Each year, the Carlsberg Foundation awards two major prizes to researchers who have made a crucial contribution to basic research: one in the field of natural sciences and one in the field of either humanities or social sciences.
The Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes were instituted in 2011 to mark the bicentenary of the birth of founder J.C. Jacobsen. Each prize of DKK 1 million is awarded on the recommendation of a Prize Committee of Danish and international researchers appointed jointly by the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters and the Carlsberg Foundation.
Excellent research
The objective of the Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes is to support two active researchers, in Denmark or abroad, who have made crucial contributions to basic research and enjoy widespread scientific recognition. Each prizewinner receives DKK 1 million; DKK 250,000 for personal use and DKK 750,000 to help fund a research project. The prizes are intended to encourage further research and the money may be spent as needed on international studies, fieldwork, laboratory equipment or remuneration for scientific assistance.
Previous prizewinners
2023: Anne-Marie Mai, professor at University of Southern Denmark and Jens-Christian Svenning, professor at Aarhus University
2022: Dorthe Dahl-Jensen, professor at University of Copenhagen and Frederik Stjernfelt, professor at Aalborg University.
2021: Dorthe Berntsen, professor Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences - CON AMORE, Aarhus University and Eske Willerslev, professor at University of Copenhagen and University of Cambridge.
2020: Not awarded
2019: Mikael Rask Madsen, professor at the University of Copenhagen, JUR Center for International Courts and Thomas Kiørboe, professor at the Technical University of Denmark, DTU AQUA.
2018: Professor of Financial Econometrics Tim Bollerslev from the Department of Economics at Duke University and Professor of Structural Biology Poul Nissen from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Aarhus University
2017: Professor of theology Mette Birkedal Bruun and professer of chemistry Karl Anker Jørgensen
2016: Professor of mathematics, Tobias Holck Colding and professor of international development law Morten Broberg
2015: Andreas Roepstorff (professor of cognition, communication and culture) and Jens Kehlet Nørskov (professor of physics)
2014: Gitte Moos Knudsen (professor of neurobiology) and Jesper Ryberg (professor of philosophy)
2013: Jørgen Christensen-Dalsgaard (professor of astronomy) and Claus Bundesen (professor of psychology)
2012: Ole Wæver (professor of international relations) and Kristian Helin (professor of molecular biology)
2011: Lene Vestergaard Hau (professor of physics) and Dan Zahavi (professor of philosophy)
Prizegiving ceremony
The Carlsberg Foundation Research Prizes are presented annually at a distinguished event held at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.
2019: Mikael Rask Madsen, professor at the University of Copenhagen, JUR Center for International Courts and Thomas Kiørboe, professor at the Technical University of Denmark, DTU AQUA.