Franklin Institute Awards


The Franklin Institute Awards is an American science and engineering award presented by the Franklin Institute, a science museum in Philadelphia. The Franklin Institute awards comprises the Benjamin Franklin Medals in seven areas of science and engineering, the Bower Awards and Prize for Achievement in Science, and the Bower Award for Business Leadership. Since 1824, the institute has recognized "world-changing scientists, engineers, inventors, and industrialists—all of whom reflect Benjamin Franklin's spirit of curiosity, ingenuity, and innovation". Some of the noted past laureates include Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Marie Curie, Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking. Some of the 21st century laureates of the institute awards are Bill Gates, James P. Allison, Indra Nooyi, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Blackburn, George Church, Robert S. Langer, and Alex Gorsky.

Benjamin Franklin Medals

In 1998, the Benjamin Franklin Medals were created by reorganizing all of the endowed medals presented by The Franklin Institute at that time into a group of medals recognizing seven areas of study: Chemistry, Computer and Cognitive Science, Earth and Environmental Science, Electrical Engineering, Life Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics. The first Benjamin Franklin Medals were presented in 1998.
Medalists are selected by a Committee on Science and the Arts, composed of local academics and professionals from the Philadelphia area.

Bower Awards

The Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science and the Bower Award for Business Leadership are the newest awards, established by a $7.5 million bequest from Henry Bower in 1988. The annual Bower Prizes are US$250,000 each.

Benjamin Franklin NextGen Award

The Benjamin Franklin NextGen Award is presented to an early-career investigator for a transformative discovery, development, innovation, or invention in science or engineering. The focus annually rotates through seven disciplines: chemistry, civil and mechanical engineering, computer and cognitive science, earth and environmental science, electrical engineering, life science, and physics. Recipients are presented with a crystal award a cash honorarium.

