The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

British researcher wins top Swiss science award

woman smiling
© Keystone / Gaetan Bally

Materials theory specialist Nicola Spaldin has been awarded this year’s Marcel Benoist prize for her groundbreaking research on multiferroics – a new class of substances that can act as magnets and react to electric fields.

This property makes multiferroics promising materials that could be used to replace silicon in computer chips.

“She has laid the foundation for an ultra-fast and energy-efficient data storage,” announced the Benoist foundationExternal link on Thursday. Born in England in 1969, Spaldin taught at the University of California before becoming a professor at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH ZurichExternal link in 2011.

External Content

Thanks to her pioneering work, “electronic devices can now be equipped with a completely new architecture and higher energy efficiency. Possible applications are ultrafast computers, tiny data memories or medical precision measurements,” explained the foundation.

Spaldin was congratulated in Bern on Thursday by Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, the minister responsible for research. She said she appreciated the “excellent conditions” for research in Switzerland. The prize is worth CHF250,000 ($254,313).

External Content

The Marcel Benoist Swiss Science PrizeExternal link has been awarded since 1920 to scientists based in Switzerland whose work has had a beneficial impact upon society. Ten prizewinners have subsequently been awarded the Nobel PrizeExternal link.

More


Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Legal action against Israeli drone purchase

More

Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones

This content was published on Not only delays and setbacks. To the already troubled issue of the Israeli ADS15 drones, involving the company Elbit and armasuisse, there is now also a legal action, which aims to put an end to the delivery of the six reconnaissance drones.

Read more: Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones
Higher direct payments do not stop scrub encroachment on alpine pastures

More

Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures

This content was published on The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.

Read more: Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey

More

Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey

This content was published on In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.

Read more: Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
Millionaires prioritise well-being over material possessions

More

High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions

This content was published on The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.

Read more: High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
Spanish flu: virus genome deciphered a century later

More

Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus

This content was published on Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.

Read more: Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR