English (Br) - Deutch - Francais - Svenska - Español - English (Us)

New members for the Selection Committee of the world’s largest technology prize
17.02.2005

The Board of the Millennium Prize Foundation has appointed four new members to the Selection Committee. The one million euro Millennium Technology Prize is awarded every second year for an innovation that significantly improves people’s quality of life. The purpose of the prize is to bring people and technology closer to each other.

The first Millennium Technology Prize was awarded in June 2004 to Professor Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web. The President of the Republic of Finland, Ms. Tarja Halonen, presented the Prize.

The new members for the Selection Committee are:

Professor Jean-Claude Charpentier, France,President of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering and Director of Research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).

Professor Marja Makarow, Finland, Vice-Rector of the University of Helsinki, Professor of Applied Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Professor Bengt Nordén, Sweden,President of the Chemistry Section of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and Professor of Physical Chemistry at Chalmers University of Technology.

Professor Charles M. Vest, USA,President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1990-2004, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT.

The other members are:

Professor Akito Arima, Japan,former Minister of State for Science and Technology and a world-renowned nuclear physicist.

Professor Juhani Kuusi, Finland, former Senior Vice President, Technology Strategy and Head of the Research Center of Nokia Corporation and Director General of TEKES, the National Technology Agency of Finland.

Professor Bengt Stenlund, Finland, former Vice-Chancellor of Åbo Akademi University and Professor of Polymer Technology and Dean of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering.

Professor Pekka Tarjanne, former Secretary General of ITU, the International Telecommunications Union. 

The committee is chaired by Professor Pekka Tarjanne. The Secretary of the Selection Committee is Dr. Tapio Alvesalo, Secretary General of the Millennium Prize Foundation, former Vice President, Corporate Technology, Fortum Oyj.

 “It is a great honour that such distinguished individuals have chosen to join us in our quest to encourage and highlight technological developments that enhance the quality of life in all parts of the world”, says Dr. Tapio Alvesalo.

Nominations for the prize winner are welcomed from industrial organisations, research institutions, universities and academies. Candidates from all parts of the world and all technological fields are eligible. The next winner of the Prize will be announced in June 2006.

The Millennium Prize is administered by an independent foundation, The Millennium Prize Foundation, which operates in Helsinki, Finland, is funded by the Finnish public and private sectors in partnership.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Tapio Alvesalo
Secretary General
Finnish Technology Award Foundation
email: tapio.alvesalo@millenniumprize.fi
Tel. +358 400 341 497
www.millenniumprize.fi

The Members of the Selection Committee

Professor Pekka Tarjanne, Chairman of the Committee, Finland

Dr. Tarjanne was the Executive Coordinator of the United Nations ICT Task Force in 2001-2002. He served as Secretary-General of International Telecommunications Union in 1989-1999. He has been Director-General of Finnish Post and Telecommunications, a government minister, President of the Finnish Liberal Party and a researcher in theoretical physics. His expertise lies in information technologies and policies, in particular in public-private partnerships.

Professor Akito Arima, Japan

Dr. Akito Arima, a world-renowned nuclear physicist, has held both scientific and government positions in Japan, including the Minister of State for Science and Technology and the Chairman of the Evaluation Committee of the Japan Society for Promotion of Science. In academia, he served as President of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN) from 1993-1998 and prior to that as President of the University of Tokyo.

Professor Jean-Claude Charpentier, France

Dr. Charpentier is the President of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering. He is also Director of Research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). In 1992-2004 he directed the Lyon School of Chemistry, Physics and Electronics. In 1985-1992 he was scientific director of the department of Engineering Sciences of CNRS. His areas of expertise are chemical and process engineering, mechanical engineering and more generally engineering sciences and innovative technologies.

Professor Juhani Kuusi, Finland

Dr. Juhani Kuusi has formerly served as Senior Vice President, Technology Strategy and Head of the Research Center of Nokia Corporation and Director General of the National Technology Agency of Finland (Tekes). He has been a member of the European Research Advisory Board of the European Commission (EURAB) and the president of EUREKA. His background is in technical and nuclear physics, and his expertise includes energy and process technology, telecommunications, and science, technology and innovation policies.

Professor Marja Makarow, Finland

Dr. Makarow, Vice-Rector for Research at the University of Helsinki, works as a Professor of Applied Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Dr. Makarow is a member of the Council for the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and President of the European Molecular Biology Conference EMBC/EMBO. She served on the Research Council for Health of the Academy of Finland in 1998-2003. Dr. Makarow is an active scientist in the fields of molecular cell biology and biotechnology.

Professor Bengt Nordén, Sweden

Dr. Nordén is President of the Chemistry Section of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Dr. Nordén also serves as a member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, which he chaired in 2000-2003. He works as the Professor of Physical Chemistry at Chalmers University of Technology, directing several international and national research programmes. His current research is on specific interactions of nucleic acids and peptide-membrane systems and his career also includes expertise in inorganic chemistry and photophysics.

Professor Bengt Stenlund, Finland

Dr. Stenlund is a former Vice-Chancellor of Åbo Akademi University. He has also been Professor of Polymer Technology and Dean of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering at the University. His research interests are composite materials, radiation and surface treatment as well as medical applications of polymer materials and biomaterials. He has been active in research evaluation, funding and European research policy issues.

Professor Charles M. Vest, USA

Dr. Vest served as President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from 1990-2004. A professor of mechanical engineering at MIT and member of the National Academy of Engineering, he has served on the U.S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology since 1994, and has chaired the President's Committee on the Redesign of the Space Station and been vice chairman of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness for seven years.

Professor Vest's research interests have included coherent optics, metrology, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer.

The Secretary General of the Foundation and Secretary of the Selection Committee

Dr. Tapio Alvesalo, Finland

Dr. Tapio Alvesalo served as Vice President, Corporate Technology, Fortum Oyj in 1999-2004. He has directed corporate and divisional R&D functions and programs including launching of new business ventures on emerging markets. Dr. Alvesalo has served as a member of the Board of high technology companies and chaired National Energy Research Programs. He has also chaired the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA). His research interests have included quantum liquids and solids and advanced energy technologies and systems.

All editors and reporters publishing our material are kindly asked to inform us by filling out the form below.

I will use the material above in a publication. The fields with bold text are required.