North Columbus News

The Ohio State University has introduced a new prize named after Nobel laureate and emeritus professor Pierre Agostini. The Pierre Agostini Prize is set to become the university's highest honor for scholarly and artistic achievement. It will be awarded annually to a faculty member whose work is deemed groundbreaking and influential by their peers, often recognized through national or international accolades.

Agostini, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2023 for his research on attosecond pulses, donated a replica of his medal to Ohio State's Department of Physics in 2024. He expressed pride in representing Ohio State’s scientific community in Stockholm.

A committee of faculty members, known as the Agostini Prize Review Committee, will review and rank nominations for the prize. This committee will consist of eight distinguished faculty from various disciplines, reflecting the award's prestige and diverse nomination pool. The Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge will oversee the award process.

Recipients of the Agostini Prize will receive $50,000, divided equally between a cash award and a research budget. Additionally, winners will have the chance to present an overview of their work to Ohio State’s Board of Trustees during a session with the Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships Committee.

Peter Mohler, executive vice president for research, innovation and knowledge at Ohio State, stated: “What better way to honor Professor Agostini’s contributions than through an award that celebrates the best of our faculty’s creativity and research.” He added that “the Agostini Prize will encourage faculty to push their work even further, benefiting all of us at Ohio State and in communities across the globe.”

The first recipient of this prestigious prize will be announced this spring while Agostini visits campus to engage with students and faculty.