On February 4, 2020, the Japan Prize Foundation announced the 2020 (36th) Japan 
Prize Laureates. This year, the prize fields were "Electronics, Information, 
Communication" and "Life Science." Prof. Robert G. Gallager (United States) was 
chosen for the field of "Electronics, Information, Communication," and Dr. 
Svante Paabo (Sweden) was chosen for the field of "Life Science."

Prof. Gallager who was chosen for the field of "Electronics, Information, 
Communication" is being honored for his "pioneering contribution to information 
and coding theory." On the other hand, Dr. Paabo who was chosen for the field 
of "Life Science" is being honored for his "pioneering contributions to 
paleoanthropology through decoding ancient human genome sequences."

In April, the laureates will be invited to Japan for the "Japan Prize Week" 
where various events are scheduled.

The Presentation Ceremony is scheduled for April 15 at the National Theatre of 
Japan, and the Commemorative Lectures are scheduled for April 16 at the Ito 
International Research Center, the University of Tokyo.

At the Presentation Ceremony, each laureate will receive a certificate of merit 
and a prize medal. A cash prize of 50 million yen will also be presented to the 
winner of each prize category.

Robert G. Gallager, Sc.D
Photo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202001155710-O1-L7Ke23X8
Nationality: United States of America
Date of Birth: May 29, 1931 (88)
Affiliation: Professor Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Svante Paabo, Ph.D.
Photo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202001155710-O2-cvzr4b8D
Nationality: Sweden
Date of Birth: April 20, 1955 (64)
Affiliation: Director, Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck 
Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

About the Japan Prize Foundation

The creation of the Japan Prize was motivated by the Japanese government's 
desire to "express gratitude to international society by establishing a 
prestigious international award in the fields of science and technology." 
Supported by numerous donations, the Japan Prize was established in 1983 with 
Cabinet endorsement.

The Japan Prize honors those who have made significant achievements that 
contribute to the peace and prosperity of mankind, based not only on 
contributions to the advancement of science and technology but also on social 
contributions to our lives.

The award covers all fields of science and technology and takes into 
consideration the developments in science and technology. Every year, the 
foundation designates two fields for the award presentation.

One award is given for each field as a general rule. Each laureate receives a 
certificate of merit and a prize medal. A cash prize of 50 million yen is also 
presented to each prize category's winner. The foundation is headed by 
President Hiroshi Komiyama.

Please visit:
https://www.japanprize.jp/en/index.html


Source: Japan Prize Foundation