Former awards

List of laureates

The following table lists laureates of the Benjamin Franklin Medal, from 1998 onwards.
YearNameField
1998Bower Award for Business Leadership
1998Engineering
1998Physics
1998Engineering
1998Life Science
1998Physics, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
1998Physics
1998Physics
1998Chemistry
1999Earth Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
1999Computer and Cognitive Science
1999Computer and Cognitive Science
1999Chemistry
1999Life Science
1999Physics
1999Computer and Cognitive Science
1999Physics
1999Bower Award for Business Leadership
1999Computer and Cognitive Science
2000Computer and Cognitive Science
2000Physics
2000Mechanical Engineering
2000Earth Science
2000Chemistry
2000Physics
2000Electrical Engineering
2000Mechanical Engineering
2000Life Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2000Life Science, Bower Award for Business Leadership
2000Physics
2001Electrical Engineering, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2001Life Science
2001Physics
2001Bower Award for Business Leadership
2001Computer and Cognitive Science
2001Chemistry
2001Earth Science
2001Electrical Engineering
2002Chemistry
2002Materials Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2002Life Science
2002Physics
2002Bower Award for Business Leadership
2002Engineering
2002Earth Science
2002Computer and Cognitive Science
2003Electrical Engineering
2003Physics
2003Physics
2003Life Science
2003Chemistry
2003Physics
2003Engineering, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2003Computer and Cognitive Science
2003Earth Science
2003Earth Science
2003Engineering
2004Mechanical Engineering
2004Life Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2004Bower Award for Business Leadership
2004Chemistry
2004Computer and Cognitive Science
2004Physics
2004Electrical Engineering
2005Life Science
2005Computer and Cognitive Science
2005Chemistry, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2005Physics
2005Earth Science
2005Electrical Engineering
2005Bower Award for Business Leadership
2006Engineering
2006Chemistry
2006Electrical Engineering, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2006Earth Science
2006Computer and Cognitive Science
2006Life Science
2006Physics
2006Physics
2006Bower Award for Business Leadership
2006Earth Science
2007Bower Award for Business Leadership
2007Chemistry
2007Computer and Cognitive Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2007Electrical Engineering
2007Materials Science
2007Physics
2007Earth Science
2007Physics
2007Life Science
2008Life Science
2008Life Science
2008Earth Science
2008Chemistry
2008Physics
2008Computer and Cognitive Science, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2008Computer and Cognitive Science
2008Electrical Engineering
2008Life Science
2008Bower Award for Business Leadership
2008Electrical Engineering
2009Computer and Cognitive Science
2009Life Science
2009Physics, Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2009Earth Science
2009Bower Award for Business Leadership
2009Engineering
2009Chemistry
2009Electrical Engineering
2010Physics
2010Computer and Cognitive Science
2010Life Science
2010Electrical Engineering
2010Mechanical Engineering
2010Chemistry
2010Electrical Engineering
2010Physics
2010Physics
2010Earth and Environmental Science, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2010Bower Award for Business Leadership
2011Computer and Cognitive Science
2011Earth and Environmental Science
2011Physics
2011Electrical Engineering
2011Mechanical Engineering
2011Chemistry
2011Life Science, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2011Bower Award for Business Leadership
2012Computer and Cognitive Science
2012Earth and Environmental Science
2012Earth and Environmental Science
2012Life Science
2012Electrical Engineering
2012Physics
2012Mechanical Engineering
2012Chemistry, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2012Bower Award for Business Leadership
2013Chemistry
2013Computer and Cognitive Science
2013Earth and Environmental Science
2013Life Science
2013Mechanical Engineering
2013Physics
2013Bower Award for Business Leadership
2013Electrical Engineering, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2014Physics
2014Chemistry
2014Earth and Environmental Science
2014Electrical Engineering
2014Electrical Engineering
2014Life Science
2014Mechanical Engineering
2014Computer and Cognitive Science, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2014Bower Award for Business Leadership
2015Chemistry
2015Computer and Cognitive Science
2015Earth and Environmental Science
2015Electrical Engineering
2015Life Science
2015Physics
2015Physics
2015Physics
2015Bower Award for Business Leadership
2015Mechanical Engineering, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2016Chemistry
2016Computer and Cognitive Science
2016Earth and Environmental Science
2016Electrical Engineering
2016Life Science
2016Mechanical Engineering
2016Bower Award for Business Leadership
2016Physics, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2017Chemistry
2017Chemistry
2017Computer and Cognitive Science
2017Electrical Engineering
2017Life Science
2017Materials Science and Engineering
2017Physics
2017Earth and Environmental Science, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2017Bower Award for Business Leadership
2018Earth and Environmental Science
2018Electrical Engineering
2018Mechanical Engineering
2018Physics
2018Chemistry
2018Computer and Cognitive Science
2018Computer and Cognitive Science
2018Life Science, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2018Bower Award for Business Leadership
2019Physics
2019Materials Engineering
2019Life Science
2019Electrical Engineering
2019Earth and Environmental Science
2019Computer and Cognitive Science
2019Chemistry, Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2019Bower Award for Business Leadership
2021Chemistry
2021Chemistry
2021Physics
2021Physics
2021Life Science
2021Mechanical Engineering
2021Earth and Environmental Science
2021Computer and Cognitive Science
2021Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2021Bower Award for Business Leadership
2022Sallie W. ChisholmEarth and Environmental Science
2022Sheldon WeinbaumBiomedical Engineering
2022Carol V. RobinsonChemistry
2022Russell D. DupuisElectrical Engineering
2022P. Daniel DapkusElectrical Engineering
2022Katalin KarikóLife Science
2022Drew WeissmanLife Science
2022Edward C. StonePhysics
2023R. Lawrence EdwardsEarth and Environmental Science
2023Nader EnghetaElectrical Engineering
2023Kenneth C. FrazierBower Award for Business Leadership
2023Elaine FuchsLife Science
2023Philip KimPhysics
2023Barbara H. LiskovComputer and Cognitive Science
2023Deb NiemeierCivil and Mechanical Engineering and Bower Award for Achievement in Science
2023Monika Schleier-SmithPhysics
2023Richard ZareChemistry
2024Mary C. BoyceMechanical Engineering
2024Joanne ChoryLife Science
2024Paula T. HammondChemistry
2024Paul D.N. HebertEarth and Environmental Science
2024Robert M. MetcalfeElectrical Engineering
2024Gabriela S. Schlau-CohenChemistry and Benjamin Franklin NextGen Award
2024Lisa SuBower Award for Business Leadership
2024David A. WeitzPhysics and Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science
2024Janet F. WerkerComputer and Cognitive Science
2025Muyinatu A. Lediju BellElectrical Engineering and Benjamin Franklin NextGen Award
2025Steven M. BlockLife Science
2025William James DallyComputer and Cognitive Science
2025Jamie DimonBower Award for Business Leadership
2025Naomi J. HalasChemistry
2025John W. HutchinsonMechanical Engineering
2025John P. PerdewPhysics
2025Kurt Edward PetersenElectrical Engineering
2025Katharine N. SudingEarth and Environmental Science and Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science