The 2025 National Academy of Sciences Awards Celebrate Scientific Breakthroughs
Explore AwardsEvery year, the scientific community anticipates an event often described as the "Oscars of Science"—the National Academy of Sciences Awards ceremony. Since 1886, these prestigious awards have honored extraordinary achievements across all scientific disciplines, from unraveling the mysteries of the human brain to exploring distant exoplanets and quantum phenomena.
The 2025 awards continue this storied tradition, recognizing 20 exceptional researchers whose work demonstrates how scientific discovery continues to expand human knowledge and address our world's most pressing challenges 1 .
This year's recipients include pioneers who have made groundbreaking contributions to solar physics, medicinal chemistry, neuroscience, quantum materials, and exoplanet research. Their work not only advances theoretical understanding but also paves the way for practical applications that could revolutionize technology, medicine, and our daily lives.
The 2025 NAS Awards showcase the incredible diversity of scientific inquiry across multiple disciplines. Each award recognizes specialized breakthroughs while collectively illustrating how interconnected different scientific fields have become in the 21st century.
| Scientist | Institution | Award | Research Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart D. Bale | UC Berkeley | Arctowski Medal | Solar corona and solar wind physics |
| Adam K. Leroy | Ohio State University | Henry Draper Medal | Interstellar medium studies |
| Xiaodong Xu | University of Washington | NAS Award for Scientific Discovery | Experimental observation of fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect |
| Michael E. Jung | UCLA | NAS Award for Chemistry in Service to Society | Synthetic medicinal chemistry and drug discovery |
| Liqun Luo | Stanford University | NAS Award in the Neurosciences | Neural development and brain wiring mechanisms |
Among this year's distinguished recipients, Xiaodong Xu from the University of Washington stands out for earning the NAS Award for Scientific Discovery. His work on the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect represents exactly the type of fundamental breakthrough this award was established to recognize 4 7 .
To appreciate Xu's achievement, we must first understand some key concepts in quantum physics:
What made Xu's discovery so remarkable was observing the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect without applying an external magnetic field—something previously thought impossible 4 7 .
Xu's research focuses on elucidating emerging quantum phenomena in two-dimensional materials and heterostructures using innovative device design, optical spectroscopy, and electrical transport measurements. His discovery of the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect in synthetic topological materials revealed fractionalized electronic charge carriers without the application of a magnetic field 4 .
This discovery opens a new research frontier into interaction-driven topological phases and fractionalized quantum matter, bringing these exotic quantum states closer to real-world applications in topological electronics, spintronics, and most importantly, quantum computing 4 7 .
Xu's experimental observation of the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect represents a masterpiece of scientific ingenuity. Let's break down the methodology, results, and significance of this groundbreaking work.
Xu's team created specialized Moiré heterostructures by stacking ultra-thin, two-dimensional materials at precise angles to create quantum interference patterns that enable novel electronic behaviors.
The samples were cooled to temperatures near absolute zero (-273.15°C) to reduce thermal vibrations that would otherwise mask quantum phenomena.
The team designed exquisite measurement systems capable of detecting incredibly small electrical signals using nanofabrication techniques to create electrodes only a few atoms wide.
Through careful application of electrical gates, the researchers tuned the electron density in their samples to precisely the right conditions for the effect to emerge.
| Parameter | Value/Condition | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | Near absolute zero (≈10 mK) | Reduces thermal noise to reveal quantum effects |
| Material System | Moiré heterostructure of 2D materials | Creates artificial quantum interference pattern |
| Measurement Precision | Nano-scale electrodes | Allows detection of tiny quantum signals |
| Electron Density | Precisely tuned via gate voltage | Creates conditions for fractional charging |
| Magnetic Field | None applied | Demonstrates anomalous (intrinsic) effect |
Breakthrough scientific discoveries like those recognized by the NAS Awards depend on specialized materials and technologies. Here are some of the key "research reagents" driving innovation across multiple fields of science:
| Tool/Technology | Field | Function | Example Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moiré heterostructures | Quantum materials | Creates artificial quantum materials | Studying fractional quantum Hall effects |
| Cryogenic systems | Multiple fields | Cools samples to near absolute zero | Quantum computing research, material studies |
| James Webb Space Telescope | Astronomy | Observes distant astronomical objects | Exoplanet atmosphere characterization 8 |
| CRISPR-Cas systems | Molecular biology | Precisely edits genetic material | Gene therapy development, functional genomics |
| Ribosome profiling | Molecular biology | Sequences mRNA being decoded by ribosomes | Studying protein synthesis, gene expression |
While recognizing individual scientists, the NAS Awards also highlight how scientific progress increasingly depends on collaboration across disciplines and institutions. The awards presented in 2025 demonstrate several important trends in contemporary research.
Many of the honored research projects blur traditional boundaries between scientific fields:
The NAS Awards continue to evolve with the scientific landscape. For 2026, the Academy is already calling for nominations in emerging fields including artificial intelligence, highlighting how the awards adapt to recognize cutting-edge research 3 6 .
"Preference will be given to early-career scientists and those whose work hasn't been recognized by other large prizes or awards," ensuring that the awards continue to highlight both established and emerging scientific talent 3 .
The 2025 NAS Award recipients represent the pinnacle of scientific achievement, but they also symbolize something even more important: humanity's endless curiosity and our persistent drive to understand the universe around us.
"This award is a tremendous recognition from the scientific community of our discovery of the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect. It opens an exciting new research frontier in correlated topology, and my team and I are thrilled to explore its potential" 7 .
The National Academy of Sciences Awards not only honor these achievements but also remind us of the importance of supporting basic research—the kind of curiosity-driven investigation that may not have immediate practical applications but which lays the foundation for future breakthroughs. As we celebrate these 20 exceptional scientists, we also celebrate the scientific method itself: our best tool for unlocking the mysteries of the universe and improving the human condition.
The winners will be honored in a ceremony on April 27 during the National Academy of Sciences' 162nd annual meeting, where they will join the ranks of scientific luminaries dating back to 1886 1 . Their achievements stand as testament to human ingenuity and our never-ending quest to understand the world around us—from the smallest quantum particles to the vastness of interstellar space.