The Rigmor and Carl Holst-Knudsen Award for Scientific Research was established on 28 May 1956 on the occasion of barrister Carl Holst-Knudsen’s 70th birthday, when he stepped down as chairman of the board of the then self-governing Aarhus University.
The award was presented for the first time in 1958. Since when – in so far as possible – it has been awarded on 28 May every year. The award was originally DKK 10,000 but has been raised to DKK 100,000 today.
The award is presented without application as a mark of respect to a Danish researcher who is primarily working or has worked at Aarhus University, and who is involved in scientific work and as a result has produced one or more significant results which hold promise for future research.
A person may only receive the award once.
Since 1958, the following researchers have received the Rigmor and Carl Holst-Knudsen Award for Scientific Research. The organisational affiliation in the year in question is specified for each researcher.
2015: Professor i Chemical Engineering ved Stanford University Jens Kehlet Nørskov
2015: Leder af Afdeling for Eksperimentel Onkologi ved Aarhus Universitetshospital og professor ved Aarhus Universitet Jens Overgaard (scroll down)
2014: University Reader ved University of Cambridge and professor at Universiteit Leiden Marie Louise Stig Sørensen
2014: Professor emeritus Ole Barndorff-Nielsen, Department of Mathematics, Aarhus University
2013: Professor, dr.scient. Bo Barker Jørgensen, Department of Bioscience
2013: Professor Torben G. Andersen, PhD, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Illinois
2012: Forskningsdirektør, professor, dr.med. Oluf Borbye Pedersen, The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen
2012: Professor, D.Pol.Sc. Timo Teräsvirta fra CREATES, Department of Economics and Business, Aarhus University
2011: Docent, dr.phil. Lise Hannestad, Department of Anthropology, Archaeology and Linguistics
2011: Professor, dr.scient. Flemming Besenbacher, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO)
2010: Professor, ph.d. Bjarne Stroustrup, Texas A&M University, College of Engineering Chair Professor in Computer Science
2010: Professor, ph.d. Poul Nissen, Department of Molecular Biology
2009: Professor, dr.med. Jens F. Rehfeld, University of Copenhagen, Department of Clinical Biochemistry
2009: Professor, dr.scient. Bo Brummerstedt Iversen, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center and Department of Chemistry
2008: Professor, ph.d. Lene Hau, Harvard University
2008: Lektor, ph.d. Andreas Roepstorff, PhD, Department of Anthropology, Archaeology and Linguistics
2008: Professor, ph.d. Tim Bollerslev, Duke University
2007: Professor, ph.d. Dorthe Berntsen, Department of Psychology
2006: Lektor, dr.phil. Maria Fabricius Hansen, Department of Art History
2005: Lektor, ph.d. Lars Albinus, Section for Systematic Theology
2004: Professor Klaus Mølmer, Department of Physics and Astronomy
2003: No award due to the awarding of five of the Anniversary Foundation’s Prizes of Honour
2002: Professor, dr.med. Jens Christian Djuurhus, Department of Experimental Clinical Research
2001: Professor, ph.d. Niels Haldrup, School of Economics and Management
2000: Lektor, ph.d. Peter Bugge, Slavic Department
1998:Lektor, lic.scient. Jes Madsen, Department of Physics and Astronomy
1996: Lektor, cand.mag. et mag.art. Hans Jørgen Lundager Jensen, Department of the Study of Religion
1994: Seniorstipendiat, dr.med. Vibeke E. Hjortdal, Department of Experimental Clinical Research
1993:Professor, dr.scient.pol. Peter Nannestad, Department of Social Science
1992: Lektor Uffe Østergaard, Department of History
1991: Lektor, dr.scient. Niels Peter Revsbech, Department of Genetics and Ecology
1990: Docent, dr.theol. Jan Lindhardt, Department of Ethics and Philosophy of Religion
1989: Reservelæge, dr.med. Thomas Ternowitz, Marselisborg Hospital, Department of Dermatology
1988: Professor Jørgen Graversen, Department of Private Law
1987:Adjunkt Flemming Mouritsen, course development group in humanistic research on children’s and youth culture
1986: Lektor, dr.phil. Poul Jørgensen, Department of Chemistry
1986: Lektor, dr.phil. Hans-Jørgen Schanz, Department of the History of Ideas
1986: Lektor, dr.med. Peter Leth Jørgensen, Department of Physiology
1986: Lektor, lic.oecon. Torben M. Andersen, School of Economics and Management
1986: Lektor, dr.theol. Jens Holger Schjørring, Department of Dogmatics
1984: Dr.med. Johannes Klitgaard Jakobsen, Department of Experimental Clinical Research
1982: Lektor Ib Madsen, Department of Mathematics
1980: Lektor, dr.scient.pol. Erik Damgaard, Department of Social Science
1978: Professor, dr.jur. Stig Jørgensen, Department of Jurisprudence
1976: Afdelingsleder, dr.med. Tage Hjort, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology
1974: Professor, dr.philos. Kjell Johansen, Zoophysiological Laboratory
1972: Afdelingsleder Johan Fjord Jensen, Department of Scandinavian Languages and Literature
1970: Docent, dr.theol. Anders Pontoppidan Thyssen, Department of Church History
1968:Overlæge, dr.med. Flemming Kissmeyer-Nielsen, Aarhus Hospital
1966:Professor, dr.jur. Poul Meyer, Department of Social Science
1965: Professor Jens Lindhard, Department of Physics
1962: Professor, dr.phil. Chr. Overgaard Nielsen, Mols Laboratory
1960: Professor, dr.phil. A. Stender-Petersen, Department of Slavonic Philology
1958: Lektor, dr.theol. Johannes Sløk, Faculty of Theology
Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center and Department of Chemistry
