. Hartwell (MIT PhD 1964), R. Timothy (Tim) Hunt, Sir Paul M. Nurse
Literature: Sir V.S. Naipaul
Peace: United Nations, Kofi Annan (MIT SM 1972)
Economic Sciences: George A. Akerlof (MIT PhD 1966), A. Michael Spence, Joseph E. Stiglitz (MIT PhD 1966)
"It is thrilling and absolutely extraordinary that eight people who have taught or studied at MIT are among the 13 Nobel Prize winners in physics, chemistry, biology, economics, and peace," MIT President Charles M. Vest commented when the awards were announced in October. "This is testimony to the excellence of students and faculty who are attracted to MIT, and to our dedication to intense work in fields of fundamental importance. Among the winners I know personally, the quality and creativity of students at MIT is frequently cited as a great strength of MIT.
"Looking at the history of the Nobel Prizes in recent years, it is noteworthy that in many fields, the basic research done early in an individual's career, shortly after attaining a Ph.D., is the work that is rewarded years later with the Nobel Prize," Vest said.
