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Kalinga Prize
for the Popularization of Science
awarded to
Professor Stefano Fantoni (Italy)
during a ceremony held at UNESCO
Headquarters in Paris
Room XII, 6:30
pm, 19 October 2001
The longest-standing of UNESCO’s science
prizes, Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science will be
celebrating next year its golden jubilee. The Kalinga Prize bears the name
of its donor, the Kalinga Foundation Trust in India, which created the
Prize to encourage a dialogue between scientists and the general
public.
Since its inception nearly 50 years ago, the Kalinga Prize
has been awarded to an impressive list of distinguished scientists who
have lent it great prestige – including six Nobel Prize Winners – and to
brilliant science writers with a gift for interpreting science for the
general public.
The winner of the 2001 Kalinga Prize has done much to improve communication
between the scientific community and the general public.
A Professor of Theory of Nuclear Interactions at the International
School for Advanced Studies – better known as SISSA – in Trieste,
Italy, Professor Fantoni (b. 1945) is responsible for opening
a Master Degree in Science Communication at the School in
1994. Recognizing the importance of close media relations
in any enterprise to communicate science effectively to the
public, he has made a point of collaborating with the Italian
media.
The SISSA School of Science Communication is unique in that brings
scientists and science journalists together to train young
students in the various facets of science communication. The
course reflects the needs of both the media and multimedia
companies, as well as those of scientific laboratories or
high-tech industries. As part of its production, the School
has co-edited the series of popular science books Le Tessere.
Recently, Professor Fantoni has launched a number of innovative communication
tools which include a multimedia journal entitled Jekyll
on Line and research work on science communication. The
School has extended enrollment beyond Italian students and
is seeking in particular to attract students from developing
countries.
To read Professor Stefano Fantoni’s acceptance speech,
click
here.
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Science Policy
Science Culture