Viktor Ambartsumian International Science Prize is one of the important awards in astronomy/astrophysics and related sciences. It is being awarded to outstanding scientists having significant contribution in physical-mathematical sciences from any country and nationality. The Prize is being awarded once every two years since 2010. During 2010-2016 it was established by the Armenian Government as USD 500,000. Since 2017 it is USD 300,000. Since 2019 it is included among the Armenian State Prizes.

To apply for the Prize, a work may be presented by an author or authors’ group (not more than 3 persons). The cash award is being equally shared between the winners, and a diploma, a medal and a certificate are being awarded to each winner. The winner(s) receive(s) USD 200,000 as personal award and USD 100,000 is being used for research projects and foreign fellowships for Armenian scientists, organization of meetings in Armenia, and stipends for Armenian students (all under the supervision of the Prize Steering Committee and the Prize Winners of the given year). 

The right for the nomination of works is reserved to

• Nobel Prize Winners
• Presidiums of national academies of sciences
• Scientific councils of astronomical observatories or astronomical institutes
• Scientific councils of corresponding departments of universities

Nominations for Viktor Ambartsumian International Science Prize are not allowed in case if the presented work has already won or at the same time has been presented for another international prize. 

Necessary documents for nomination

1. Official letter of nomination signed and sealed by the corresponding body,
2. Statement of scientific results or achievements, which are being nominated (2 pages), 
3. Curriculum Vitae of the nominee(s),
4. List of refereed publications of the nominee(s),
5. Recommendations from three renowned scientists in the field, 
6. Published papers, books, CD/DVDs, or other works that are being nominated,
7. Other documents that might be important for the decision. 

The documents should be submitted to

Viktor Ambartsumian International Science Prize International Steering Committee, Presidium, National Academy of Sciences, Marshal Baghramyan ave. 24, Yerevan 0019, Republic of Armenia. Phone: +374-10-525505. 

Deadline for nominations

March 18, 2020. The decisions will be made before July 18, 2020 and the Award Ceremony of Viktor Ambartsumian International Science Prize will take place on September 18, 2020.

Viktor Ambartsumian Prize International Steering Committee

Prof. Radik M. Martirosyan (Armenia, Chair, president@sci.am)
Prof. Xavier Barcons (Germany, xbarcons@eso.org)
Prof. Anatol Cherepashchuk (Russia, director@sai.msu.ru)
Prof. Michel Mayor (Switzerland, michel.mayor@unige.ch)
Prof. Vahé Petrosian (USA, vahep@stanford.edu)
Prof. Brian Schmidt (Australia, brian@mso.anu.edu.au)
Prof. Joseph Silk (UK, silk@astro.ox.ac.uk)
Prof. Yervant Terzian (USA, terzian@astro.cornell.edu)
Prof. Ewine Van Dishoeck (Netherlands, ewine@strw.leidenuniv.nl)

Contact

Dr. Areg M. Mickaelian (Scientific Secretary, International Steering Committee, phone: +374-91-195914, E-mail: aregmick@yahoo.com).Sona V. Farmanyan (Executive Secretary, International Steering Committee, phones: +374-10-525505, +374-55-911307, E-mail: sona.farmanyan@mail.ru, vaprize@sci.am).

Viktor Ambartsumian International Prize official webpage: www.vaprize.sci.am

Previous winners of Viktor Ambartsumian International Prize

2010: Michel Mayor (Switzerland), Garik Israelian (Spain) and Nuno Santos (Portugal) – for their important contribution in the study of relation between planetary systems and their host stars

2012: Jaan Einasto (Estonia) – for his fundamental contributions to the discovery of dark matter and the cosmic web and Igor Novikov (Russia) – for his pioneering formulation how to confirm observationally that our Universe started as a hot Universe, and for proposing the method for determination of quasar masses

2014: Felix Aharonian (Germany) – for his outstanding contributions to the field of high energy astrophysics and to the physics of cosmic accelerators, and leading role in the development of the stereoscopic system of Cherenkov telescopes and Igor Karachentsev (Russia) and Brent Tully (USA) – for their fundamental contribution in the cosmology of the Local Universe

2016: was not awarded

2018: Edward van den Heuvel (Netherlands), Alexander V. Tutukov (Russia) and Lev R. Yungelson (Russia) – for their pioneering studies of massive binary stars, in particular the formation of relativistic binaries and gravitational-wave sources