1M dollar Award to scientists, developers, researchers in alternative fuel and smart mobility

Award

The 2019 SAMSON - PRIME MINISTER’S PRIZE FOR INNOVATION IN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY AND SMART MOBILITY FOR TRANSPORTATION
The $1 million prize is the largest monetary prize awarded in the field of alternative energy and smart mobility.

The Eric and Sheila Samson Prize, totaling one million US dollars, is the world’s largest monetary prize awarded in the field of alternative fuels and smart mobility, and is awarded yearly to scientists who have made critical advancements towards achieving this goal. The Ministry of Science & Technology is leading, every year, the rigorous selection process of the winners. The winners are selected from a long list of worthy candidates recommended for the prize by university presidents and CEOs in industry, from Israel and from around the world. The winners are selected by a committee of international experts who submit their recommendation to a board of trustees.

2019 Winners (The Prize for Groundbreaking Research in The Areas of Fuel Alternatives and Smart Mobility)

Prof. Emanuel Peled

Professor Emeritus, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University

Emanuel Peled, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at Tel-Aviv University, received his Ph.D. degree (Summa cum laude) in physical chemistry from the Hebrew University. He is the inventor and developer of the Solid-Electrolyte-Interphase (SEI) model for nonaqueous alkali-metal batteries. This model constitutes a paradigm change in the understanding of lithium batteries and has thus enabled the development of safer, durable, higher-power and lower-cost batteries. He pioneered the development of several electrochemical systems including: lithium/sulfur battery, nanoporous proton-conducting membrane, a direct methanol fuel cell, a hydrogen tribromide regenerative fuel cell and developed low-cost core-shell nanosize platinum-based catalysts. He supervised more than 70 graduate and post-doctoral students. Emanuel Peled was a co-founder of three energy-related startup companies. He has been awarded Electrochemical Society Battery Division Research, the Landau Research, the International Battery Associations (IBA), the Israel Chemical Society Outstanding Scientist Awards and the Award of Commander of MAFAT (Israel MOD). He was elected Fellow of the Electrochemical Society and of the International Society of Electrochemistry.

Prof. Sang Yup Lee

Distinguished Professor and Dean, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Dr. Sang Yup Lee is Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Dean of KAIST Institutes. He is fellow of Korean Academy of Science and Technology, National Academy of Engineering Korea, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Academy of Microbiology, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, World Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Inventors USA, and foreign member of National Academy of Sciences USA and National Academy of Engineering USA. He is Co-Chair of Global Future Council on Biotechnology at the World Economic Forum.

Prof. Emanuel Peled

Professor Emeritus, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University

Emanuel Peled, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at Tel-Aviv University, received his Ph.D. degree (Summa cum laude) in physical chemistry from the Hebrew University. He is the inventor and developer of the Solid-Electrolyte-Interphase (SEI) model for nonaqueous alkali-metal batteries. This model constitutes a paradigm change in the understanding of lithium batteries and has thus enabled the development of safer, durable, higher-power and lower-cost batteries. He pioneered the development of several electrochemical systems including: lithium/sulfur battery, nanoporous proton-conducting membrane, a direct methanol fuel cell, a hydrogen tribromide regenerative fuel cell and developed low-cost core-shell nanosize platinum-based catalysts. He supervised more than 70 graduate and post-doctoral students. Emanuel Peled was a co-founder of three energy-related startup companies. He has been awarded Electrochemical Society Battery Division Research, the Landau Research, the International Battery Associations (IBA), the Israel Chemical Society Outstanding Scientist Awards and the Award of Commander of MAFAT (Israel MOD). He was elected Fellow of the Electrochemical Society and of the International Society of Electrochemistry.

Prof. Sang Yup Lee

Distinguished Professor and Dean, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Dr. Sang Yup Lee is Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Dean of KAIST Institutes. He is fellow of Korean Academy of Science and Technology, National Academy of Engineering Korea, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Academy of Microbiology, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, World Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Inventors USA, and foreign member of National Academy of Sciences USA and National Academy of Engineering USA. He is Co-Chair of Global Future Council on Biotechnology at the World Economic Forum.

