Abel Prize - Selection Criteria

Selection Criteria

The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters declares the winner of the Abel Prize each March after selection by a committee of five international mathematicians. The committee is headed by Ragni Piene. The International Mathematical Union and the European Mathematical Society nominate members of the Abel Committee. The Norwegian Government gave the prize an initial funding of NOK 200 million (about US$23 million) in 2001. The funding is controlled by the Board, which consists of members elected by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

Everyone can nominate a person, except himself. That person must be alive, and if the awardee dies after being declared as the winner, he receives the prize posthumously. According to the official website, The Abel Committee "recommends the candidate for the Abel Prize, and submits its recommendation to the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters which selects the Abel Laureate on the basis of the recommendation from the committee." The Committee is composed of Norwegians and/or non-Norwegians who are elected by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and nominated by the International Mathematical Union and the European Mathematical Society.