I am deeply honored to receive this prize. As someone who studies the brain, this recognition is special, as it is named after Fridtjof Nansen, who made groundbreaking contributions to neuroscience. This is said by associate professor at the Department of Psychology, Daniel Quintana. He receives this year's Fridtjof Nansen Award for Younger Researchers in Science and Medicine.
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"Quintana's research results represent outstanding originality and scientific activity at a high international level," according to the explanation of the jury.
The award consists of 75,000 kroner and a diploma and is presented at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters' annual meeting on May 3.
More than polar expeditions
"While many people know Nansen for his polar expeditions or humanitarian work, he also made early groundbreaking contributions to neuroscience. His work challenged not just the prevailing ideas of his time, but also contributed to a key foundation on which modern neuroscience is built. This prize is also a recognition of the hard work that our colleagues and partners put in, and the excellent research environment at the University of Oslo", says Daniel Quintana, associate professor at the Department of Psychology.
In the committee's recommendation, it is stated among other things: "Quintana is a young medical researcher who has achieved international recognition for his research on the effects of the hormone oxytocin on health and well-being. Oxytocin is a hormone that is naturally produced in the brain and distributed throughout the body. Quintana's research results represent outstanding originality and scientific activity at a high international level. Daniel Quintana is a worthy winner of the Fridtjof Nansen Award for Younger Researchers."
Much to discover about the brain
When asked what motivates him – to both research and communication, Quintana answers:
My work is primarily motivated by a deep curiosity about how the brain coordinates human behavior. The brain and its systems are incredibly complex, and there is still so much to discover. Research and communication go hand in hand for me. I believe that a research project should not stop when an article is submitted; our work should be communicated to other researchers and to the public. With the growing emergence of misinformation online, it's more important than ever for researchers to share and discuss their work with a broad audience, he emphasizes.
Both Young Researchers Awards go to SV
Tore Wig, who is a professor at the Department of Political Science, is also awarded this year's Fridtjof Nansen Award for Younger Researchers. He receives the award in the Humanities and Social Sciences category.
In the committee's recommendation, it is stated among other things: "Wig has distinguished himself as a researcher at the forefront of international research, and nationally as an active communicator and debater." And "Through his research, Wig attempts to understand the causes of civil war and ethnic conflicts. He shows how political 'pre-colonial' institutions play a crucial role in explaining why some countries, areas, and ethnic groups are marked by armed conflict in modern times."
Pia Lane receives the main award
The Fridtjof Nansen Award for Outstanding Research is presented by the Nansen Fund. The award is granted to Norwegian researchers, or researchers permanently residing in Norway, who have made scientific contributions of international significance at a very high level. The award should be given to an active researcher for the stimulation of further work.
The main award consists of 300,000 kroner, a diploma, and the Nansen Medal for Outstanding Research and goes to Pia Lane this year, who is a professor at the Centre for Multilingualism at the Faculty of Humanities. Among the reasons for her receiving the prize is her role as a central member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The award is presented annually but alternates between the humanities & social sciences and the natural sciences & medicine. In 2024, the award will be given within the humanities and social sciences.
The Fridtjof Nansen Award for Younger Researchers is given in both classes (natural sciences & medicine and humanities & social sciences). It consists of 75,000 kroner and a diploma. Otherwise, the same rules as for the main Fridtjof Nansen Award for Outstanding Research apply.
