The awarding of prizes has been an essential mission of the Academy of sciences since the 18th Century.

The "grande médaille"

The "grande médaille", created in 1997, is a distinction awarded annually, in rotation, in the relevant disciplines of each division of the Academy, to a French or foreign scholar who has contributed to the development of science in a decisive way, both through the originality of his/her personal research and by his/her international presence and the stimulating influence which he/she will have had through the creation of a true school of research. The worked carried out will have concerned an important field of fundamental research and shed new light upon and brought about a greater understanding of the discipline in question.

Grande médaille winner 2002 :
Richard L. Garwin (United States of America)

Grande médaille winner 2003 :
David Sabatini (United States of America)

Grande médaille winner 2004 :
David J. Gross (United States of America) (pdf 11 ko)

Grande médaille winner 2005 :
Ronald M. Evans (United States of America)

Grande médaille winner 2006 :
Peter Goldreich (United States of America)

Grande médaille winner 2007 :
Tomas Hökfelt (Sweden)

Grande médaille winner 2008 :
Susan Solomon (United States of America)

Grande médaille winner 2009 :
Robert A. Weinberg (United States of America)

Each year, the French Academy of Sciences distributes about 80 prizes.

List of winners
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010