2019 Winners (The Researcher Recruitment Prize)

Prof. Leonard J. Schulman

Professor of Computer Science, Caltech

Leonard J. Schulman received the B.Sc. in Mathematics in 1988 and the Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics in 1992, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since 2000 he has been on the faculty of the California Institute of Technology. He has also held appointments at the Israel Inst. Adv. Study, UC Berkeley, Weizmann Inst. Science, and Georgia Inst. Technology. From 2003-2017 he directed the Caltech Center for the Mathematics of Information, and from 2013-2018 he served two terms as Editor-in-Chief of the SIAM Journal on Computing. His research is in several overlapping areas: algorithms; coding and communication; combinatorics and probability; quantum computation. Honors include: IEEE Schelkunoff Prize ('04), ACM Notable Paper ('12).

Tali Dekel

Senior Research Scientist, Google, Cambridge MA

Tali Dekel is currently a Senior Research Scientist at Google, Cambridge MA, developing algorithms at the intersection of computer vision, computer graphics, and machine learning. She will join the Mathematics and Computer Science Department at Weizmann Institute, Israel, as a faculty member (Assistant Professor) in 2020. Before Google, she was a Postdoctoral Associate at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) at MIT. Tali completed her Ph.D studies at the school of electrical engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. Her research interests include computational photography, image/video synthesize, geometry and 3D reconstruction. She is a recipient of the Rothschild Postdoctoral Fellowship, and The National Postdoctoral Award for Advancing Women in Science.

Prof. Leonard J. Schulman

Professor of Computer Science, Caltech

Leonard J. Schulman received the B.Sc. in Mathematics in 1988 and the Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics in 1992, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since 2000 he has been on the faculty of the California Institute of Technology. He has also held appointments at the Israel Inst. Adv. Study, UC Berkeley, Weizmann Inst. Science, and Georgia Inst. Technology. From 2003-2017 he directed the Caltech Center for the Mathematics of Information, and from 2013-2018 he served two terms as Editor-in-Chief of the SIAM Journal on Computing. His research is in several overlapping areas: algorithms; coding and communication; combinatorics and probability; quantum computation. Honors include: IEEE Schelkunoff Prize ('04), ACM Notable Paper ('12).

Tali Dekel

Senior Research Scientist, Google, Cambridge MA

Tali Dekel is currently a Senior Research Scientist at Google, Cambridge MA, developing algorithms at the intersection of computer vision, computer graphics, and machine learning. She will join the Mathematics and Computer Science Department at Weizmann Institute, Israel, as a faculty member (Assistant Professor) in 2020. Before Google, she was a Postdoctoral Associate at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) at MIT. Tali completed her Ph.D studies at the school of electrical engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. Her research interests include computational photography, image/video synthesize, geometry and 3D reconstruction. She is a recipient of the Rothschild Postdoctoral Fellowship, and The National Postdoctoral Award for Advancing Women in Science.

2018 Winners

Doron Aurbach

Chemistry Department, Bar Ilan University, Israel

Doron aurbach, full professor, chemistry, BIU, Israel, leads the electrochemistry group since 1985, develops high energy density batteries for electro-mobility, large energy storage and water desalination technologies, published > 600 papers, dozens of patents. 55 PhD and 80 MSc students received degrees under his supervision. Leads INREP-Israel National Research center for Electrochemical Propulsion (23 research groups, 6 institutions), senior editor, journal of the Electrochemical Society ,ECS, ISE, MRS fellow, recipient of Israel Chemical Society prize of excellence (2012), IBA E. B. Yeager Award (2014), the Electrochemical Society Alan Bard Award (2017), the International Society of Electrochemistry Alexander Frumkin medal (2018).

Dr. Lars Peter Lindfors

Senior Vice President, Technology, Neste

Lars Peter Lindfors received his M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Chalmers University of technology, Sweden in 1989. He received his doctoral degree with honors in the field of chemical reaction engineering, from Åbo Academy, Finland, in 1994, while working as a researcher in catalysis at Neste.
He held several researcher and managerial research positions at Neste (1989–2001), both within the Oil & Gas and the Chemicals division. He then moved to the Perstorp Group, where he was Executive Vice President, Renewal, Technology and Development (2001–2007). He then joined Neste for the second time in 2007, taking on the responsibility as Vice President for the company's Research and Development unit (2007–2009). Now he is the Senior Vice President, Technology, being responsible for, among other units, the Research & Development, on the Corporate level. Previously he served as Senior Vice President, Technology and Strategy (2009–2012).
He has had a key role in leading the Technology development related to the Renewable Business since 2007, regarding the broadening of the feedstock base and developing process technology.
In 2013 Lars Peter Lindfors received the Finnish ‘Energy Initiative of the Year Award’ and in 2014 he was recognized with the ‘2014 CTO of the Year Award’, by the Technology Academy Finland. In 2015 he received the Knight, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland, mark of honor by the President of Finland.

