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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