Internationally recognized scientists helm 2026 selection committees for The Kavli Prize

The Kavli Prize Committees for the forthcoming 2026 Prize comprises a broad crosssection of field-leading specialists, including Nobel Prize laureate Edvard Moser as chair of the prize committee for Neuroscience.

The prestigious biennial Kavli Prize is awarded in three fields and honors researchers who have advanced our understanding in the fields of astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience. This year, The Kavli Prize Committees comprise some of the leading investigators in their respective fields, including Nobel laureates, previous recipients of The Kavli Prize and members of leading global scientific academies.

Edvard Moser, recipient of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine together with May-Britt Moser and John O'Keefe, assumed chair of the neuroscience for the 2026 cycle.

“Neuroscience is one of the fastest-growing fields of study – new technologies make it possible to measure small nerve signals from very large numbers of nerve cells simultaneously, on a scale that could only be dreamed of a few years ago,” said Moser. “With new methods for data analysis and artificial intelligence, it is possible to see patterns in the sea of data. As part of this process, it is a pleasure to familiarize ourselves with some of the best work in the neuroscience field in the world and reflect on the greatest advances with the other members of the committee.”

The results of committee engagement with the science of relevant fields will be revealed when the 2026 Kavli Prize laureates are announced on June 10th. The Kavli Prize Committees strive for a global perspective. Representatives are appointed from institutions across Brazil, China, France, Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom.

The Kavli Prize Committee in Astrophysics:

• Per Barth Lilje (chair), University of Oslo, Norway
• Beatriz Barbuy, University of São Paulo, Brazil (new)
• Martha Haynes, Cornell University, USA
• Thomas Henning, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Germany
• Didier Queloz, ETH Zürich, Switzerland (new)

Learn more about the 2026 Astrophyics Committee

The Kavli Prize Committee in Nanoscience:

• Mari-Ann Einarsrud (chair), Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
• Lifeng Chi, Soochow University, China (new)
• Daniel Esteve, The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), France
• Chad Mirkin, Northwestern University, USA (new)*
• Tanja Weil, Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Germany
  Learn more about the 2026 Nanoscience Committee

The Kavli Prize Committee in Neuroscience:

• Edvard Moser (chair), Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
• Peter Dayan, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Germany (new)
• Mary E. Hatten, Rockefeller University, USA
• Christine Petit, Institut Pasteur, France *
• Carla Shatz, Stanford University, USA (new)*

Learn more about the 2026 Neuroscience Committee

* Denotes past Kavli Prize laureate

The big, the small and the complex: Looking back at The Kavli Prize impact

Since its inception 18 years ago, The Kavli Prize has recognized innovative scientific research – from the discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 to the detection of gravitational waves – transforming our understanding of the biggest, the smallest and the most complex. Ten Kavli Prize laureates have gone on to be honored with the Nobel Prize, and many others have continued distinguished careers and won multiple awards, been recognized by their respective disciplinary societies, and elected to scientific academies.

Many laureates are still active in their career, meaning they continue to push the boundaries of scientific knowledge. In 2024, the Prize Committees chose to honor laureates that had made exciting contributions to our understanding of how we perceive our environment, the fundamental forces that can shape our lives and discovery of faroff worlds.

In Astrophysics, for their ground-breaking work on the discovery and characterization of extra-solar planets and their atmospheres the 2024 award recognized:

• Sara Seagar
• David Charbonneau

In Nanoscience, for pioneering work integrating synthetic nanoscale materials with biological function for biomedical applications 2024 award recognized:

• Chad Mirkin
• Robert Langer
• Armand Paul Alivisatos

In Neuroscience, for the discovery of a highly localized and specialized system for representation of faces in human and non-human primate neocortex:

• Nancy Kanwisher
• Winrich Freiwald
• Doris Ying Tsao

The Kavli Prize legacy

On June 10, 2026, The Kavli Prize will be awarded to a new set of laureates.

The vision for The Kavli Prize comes from Fred Kavli, a Norwegian-American entrepreneur and philanthropist, who turned his lifelong fascination with science into a legacy for recognizing scientific discovery and supporting basic research.

The Kavli Prize laureates are celebrated in Oslo, Norway, in a ceremony traditionally presided over by the Royal Family. The Kavli Prizes have so far honored 73 scientists from 14 countries − Austria, China, Czechia, France, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, United States and The United Kingdom.