Nobel Laureates 2011: Ericsson proud to partner Nobel Media

The world’s media spotlight will shine this week on Stockholm and Oslo for the Nobel Prize award ceremonies, among the most prestigious annual events on the planet. Ericsson is a proud partner of Nobel Media, which aims to spread knowledge and inspiration about Nobel-Prize-winning achievements.

Most people with access to education are aware of the Nobel Prizes. Children around the world learn how Alfred Nobel, the Swede who invented dynamite, wanted his legacy to recognize and support achievements in arts and sciences that improve and advance humankind.

Some of the most famous names in recent history have been honored by the Nobel institutions. Lists of Nobel Laureates in the five scientific categories – Medicine, Literature, Physics, Economics and Chemistry – across the 111 years of the awards generally equate to a who’s who of achievers in their respective fields. A Nobel Prize is seen by many as the ultimate recognition an individual or organization can receive for work or contribution to society.

Pioneering developments in communications have been recognized by Nobel Prize committees since the early days of the awards. Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi was named joint Physics Laureate in 1909 “in recognition of contributions to the development of wireless telegraphy”.

So this year’s winners – Bruce Beutler/Jules Hoffmann and Ralph Steinman (Medicine); Tomas Tranströmer (Literature); Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt and Adam Reiss (Physics); Thomas Sargent and Christopher Sims (Economics); Daniel Shechtman (Chemistry); and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf/Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman (Peace) – join an exclusive club.

The announcement about the year’s Nobel Laureates every October and the award ceremonies in December may be the highlight of the Nobel Prize, but Nobel Media’s work goes on throughout the year.

Nobel Media uses digital and broadcast media, publishing and events to reach a global audience eager to learn more about the laureates and prizes. The one-hour documentary, Nobel Laureates 2011, features not only the Laureates but the people who have inspired them in their pioneering work and discoveries.

Camilla Hyltén-Cavallius, CEO of Nobel Media, says: “We are delighted to have a long-standing relationship with Ericsson, providing opportunities to inspire and spread knowledge of the Nobel laureates’ achievements to a worldwide audience and we look forward to a continued partnership with Ericsson during the coming years.”

Richard Brisius, who heads Ericsson’s partnership with Nobel Media, says: “For a few hours every December, the eyes of the world are on Stockholm and Oslo for the awarding of the Nobel Prizes.

“That global interest shows that Alfred Nobel’s objectives are being met as people across the planet are genuinely supportive of rewarding those who have made amazing contributions to society and humanity.

“But broadcasting award ceremonies are just one aspect of what Nobel Media does. They work year-round to promote the Nobel-Prize-awarded achievements through outreach initiatives. We fully support the aims of those initiatives. We also drive, and partner with, other initiatives that support thought leadership within learning and education.”

One significant example was NEST – The Networked Society Forum sponsored by Ericsson in mid-November 2011, which brought renowned figures from the worlds of politics, academia and technology together in Hong Kong to promote thought leadership, discussion and debate on how the ICT sector can improve education and learning.

NEST participants included former US President Bill Clinton; Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes; Professor of Educational Technology Sugata Mitra; and former UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

1996 Chemistry Laureate Sir Harry Kroto, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida State University also participated in NEST.

Brisius adds: “Supporting independent thought leadership and research that empowers people in the Networked Society is a priority for Ericsson. As is the case with the work of Nobel Media, we look forward to this having a positive impact in the years ahead.”

Information about Nobel Week in Stockholm and Oslo is available at Ericsson’s related events page.