Millennium Technology Prize Laureates named
19.04.2012
The Millennium Technology Prize laureates for 2012 are two prominent innovators, Linus Torvalds and Dr Shinya Yamanaka. The laureates will be celebrated on 13 June, when the winner of the Grand Prize will be announced. The prize pool exceeds EUR 1 million.
Linus Torvalds from Finland is awarded for his creation of a new open source operating system for computers. Dr Shinya Yamanaka from Japan is awarded as a stem cell pioneer.
Eligible nominations have been examined by the International Selection Committee , a distinguished network of leading Finnish and international scientists and technologists. The final decision regarding all the laureates is made by the Board of the Technology Academy Finland. The selection committee consists of two members from Aalto University: Professor and Academician Riitta Hari and Professor Martti Mäntylä. Other members are Chancellor Jarl-Thure Eriksson from Finland (Chair), Professor Eva-Mari Aro from Finland, Craig R. Barrett from the US, Professor Bengt Kasemo from Sweden, Professor Konrad Osterwalder from Switzerland and Ayao Tsuge from Japan.
The Millennium Technology Prize is Finland’s tribute to life-enhancing technological innovation. The prize is awarded every second year for a technological innovation that significantly improves the quality of human life, today and in the future. It is awarded by the Technology Academy Finland, an independent foundation established by Finnish industry, in partnership with the Finnish state.
More information about the laureates and their innovations: www.millenniumprize.fi
