The Bakerian Medal is one of the premier medals of the Royal Society that recognizes exceptional and outstanding science. It comes with a medal award and a prize lecture. The medalist is required to give a lecture on any topic related to physical sciences. It is awarded annually to individuals in the field of physical sciences, including computer science.
History
The prize was started in 1775, when Henry Baker left £100 to establish a spoken lecture given by a Fellow of the Royal Society on such part of natural history or experimental philosophy as the Society shall determine. Clearly, this is to deliver a lecture of scientific interests and importance, and encourage sharing of knowledge with others.
Awardees
Source: Royal Society
21st century
2024 Michele Dougherty, for her scientific leadership of the Cassini magnetic field instrument at Saturn, seminal research findings on potential life support on Enceladus and leadership of forthcoming missions to probe Jupiter’s icy moons 2023 Andrew Zisserman, for research on computational theory and commercial systems for geometrical analysis of images, and for being a pioneer and leading scientist in machine learning for vision, especially image recognition 2022 Michelle Simmons, for seminal contributions to our understanding of nature at the atomic-scale by creating a sequence of world-first quantum electronic devices in which individual atoms control device behaviour 2021 Victoria Kaspi, for her research focused on neutron stars and their utility for constraining basic physics 2020 Sir James Hough, for his world-leading work on suspensions systems for the test masses used in laser interferometry, pivotal to the successful detection of gravitational waves. 2019 Edward Hinds, for his achievements in controlling individual atoms, molecules and photons. 2018 Susan Solomon, her contributions in atmospheric science especially on polar ozone depletion. 2017 Andrew Hopper, for his work in computer networking and sentient computing systems. 2016 Andrea Ghez, The monster at the heart of our galaxy 2015 John Ellis, The Long Road to the Higgs Boson - and Beyond 2014 Lynn Gladden, It’s magnetic resonance – but not as you know it 2013 David Leigh, Making the tiniest machines 2012 Peter Edwards, Metals and the conducting and superconducting states of matter 2011 Herbert Huppert, Carbon storage: caught between a rock and climate change 2010 Donal Bradley, Plastic electronics: their science and applications 2009 James Murray, Mathematics in the real world: From brain tumours to saving marriages. 2008 Robin Clark, Raman microscopy, pigments and the arts/science interface 2007 Joseph Silk, The dark side of the Universe 2006 Athene Donald, The mesoscopic world - from plastic bags to brain disease - structural similarities in physics 2005 John Pendry, Negative refraction, the perfect lens and metamaterials 2004 Michael Pepper, Semiconductor nanostructures and new quantum effects 2003 Christopher Dobson, Protein folding and misfolding: from theory to therapy 2002 Arnold Wolfendale, Cosmic rays: what are they and where do they come from? 2001 David Sherrington, Magnets, microchips, memories and markets: statistical physics of complex systems.