Three National Laureates will each receive $250,000
28 scientists named National Finalists

NEW YORK, July 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Blavatnik Family Foundation and the New York Academy of Sciences announced today the 2023 laureates of the Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists.

Each will receive $250,000, the largest unrestricted scientific award for America’s most innovative, faculty-ranked scientists and engineers who are under the age of 42. The winners and their distinguished research:

2023 Laureate in Life Sciences: William Anderegg, Ph.D., The University of Utah (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology)—Revealing how trees absorb and release carbon dioxide amidst a changing climate
William Anderegg examines the interaction of plant ecology and climate change, from the scale of cells to forest ecosystems. Specifically, he addresses how drought and climate change affect the plant-soil-atmospheric systems, including tree physiology, species interactions, and biosphere-atmosphere feedbacks. His work overturns a 40-year foundational theory on how stomata—pores on leaves that facilitate photosynthesis—behave in order to improve carbon gain and minimize water loss, and in turn, how this affects global forests’ response to climate change. As a leading voice in the field of climate change, Anderegg’s discoveries are already informing climate solutions, global policies, and public health. He is the first ever winner of the Blavatnik Regional Awards to be awarded the Blavatnik National Award. 

2023 Laureate in Chemistry: Shannon Boettcher, Ph.D., University of Oregon (Inorganic & Solid-State Chemistry)—Discovering novel methods and materials to harness electrochemistry for sustainability
Shannon Boettcher is creating sustainable, electrochemical methods central to transforming simple mixtures of water and atmospheric gases into fuels, plastics, fertilizers, and other chemicals. Boettcher’s work is grounded in the mechanistic science of understanding electrochemical reactions on the surfaces of electrified solids, particularly under practical conditions where catalysts change in structure and composition. His work builds a foundation for the development of new technologies by addressing key knowledge gaps in understanding and controlling the rates of ion- and electron-transfer across interfaces. Discoveries made in Boettcher’s laboratory are now being applied to improve industrial processes for hydrogen production and carbon capture, establishing him both as a global leader in research and in society’s transition to a green future.

2023 Laureate in Physical Sciences & Engineering: Svitlana Mayboroda, Ph.D., University of Minnesota (Applied Mathematics)—Developed elegant new mathematical theory to understand electronic waves
Svitlana Mayboroda is using applied mathematics to provide physicists with a new fundamental understanding of the behavior of matter at nanometer scales—insights that are relevant for today’s ability to control and manipulate atomic structures. Mayboroda and her collaborators have invented an elegant technique known as localization landscape theory, which solves some long-standing problems in condensed matter physics. This mathematical framework reveals hidden structures that guide the behavior of waves at the atomic level, explaining why waves do not propagate in complex or disordered materials. Mayboroda’s ground-breaking work is leading to improvements in crucial 21st-century technologies like LED lighting, semiconductors, and solar cells. 

“I congratulate all the laureates and finalists whose outstanding research gives us hope for the future,” said Len Blavatnik, founder and chairman of Access Industries. He is head of the Blavatnik Family Foundation and a member of the President’s Council of the New York Academy of Sciences.

Nicholas B. Dirks, president and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences, said, “On behalf of the Academy, we are excited to honor our first laureate who was previously a Regional Award-winner, our first laureate in applied mathematics, and the first laureates from these three public universities. This year’s laureates are working to address major societal challenges—including problems related to energy and sustainability, climate change and forest fires, and transforming solid-state physics and semi-conductor physics—demonstrating the great significance of science for advancing the public good.”

The 2023 Blavatnik National Awards received 267 nominations from 134 institutions in 38 U.S. states. Nominees must be faculty-level scientific researchers, 42 years of age or younger. 

Three independent juries —one each for life sciences, chemistry, and physical sciences and engineering —were composed of some of America’s most distinguished scientists. The juries selected three winning laureates and 28 finalists.

The Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists will celebrate the 2023 laureates and finalists in a ceremony on Sept. 19 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. 

About the Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists
The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists, established by the Blavatnik Family Foundation in 2007 and independently administered by the New York Academy of Sciences, began by identifying outstanding scientific talent in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. In 2014, the Blavatnik National Awards were created to recognize faculty-rank scientists throughout the United States. In 2017, the Awards were further expanded to honor faculty-rank scientists in the United Kingdom and Israel. For updates about the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists, please visit www.blavatnikawards.org or follow us on Twitter and Facebook @BlavatnikAwards.

About the Blavatnik Family Foundation
The Blavatnik Family Foundation supports world-renowned educational, scientific, cultural, and charitable institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and across the globe. Led by Len Blavatnik, founder and chairman of Access Industries, the Foundation advances and promotes innovation, discovery, and creativity to benefit the whole of society. Over the past decade, the Foundation has contributed more than $1 billion to over 250 organizations. See more at www.blavatnikfoundation.org

About the New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been committed to advancing science for the benefit of society. With more than 20,000 Members in 100 countries, the Academy advances scientific and technical knowledge, addresses global challenges with science-based solutions, and sponsors a wide variety of educational initiatives at all levels for STEM and STEM-related fields. The Academy hosts programs and publishes content in the life and physical sciences, the social sciences, nutrition, artificial intelligence, computer science, and sustainability. The Academy also provides professional and educational resources for researchers across all phases of their careers. Please visit us online at www.nyas.org.

Media contact
Kamala Murthy, kmurthy@nyas.org, +1 (347) 526-8480

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SOURCE New York Academy of Sciences