Nemmers Prize in Earth Sciences

The Nemmers Prize in Earth Sciences is an award presented every two years by Northwestern University. It recognizes achievements and work of lasting significance in the field of Earth science. It was established in 2016 as one of the awards endowed by the brothers Erwin and Frederic Nemmers. It was first awarded in 2018. Recipients receive a $300,000 cash prize and spend time on the Northwestern campus to present lectures, participate in department seminars and interact with faculty and students. ^[1]

Recipients

The following recipients have received this award: ^[2]

• 2018: Francis Albarède, for his outstanding work in applying geochemistry to Earth sciences. ^{[3] [4]}
• 2020: Katherine Freeman, for her groundbreaking contributions to the field of compound-specific stable isotope geochemistry and its applications to Earth science. ^[5]
• 2022: Emily Brodsky, for her cutting edge and transdisciplinary research on the physics of earthquake networks. ^[6]
• 2024: Barbara Sherwood Lollar, for her revolutionary work on the intersection of the carbon cycle and the water cycle, which is groundbreaking for several areas of Earth and environmental science research. ^{[7] [8]}

See also

• Nemmers prize
• List of awards considered the highest in a field
• List of earth science awards

References

1. "The Nemmers Prize in Earth Sciences: Nemmers Prize - Northwestern University". www.nemmers.northwestern.edu. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
2. "Past Winners: Nemmers Prize - Northwestern University". www.nemmers.northwestern.edu. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
3. "Francis Albarède, lauréat 2018 du Prix Nemmers en Sciences de la Terre | École normale supérieure de Lyon". www.ens-lyon.fr (in French). Retrieved 2026-01-08.
4. "Geochemist Albarède wins Nemmers Prize". news2.rice.edu. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
5. "Freeman awarded 2020 Nemmers Prize in Earth Sciences | Penn State University". www.psu.edu. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
6. Nietzel, Michael T. (July 14, 2022). "Northwestern University Announces Three 2022 Nemmers Prize Winners". Forbes. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
7. Northwestern Now Staff (May 31, 2024). "Three top scholars receive 2024 Nemmers Prize". news.northwestern.edu. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
8. "Discovery". discover.research.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 2026-01-08.