William Thomson, Lord Kelvin Medal and Prize recipients
For public engagement in physics.
2023
The School’s Observatory team, consisting of Dr Stacey Habergham-Mawson, Dr Emma Smith, Alison Keen, Dr Jenifer Claydon, Dr Christopher Leigh, Dr Vicki Last and Professor Andrew Newsam.
Liverpool John Moores University
For an outstanding contribution to inspiring young people and teachers to succeed in their STEM journey, making the universe accessible to everyone, empowering people to know more and do more.
Read more about The School’s Observatory
2022
Dr Sharon Ann Holgate
For work in communicating science to a wide variety of audiences and for positive representations of scientists from non-traditional backgrounds.
2021
Dr Robert P Crease
Stony Brook University
For 21 years writing Physics World’s outstanding Critical Point column, describing key humanities concepts for scientists, and explaining the significance of key scientific ideas for humanities scholars.
2020
Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock
University College London and the BBC
For exceptional services to science education and physics communication, including her inspirational work with thousands of school students as well as expert opinion on radio and television.
2019
Dr Philip Ball
For being an informed and lucid writer and broadcaster who opens doors into science, and especially physics, for many people who otherwise find them closed.
2018
Dr Helen Czerski
University College London
For her contributions to championing the physics of everyday life to a worldwide audience of millions through TV programmes, a popular science book, newspaper columns, and public talks.
2017
Wendy Sadler
Science Made Simple, Cardiff University
For establishing Science Made Simple, which has reached more than 750,000 people with live performances promoting the relevance of physical sciences to society and careers.
2016
Brady Haran, Professor Michael Merrifield and Professor Philip Moriarty
University of Nottingham
For innovative and effective promotion of the public understanding of physics through the Sixty Symbols video project.
2015
Professor Christopher Lintott
University of Oxford
For his major contributions to public engagement with science through conventional media (especially through television) and by leading citizen science projects through Zooniverse, opening a new chapter in the history of science by enabling hundreds of thousands of people to participate in the process of scientific discovery.
2014
Professor Tim O’Brien and Dr Teresa Anderson
University of Manchester
For their innovative approach to public engagement with physics through the creation of a new Discovery Centre at Jodrell Bank and the development of an education programme that reaches 16,000 school children every year.
2013
Professor Jeff Forshaw
University of Manchester
For his wide-reaching work aimed at helping the general public to understand complex ideas in physics.
2012
Dr Graham Farmelo
Churchill College, Cambridge
For his outstanding work in communicating science to a broad audience, in particular for his biography of Paul Dirac.
2011
Professor Jim Al-Khalili
University of Surrey
For his outstanding work in communicating physics to public audiences face- to- face at numerous public events and through his work as a writer and broadcaster.
2010
Professor Brian Cox
The University of Manchester
For communicating the appeal and excitement of physics to the general public through the broadcast media.
2009
Professor John D Barrow
University of Cambridge
For the promotion and explanation of physics and astronomy to young people and the general public through many books, lectures, broadcasts and drama with special reference to their wider cultural and historical importance.
2008
Dr Simon Singh
Writer and broadcaster
For his work in popularising physics and mathematics through books, articles and broadcasts. He is one of the foremost exponents of science to the general public. His books on Fermat’s last theorem, cosmology and on cryptography have been hugely influential.
2007
Charles Jenkins
Australian National University
For his development of Lab in a Lorry.
2006
Kathy Sykes
University of Bristol
For her contributions to public engagement with science, in particular through presenting science on television and for initiating the Cheltenham Science Festival.
2005
Heather Reid
BBC Scotland
For the promotion of physics to school children and the public through public lectures, workshops and the media.
2004
Michael and Wendy Gluyas
2003
Peter Barham
2002
Peter I P Kalmus
2001
Paul Charles William Davies
2000
Colin John Humphreys
1999
John Anthony Scott
1998
Lesley Scott Dent Glasser
1997
Brian W Delf
1996
Francis Edwin Close