Dr. Lindfors is a board member of e.g. the Fortum Foundation and Neste Engineering Solutions

Doron Aurbach

Chemistry Department, Bar Ilan University, Israel

Doron aurbach, full professor, chemistry, BIU, Israel, leads the electrochemistry group since 1985, develops high energy density batteries for electro-mobility, large energy storage and water desalination technologies, published > 600 papers, dozens of patents. 55 PhD and 80 MSc students received degrees under his supervision. Leads INREP-Israel National Research center for Electrochemical Propulsion (23 research groups, 6 institutions), senior editor, journal of the Electrochemical Society ,ECS, ISE, MRS fellow, recipient of Israel Chemical Society prize of excellence (2012), IBA E. B. Yeager Award (2014), the Electrochemical Society Alan Bard Award (2017), the International Society of Electrochemistry Alexander Frumkin medal (2018).

Dr. Lars Peter Lindfors

Senior Vice President, Technology, Neste

Lars Peter Lindfors received his M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Chalmers University of technology, Sweden in 1989. He received his doctoral degree with honors in the field of chemical reaction engineering, from Åbo Academy, Finland, in 1994, while working as a researcher in catalysis at Neste.
He held several researcher and managerial research positions at Neste (1989–2001), both within the Oil & Gas and the Chemicals division. He then moved to the Perstorp Group, where he was Executive Vice President, Renewal, Technology and Development (2001–2007). He then joined Neste for the second time in 2007, taking on the responsibility as Vice President for the company's Research and Development unit (2007–2009). Now he is the Senior Vice President, Technology, being responsible for, among other units, the Research & Development, on the Corporate level. Previously he served as Senior Vice President, Technology and Strategy (2009–2012).
He has had a key role in leading the Technology development related to the Renewable Business since 2007, regarding the broadening of the feedstock base and developing process technology.
In 2013 Lars Peter Lindfors received the Finnish ‘Energy Initiative of the Year Award’ and in 2014 he was recognized with the ‘2014 CTO of the Year Award’, by the Technology Academy Finland. In 2015 he received the Knight, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland, mark of honor by the President of Finland.

Dr. Lindfors is a board member of e.g. the Fortum Foundation and Neste Engineering Solutions

2017 Winners

Prof. Jens Nielsen

Systems and Synthetic Biology, Chalmers University of Technology

2017 Samson Prize Award Winner

Jens Nielsen has a PhD degree (1989) in Biochemical Engineering from DTU, and was appointed full Professor there in 1998. In 2008 he was recruited as Professor to Chalmers, Sweden, where he is currently directing a research group of more than 60 people. Jens Nielsen has published so far more than 600 papers that have been cited more than 42,000 times (current H-factor 102). He is inventor of more than 50 patents and he has founded several biotech companies. He is member of the seven academies including National Academy of Engineering and Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Prof. Jean-Marie Tarascon

Professor of Chemistry at the Collège de France

2017 Samson Prize Award Winner

Prof. Jens Nielsen

Systems and Synthetic Biology, Chalmers University of Technology

2017 Samson Prize Award Winner

Jens Nielsen has a PhD degree (1989) in Biochemical Engineering from DTU, and was appointed full Professor there in 1998. In 2008 he was recruited as Professor to Chalmers, Sweden, where he is currently directing a research group of more than 60 people. Jens Nielsen has published so far more than 600 papers that have been cited more than 42,000 times (current H-factor 102). He is inventor of more than 50 patents and he has founded several biotech companies. He is member of the seven academies including National Academy of Engineering and Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Prof. Jean-Marie Tarascon

Professor of Chemistry at the Collège de France

2017 Samson Prize Award Winner

2016 Winners

Prof. Gregory Stephanopoulos

Professor of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, MIT, USA

Greg Stephanopoulos is the W.H. Dow Professor of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at MIT. He received his degrees from the National Technical University of Athens and Minnesota and taught at Caltech before joining MIT. His research focuses on metabolic engineering, the engineering of microbes for the production of fuels and chemicals. He has co-authored or –edited 5 books, more than 430 papers and 50 patents, and supervised more than 120 graduate and post-doctoral students. He has received more than 20 major awards including the Eni Prize for Renewable and non-Conventional Energy. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and Academy of Athens and serves presently as President of AIChE.

