Laureates in the Fourth Edition of the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards To

Laureates in the fourth edition of the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards to be announced as of January 11 next

 The BBVA Foundation established these awards in 2008 to recognize seminal contributions in addressing the key challenges of the 21st century. They carry a combined cash prize of 3.2 million euros (400,000 euros per category)

 The international juries in each of the eight categories making up the award family will meet in the BBVA Foundation’s Madrid headquarters during January and February, 2012

Madrid, December 28, 2011.- In the months of January and February, Madrid’s Marquis of Salamanca Palace will welcome the eight international juries deciding the accolades in the fourth edition of the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards, with total prize money of 3.2 million euros or 400,000 euros per category. These awards recognize research and creative work of excellence as embedded in theoretical advances, technological developments or innovative artistic creation. Awards also go to seminal achievements addressing the key challenges of the 21st century. The name of the scheme refers to both research work that enlarges the scope of our current knowledge, pushing forward the frontiers of the known world, and the meeting of different disciplinary areas.

As in previous editions, the members of each jury will announce the award decision in their category to the press and invited guests at an event held in the BBVA Foundation’s Madrid headquarters. This will be followed by a live phone connection with the new laureate during which questions will be taken from the floor. CALENDAR OF AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY

Climate Change Wednesday, January 11, 2012 Information and Communication Technologies Tuesday, January 17, 2012 (ICT) Basic Sciences Tuesday, January 24, 2012 Biomedicine Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Ecology and Conservation Biology Tuesday, February 7, 2012 Contemporary Music Tuesday, February 14, 2012 Economics, Finance and Management Tuesday, February 21, 2012 Development Cooperation Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Each jury will complete its deliberations behind closed doors in the Foundation’s headquarters the day before the announcement event. The BBVA Foundation has been aided in the candidate selection process by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain’s premier research organization. Nominees have been put forward by some of the world’s most eminent academic and research institutions. Laureates in the third edition of the awards were Gabor A. Somorjai in Basic Sciences, for his pioneering contributions to our understanding of surface chemistry and catalysis at a molecular level; Shinya Yamanaka in Biomedicine, for his work in reprogramming differentiated cells back into a state characteristic of pluripotent cells; Edward O. Wilson in Ecology and Conservation Biology, for being “one of the most influential thinkers of our time, an exceptional biologist and a world-class natural historian”; Donald Knuth in Information and Communication Technologies, for turning computer programming into a science; Lars Peter Hansen in Economics, Finance and Management, for making fundamental contributions to our understanding of how economic actors cope with risky and changing environment; Helmut Lachenmann in Contemporary Music for creating new forms of musical expression that have profoundly influenced our understanding and way of listening to music throughout the world; Nicholas Stern in Climate Change, for quantifying the impacts and costs of the alteration of our planet’s climate; and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Development Cooperation, for mobilizing rice knowledge to alleviate hunger.

For more information, contact the BBVA Foundation Communication Department (+34 91 374 5210, +34 91 537 3769/[email protected]) or visit the Foundation website www.fbbva.es