Swiss Science Prize Latsis

Maryna Viazovska awarded 2020 Prize

The 2020 Swiss Science Prize Latsis with an award sum of CHF 100,000 goes to Maryna Viazovska. The young EPFL mathematics professor from Ukraine achieved a scientific breakthrough in solving the sphere-packing problem in 2016. Research results on sphere packing in high-dimensional spaces also have practical applications in everyday technology. For example, in the analysis of crystal structures or in troubleshooting signal transmission of mobile phones, space probes or internet connections.

Independent research of high quality

Worth 100,000 Swiss francs, the Swiss Science Prize Latsis – formerly National Latsis Prize – rewards researchers up to the age of 40 for outstanding achievements in basic science. Their work must be distinguished by a high degree of independence and scientific quality.

The SNSF awards the prize annually on behalf of the Latsis Foundation of Geneva. The winner is chosen by the National Research Council.

Prize winners since 1984

Year	Prize winner	Domain of research
2020	Maryna Viazovska	Mathematics
2019	Dominik Hangartner	Political scientist
2018	Andrea Ablasser	Immunology
2017	Xile Hu	Chemical catalysis
2016	Alexander Keese	African history, decolonisation, forced labour
2015	Richard Benton	Neurobiology of olfaction
2014	Tobias J. Kippenberg	Physics: quantum optomechanics
2013	David Sander	Affective science
2012	Jacques Fellay	Genomics: defence mechanisms against viruses
2011	Karl Gademann	Chemistry and biology: isolation and synthesis of natural materials
2010	Marianne Sommer	History of science: exploring the life sciences
2009	Mirjam Christ Crain	Medicine: biological stress caused by infectious diseases
2008	Franz Pfeiffer	X-ray technology
2007	Giuliano Bonoli	Political science: role of the welfare state in Europe
2006	Michael Hengartner	Molecular biology: study of a model organism, a worm called Caenorhabditis elegans
2005	Patrick Jenny	Engineering sciences: computer simulations of complex fluid systems in nature and technology
2004	Simon Gächter	Empirical economics: cooperative behaviour
2003	Silvia Arber	Neurobiology: neuronal circuit formation in the developing spinal cord
2002	Jérôme Faist	Solid state physics: quantum cascade laser (QCL)
2001	Lorenza Mondada	Interactional linguistics
2000	Laurent Keller	Evolutionary ecology: ant behaviour
1999	Frédéric Merkt	Chemical physics of molecules: spectroscopie and dynamics of atoms and molecules in electronically charged states
1998	Peter Schaber	Ethics, applied ethics and environmental ethics
1997	Konrad Basler	Zoology/developmental biology (drosophila fly)
1996	Martin Vetterli	Audiovisual technology of the future: wavelet theory in communication
1995	Astrid Epiney	Human rights and international environmenal law
1994	Denis Duboule	Developmental biology and genetics
1993	Thomas Stocker	Climate and environmental physics: the role of the oceans in climate change
1992	Maria Christina Pitassi	History of theology and philosophy in the 17th and 18th century
1991	Susan Margaret Gasser-Wilson	Cell biology: the role of nucleus proteins in organising and passing on genetic information
1990	Goeffrey Bodenhausen	Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR)
1989	Anne-Nelly Perret-Clermont	Social psychology and educational sciences
1988	Paul Schmid-Hempel	Behavioural ecology
1987	John Paul Maier	Physical chemistry: spectroscopic methods for analysing the properties of ionised molecules
1986	Ulrich Kohli	Economics: analysis of international trade
1985	Otto Albrecht Haller	Virology: resistence to flu viruses
1984	Jürg Fröhlich	Mathematical physics; quantum theory