Major Honors

The Academia Europaea, or Academy of Europe, is a nongovernmental association founded in 1988. Its member scientists and scholars work collectively to promote education and research.

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1780, is an independent policy research center advocating scholarship, civil dialogue, and useful knowledge. Elected members are leaders in the academic, business, and government sectors.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, founded in 1848, is an international nonprofit seeking to advance science for the benefit of all people. Fellows are recognized for meritorious efforts to advance science or its applications.

The Breakthrough Prize honors important, primarily recent, achievements in the sciences. The recognition is accompanied by a $3 million award.

The Académie des Sciences of the Institut de France, or Academy of Sciences of the Institute of France, was founded in 1666 and is committed to the advancement of science.

The French Legion of Honor is an order of distinction first established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. It is the highest decoration bestowed in France and recognizes outstanding service to the French Republic.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, founded in 1953, promotes scientific research and education with a specific focus on areas including cell biology, structural biology, genetics, immunology, and neuroscience.

Investigators receive long-term, flexible funding to provide freedom to explore their research ideas through to fruition. Those selected bring innovative approaches to research and are based at host institutions across the United States.

Professors receive five-year grants and become permanent members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute community. Those selected are accomplished research scientists pursuing innovative approaches to teaching.

The annual Japan Prize recognizes scientists and engineers who have made significant contributions to the advancement of science and technology that further the cause of peace and prosperity.

The Lasker Awards, among the most respected science prizes in the world, recognize the contributions of scientists, clinicians, and public servants making major advances in the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of human disease.

The National Academy of Education, founded in 1965, honors US members and foreign associates who are elected on the basis of outstanding scholarship related to education.

The National Academy of Engineering, founded in 1964, honors US members and foreign associates who are elected on the basis of outstanding scholarship related to education.

The National Academy of Inventors, a nonprofit organization founded in 2010, supports academic invention, technology, and innovation. Election as a fellow recognizes a spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating inventions making a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and society's welfare.

Membership in the National Academy of Medicine, formerly the Institute of Medicine, is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievements and commitment to service.

The Institute of Medicine (now the NAM) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. In 2015, the National Academy of Medicine joined the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in the newly formed National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine ("the Academies").

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit society chartered by the US Congress in 1863 to provide independent, objective advice about science and technology. Members are elected in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

In 2015, the National Academy of Sciences joined the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Engineering in the newly formed National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine ("the Academies").

The Nobel Prize, a preeminent international honor, recognizes singular contributions in the fields of chemistry, economic sciences, literature, medicine, peace, and physics.

The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, founded in 1857, is a nongovernmental, nationwide body that embraces all fields of learning.

The Peabody Awards recognize broadcast and digital storytelling that demonstrates "how media can defend the public interest, encourage empathy with others, and teach us to expand our understanding of the world around us."

The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, recognizes "especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."

The Pulitzer Prizes, established by newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, recognize excellence in journalism and the arts with annual awards. 

The Royal Society of London, founded in 1660, is an independent academy that recognizes, promotes, and supports excellence in science and encourages the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity.