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Dr Karl wins UNESCO Kalinga Prize for Popularisation of Science

20 November 2019
Following in the footsteps of David Suzuki, Arthur C. Clarke and David Attenborough, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki has been recognised by the United Nations for his ability to communicate science to the public.

Dr Karl recognised by UNESCO

The United Nations has awarded Dr Karl Kruszelnicki the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularisation of Science at the World Science Forum in Budapest, Hungary.

Dr Kruszelnicki, popularly known as Dr Karl, has been in animated conversation with Australians about science for more than a quarter of a century. The Kalinga Prize is global recognition of Dr Kruszelnicki’s gift for communication and his unquenchable enthusiasm for and curiosity about scientific knowledge.

"I’m ever so honoured by this prize. I simply couldn’t have achieved what I have without the nurturing environment that the University of Sydney provides for people like me who are perhaps not quite normal or in the mainstream," said Dr Kruszelnicki, the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow in the School of Physics at the University of Sydney.

The Kalinga Prize, which is funded by the Kalinga Foundation, the Indian Government and the Indian State of Orissa, was founded in 1951 and is UNESCO’s oldest prize. It rewards exceptional contributions made by individuals in communicating science to society and promoting the popularisation of science.

The inaugural winner was Louis de Broglie, one of the founders of quantum theory. Other winners include Margaret Mead, David Attenborough, Arthur C. Clarke, Bertrand Russell and David Suzuki.

Dr Kruszelnicki is the first Australian to win the prize.

Vice-Chancellor and Principal Dr Michael Spence said: "I am continually amazed by Dr Karl’s energy and astounded by his encyclopaedic knowledge of science. He personifies the University’s mission to engage with the wider public, to broaden society’s understanding and to break down barriers in the pursuit of knowledge.

"We are fortunate to have Dr Karl as one of our ambassadors and we are proud that the world has now recognised his tremendous talents."

Dr Kruszelnicki is probably best known in Australia for his weekly ABC Triple J science talk-back segment, which attracts 750,000 listeners a week and podcast downloads of more than 4 million a year. However, he is also engaged in a wide range of outreach activities, from twice-weekly free Skype broadcasts to Australian and international schools, extensive mentoring, podcasts that include Shirtloads of Science, appearances on television, festival appearances and regular magazine columns.

He has written 45 books: his latest Dr Karl’s Random Road Trip was published in October. It is his first book to include augmented reality.

Dr Kruszelnicki has won many awards for science communication including the Ig Nobel Prize (2002); Australian Skeptic of The Year (2006); Member of the Order of Australia (2006). In 2012, he was named as a National Living Treasure by the National Trust of Australia. And in 2012 Dr Kruszelnicki was delighted to have Asteroid 18412 named after him: Asteroid Dr Karl/18412.

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