Prof. Mercouri Kanatzidis

Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry, Northwestern University, USA

Mercouri Kanatzidis was educated in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece to earn a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He received his Ph.D. degree in chemistry from the University of Iowa in 1984. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan and Northwestern University from 1985 to 1987. He currently is a Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Chair Professor at Northwestern University and a Senior Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory. Kanatzidis has been named a Presidential Young Investigator by the National Science Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, Beckman Young Investigator, Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teaching Scholar, Guggenheim Fellow, and Alexander von Humboldt Fellow.

Prof. Gregory Stephanopoulos

Professor of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, MIT, USA

Greg Stephanopoulos is the W.H. Dow Professor of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at MIT. He received his degrees from the National Technical University of Athens and Minnesota and taught at Caltech before joining MIT. His research focuses on metabolic engineering, the engineering of microbes for the production of fuels and chemicals. He has co-authored or –edited 5 books, more than 430 papers and 50 patents, and supervised more than 120 graduate and post-doctoral students. He has received more than 20 major awards including the Eni Prize for Renewable and non-Conventional Energy. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and Academy of Athens and serves presently as President of AIChE.

Prof. Mercouri Kanatzidis

Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry, Northwestern University, USA

Mercouri Kanatzidis was educated in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece to earn a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He received his Ph.D. degree in chemistry from the University of Iowa in 1984. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan and Northwestern University from 1985 to 1987. He currently is a Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Chair Professor at Northwestern University and a Senior Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory. Kanatzidis has been named a Presidential Young Investigator by the National Science Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, Beckman Young Investigator, Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teaching Scholar, Guggenheim Fellow, and Alexander von Humboldt Fellow.

2015 Winners

Prof. John B Goodenough

Virginia H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering

John Goodenough joined The University of Texas at Austin in 1986. He is known around the world for his pioneering work that led to the invention of the rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

He identified and developed the critical materials that provided the high-energy density needed to power portable electronics, initiating the wireless revolution. Today, batteries incorporating Goodenough’s cathode materials are used worldwide for mobile phones, power tools, laptops, tablets and other wireless devices, as well as electric and hybrid vehicles.

Goodenough currently serves as the Virginia H. Cockrell Centennial Chair of Engineering in the Cockrell School of Engineering at UT Austinhe. He is the recipient of numerous national and international honors, including the Japan Prize (2001), the Enrico Fermi Award (2009), the Charles Stark Draper Prize (2014) and the National Medal of Science (2011).

Prof. Jay D Keasling

University of California, Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Jay D. Keasling is a Professor of Chemical engineering and Bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also Associate Laboratory Director for Biosciences at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and chief executive officer of the Joint BioEnergy Institute. He is considered one of the foremost authorities in synthetic biology, especially in the field of metabolic engineering.

Prof. John B Goodenough

Virginia H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering

John Goodenough joined The University of Texas at Austin in 1986. He is known around the world for his pioneering work that led to the invention of the rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

He identified and developed the critical materials that provided the high-energy density needed to power portable electronics, initiating the wireless revolution. Today, batteries incorporating Goodenough’s cathode materials are used worldwide for mobile phones, power tools, laptops, tablets and other wireless devices, as well as electric and hybrid vehicles.

Goodenough currently serves as the Virginia H. Cockrell Centennial Chair of Engineering in the Cockrell School of Engineering at UT Austinhe. He is the recipient of numerous national and international honors, including the Japan Prize (2001), the Enrico Fermi Award (2009), the Charles Stark Draper Prize (2014) and the National Medal of Science (2011).

Prof. Jay D Keasling

University of California, Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Jay D. Keasling is a Professor of Chemical engineering and Bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also Associate Laboratory Director for Biosciences at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and chief executive officer of the Joint BioEnergy Institute. He is considered one of the foremost authorities in synthetic biology, especially in the field of metabolic engineering.

