Hopfield Receives Albert Einstein World Award of Science

John J. Hopfield

APS President-elect John Hopfield of Princeton received the Albert Einstein World Award of Science at a ceremony in Saltillo, Mexico on November 12. The award is administered by the World Cultural Council, and has been given since 1984 across all fields of science, "as an incentive to scientific and technological research and development. It takes into special consideration those researches, which have brought true benefit and well being to mankind." Previous physical science recipients have included Ali Javan, Martin Rees, Martin Kamen, and Margaret Burbidge.

In making the award to Hopfield, the Council cited "his valuable contributions to all three of the major disciplines of modern science: physics, chemistry and biology, and his ability to cross the interdisciplinary boundaries to discover new questions and propose answers that uncover the conceptual structure behind the experimental facts. He has, in recent years, combined the insights of physics and biology to shape our understanding of how the neural circuits of the brain perform complex calculations."

The Council added "Professor John J. Hopfield today is considered the leading theoretician of biology, both in terms of accomplishment and influence. His ability to think broadly as well as deeply about science is a characteristic shared by very few scientists in modern times."

The award consists of a diploma, a commemorative medal, and $10,000.