By Julie FrenchThe Daily Northwestern
Northwestern faculty members pulled in nine prestigious awards at the end of Winter Quarter, including a $1.5 million prize that is awarded to only one person each year.
The Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries About Spiritual Realities is the world's largest monetary award given annually to a single individual. The prize went to Charles Taylor, a professor of philosophy and law.
Taylor, who has studied the spiritual dimensions of philosophy and law for more than 50 years, will officially be rewarded at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in May. His research included using both spiritual and secular perspectives to solve social problems.
"It's a tremendous honor for him to be recognized," said Law School Dean David Van Zandt. "We're so proud to have him on our faculty. I remember reading (his work) back when I was in graduate school back in the mid-'70s. This is an underlining of his excellence."
Eight young NU scientists also received Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Research Fellowships and Faculty Early Career Development awards - also known as CAREER awards - which are given to researchers who are in the beginning of their careers.
NU tied with Harvard University for six Sloan Fellowships.
Only Massachusetts Institute of Technology earned more, besting NU by one.
Fellowship winners - chemistry Profs. Franz Geiger and Karl Scheidt, McCormick Profs. Bartosz Grzybowski and Lincoln Lauhon, mathematics Prof. David Nadler and ophthalmology Prof. Joshua Singer - will receive $45,000 each for their independent contributions to science.
The recognition that comes with the award is more significant than the money, said Singer, who was honored for his work on night vision.
"These grants are important for young investigators because they provide an assessment from outside of the university about the quality of the work," he said. "It's readily apparent to people outside the field that this is interesting and important."
Spring Break
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