2014 Winners

Prof. Michael Grätzel

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland

Professor Michael Grätzel, is the director of the photonics laboratory at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. Professor Grätzel has developed a new type of solar cell named the Grätzel Cell. This cell is based on dye-sensitive particles that imitate the photosynthesis process and convert light energy into electric energy that can be used directly for electrical propulsion or to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, which can be used in fuels for transportation. These cells are attributed the highest efficiency in the utilization of solar energy and their production is much less expensive than regular solar cells.

Prof. Thomas Meyer

The University of North Carolina, USA

Professor Thomas Meyer, of the University of South Carolina and director of the UNC Energy Frontier Research Center in Solar Fuels and Next Generation Photovoltaics. He is a leader and pioneer in the fields of artificial photosynthesis and the development of solar fuels based on the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen. His groundbreaking studies have led to greater understanding of the transfer of electrons through exposure to sunlight - a central process in converting solar energy into electricity. Meyer’s extensive comprehensive fundamental research has made a critical contribution to the technological development of cells for “artificial photosynthesis”.

Prof. Michael Grätzel

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland

Professor Michael Grätzel, is the director of the photonics laboratory at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. Professor Grätzel has developed a new type of solar cell named the Grätzel Cell. This cell is based on dye-sensitive particles that imitate the photosynthesis process and convert light energy into electric energy that can be used directly for electrical propulsion or to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, which can be used in fuels for transportation. These cells are attributed the highest efficiency in the utilization of solar energy and their production is much less expensive than regular solar cells.

Prof. Thomas Meyer

The University of North Carolina, USA

Professor Thomas Meyer, of the University of South Carolina and director of the UNC Energy Frontier Research Center in Solar Fuels and Next Generation Photovoltaics. He is a leader and pioneer in the fields of artificial photosynthesis and the development of solar fuels based on the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen. His groundbreaking studies have led to greater understanding of the transfer of electrons through exposure to sunlight - a central process in converting solar energy into electricity. Meyer’s extensive comprehensive fundamental research has made a critical contribution to the technological development of cells for “artificial photosynthesis”.

2013 Winners

Prof. George A. Olah

University of Southern California, USA

American chemist George A. Olah was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1994. While working at Dow Chemical's laboratories, he devised a method for extending the intermediate phase of rapid hydrocarbon reactions, and found that the introduction of an extremely strong acid could preserve carbocations (ions with a positively-charged carbon atom) for as long as months. His work allowed the mass production of synthesized high-octane gasoline, and uncovered new ways for the petroleum industry to use hydrocarbons.

Prof. G.K. Surya Prakash

University of Southern California, USA

Professor G. K. Surya Prakash primary research interests are in superacid, hydrocarbon, synthetic organic & organofluorine chemistry, with particular emphasis in the areas of energy and catalysis. He is a co-inventor of the proton exchange membrane based direct oxidation methanol fuel cell and a co-proponent (with Professor Olah) of the Methanol Economy concept. Professor Prakash is a prolific author with more than 630 peer-reviewed scientific publications and holds 30 patents. He has also co-authored or edited 10 books. He has received many awards and accolades including two American Chemical Society National Awards: in 2004 for his achievements in the area of fluorine chemistry and in 2006 for his contributions to hydrocarbon chemistry.

Prof. George A. Olah

University of Southern California, USA

American chemist George A. Olah was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1994. While working at Dow Chemical's laboratories, he devised a method for extending the intermediate phase of rapid hydrocarbon reactions, and found that the introduction of an extremely strong acid could preserve carbocations (ions with a positively-charged carbon atom) for as long as months. His work allowed the mass production of synthesized high-octane gasoline, and uncovered new ways for the petroleum industry to use hydrocarbons.

Prof. G.K. Surya Prakash

University of Southern California, USA

Professor G. K. Surya Prakash primary research interests are in superacid, hydrocarbon, synthetic organic & organofluorine chemistry, with particular emphasis in the areas of energy and catalysis. He is a co-inventor of the proton exchange membrane based direct oxidation methanol fuel cell and a co-proponent (with Professor Olah) of the Methanol Economy concept. Professor Prakash is a prolific author with more than 630 peer-reviewed scientific publications and holds 30 patents. He has also co-authored or edited 10 books. He has received many awards and accolades including two American Chemical Society National Awards: in 2004 for his achievements in the area of fluorine chemistry and in 2006 for his contributions to hydrocarbon chemistry.