Ambassador Ulf Hjertonsson, Consul General of Sweden in New York, will announce the winners of the grand prize - an all-expenses-paid trip to Sweden to attend the Nobel Week Festivities in December. The essay contest is presented by a partnership between the Consulate General of Sweden, the New York Academy of Sciences, and Nobelprize.org – the official web site of the Nobel Foundation, working in collaboration with the New York City Department of Education and The City University of New York. The Laureates of Tomorrow – Nobel Essay Contest, was launched in the fall of 2004 and is open to all juniors attending public, private or parochial high schools in New York City.
Participants in the contest may choose to submit their essay in one of three Nobel Prize categories: Physics, Chemistry, or Physiology/Medicine. The competition is designed to encourage students to develop a deep understanding of science and its implications for the future of society through independent research, high-level critical thinking, and the inspiring achievements of Nobel Laureates.
Thirty finalists, from 18 different city schools, were selected and participated in the final round of the essay contest in May. The finalists had to defend their essays before a panel of outstanding scientists and journalists.
Exclusive to New York City, the contest reflects the fact that New York leads all other cities around the world with more than 100 Nobel Laureates. The Academy's educational partnership with the Consulate General of Sweden in New York and Nobelprize.org represents one of the Academy's leading educational collaborations designed to increase scientific literacy among the student population. In addition to administering the essay contest, the Academy sponsors the NYC Science and Engineering Expo, a contest inaugurated in 1948 that gives 1,000 high school students an opportunity to compete for scholarships and other prizes while demonstrating their scientific prowess. Other programs that provide science-related opportunities include the Science Research Training Program, which matches high school students with mentors from industry, government, and academia, and Science EduNet, whose components include a web site that provides students and teachers information about more than 750 science programs in New York.
The Inscription ceremony program will feature remarks by Professor Richard R. Schrock, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, and Professor Roy J. Glauber, Nobel Laureate in Physics. Adrian Benepe, Commissioner, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, will make opening remarks.
The program will also unveil the addition of names of the 2005 American Nobel Laureates onto the Nobel Monument. In addition to Professors Schrock and Glauber, these include:
John L. Hall, Physics
Robert H. Grubbs, Chemistry
Robert J. Aumann, Economics
Thomas C. Schelling, Economics
The Swedish Vocal Ensemble, led by Christina Nylund, will perform at the ceremony.
ABOUT THE NOBEL MONUMENT
In 2003, a monument was raised in Theodore Roosevelt Park adjacent to the American Museum of Natural History to honor Alfred Nobel and all American Nobel Prize Laureates. The monument, presented as a gift to the people of the City of New York, presents the lengthy list of American recipients, with ample space for the names of future honorees to be engraved. The project was initiated and has been overseen by the Consulate General of Sweden in New York and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
It was in fact the Nobel Monument that gave the Consulate General of Sweden in New York the idea of an essay contest, which it was hoped would inspire New York City students to imagine that one day, their names too, could be engraved on the monument.
For more details regarding The Laureates of Tomorrow – Nobel Essay Contest: www.laureatesoftomorrow.org
For more information about the Nobel Monument: www.nobelmonument.com
For more information, please contact Alyssa Lord, Program Manager, Education, at 212.838.0230 ext 503 or email essaycontest@nyas.org.
Founded in 1817, the New York Academy of Sciences is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to building communities and advancing science.