The largest technology prize in the world, the Millennium Technology Prize, amounting to one million Euros, is to be awarded on 15 June 2004. The prize is awarded to an individual, a group of individuals, or a research team, as acknowledgement for technology-based innovation with far-reaching impact promoting the quality of life, humane social values or economic development.
The aim of the Millennium project is also to encourage the dialogue between the scientific world and other decision-makers in society, and to inform of the high technological standards in Finland. The award ceremony for The Millennium Technology Prize and the events linked to it will assemble leading figures in politics, business, and science from all over the world in Finland for almost a week.
The prize will be awarded every second year. The Finnish Technology Award Foundation, founded last year, is responsible for collecting the means required for the prize. The members of this foundation are the main science and research communities of Finland and The Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers. The foundation is chaired by Former CEO and President Jaakko Ihamuotila, with Professor Johan Gullichsen as Vice President. The Academy of Finland and the National Technology Agency of Finland co-operate with and support the foundation, while the Finnish state and business life act as sponsors. The financing for the first two awards has already been secured.
The nominations should be made before the end of 2003. The International Award Selection Committee, chaired by Professor Pekka Tarjanne, will announce the winner on 15 April 2004 in Helsinki. The events linked to the Award Ceremony will start with the International Millennium Technology Conference on 13-14 June in Helsinki.
This conference, based on dialogue and interaction, studies the future society in technological transition within four disciplines; energy and the environment, communications and information, new materials and processes and finally health care and life sciences. The goal is to give insights to the decision-makers within the economic life and public administration, persons in charge of technology in companies, persons in charge within technological societies and representatives of the media into the future technological development and its positive consequences for the living standards of humanity. Humane values and innovation are emphasized as resources for development.
The programme committee of the conference is at the moment searching for a central figure within each of the disciplines mentioned above, who would be able to give an introductive speech as a leading expert within his or her field.
The Programme Committee of the Millennium conference is chaired by Anneli Pauli, Chief Director responsible for research at the Academy of Finland. The members of the committee are: Professor Carl-Johan Fogelholm from Helsinki University of Technology, Professor Christer Carlsson from Åbo Akademi, Professor Jyrki Kettunen from the Finnish Academy of Technology, Professor Leena Peltonen-Palotie from Helsinki University and director Petri Peltonen from the National Technology Agency of Finland.
The President of the Republic, Tarja Halonen, has been asked to present the award at the Ceremony, to be held at Finlandia Hall on 15 June. The festivities end with a gala supper at Dipoli in the afternoon of 15 June.
More information about the Millennium Technology Prize can be obtained from: Former CEO and President, Dr. Tech. H.C. Jaakko Ihamuotila, mobile phone 358-50-577-3262 or M.Sc. (Techn) Ossi Kokkonen, mobile phone 358-50-644-16 www.technologyawards.org