Tuesday, January 15, 2013

2012 Nobel prizes

Radio Commentary



This year, five Americans won Nobel prizes, earning the prestigious awards in chemistry, physics, and economics. 
In chemistry, the award was shared by Dr. Robert Lefkowitz a professor at Duke University Medical School, and Dr. Brian Kobilka, of Stanford University School of Medicine. 
Their research filled a major gap in understanding how cells work and respond to outside signals, and is helping the development of new drugs.
 In physics, David Wineland of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado, shared the award with a French researcher, who together developed techniques to look in on the most intimate relations between light and matter. 
Their work could eventually lead to quantum computers and super accurate clocks. 
In economics, Alvin Roth and Lloyd Shapley shared the award for their work on market design and matching theory, related to how people and companies find and select one another in areas such as marriage, school choice, jobs, or organ donations. Shapley broke new theoretical ground in the area and Roth developed concrete uses for it.
Roth, a former Harvard professor, has accepted a new position at Stanford, and Shapley is a professor emeritus at UCLA.
These are true, modern-day heroes and we salute them all for their contributions to modern knowledge.  
We also applaud all the teachers they’ve had at every level throughout the years, who helped form the basis of knowledge that helped lead them to this exalted honor.