Thank you for the invitation. I am delighted to be here tonight. 

Professor Dr. Andreas Roepstorff is internationally recognised for his contributions to the understanding of human social interaction and cognition. 

He opens up new avenues in research through own contributions and by bringing together the world’s leading scientists in the diverse disciplines relevant to human interaction, such as anthropology, medicine, religion, music, neuroscience and cognitive research. 

Roepstorff’s combination of excellent scientific capacity, innovative drive, and unique interdisciplinary approach makes him a truly unique scientist and research leader. 

The Carlsberg Foundation Research Prize for 2015 is thus awarded to professor Andreas Roepstorff both for his outstanding work in human social interaction and for his rare ability to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration. 


Professor Dr. Jens Kehlet Nørskov has made exceptional contributions to the atomic-scale understanding of surface physics and chemistry, catalysis, materials science, nanostructures, and biomolecules. 

Nørskov’s work is both on basic research and its application to real-life problems, particularly in catalysis. His research has indeed helped to move the field of catalysis away from alchemy to rational science. 

Professor Nørskov has been a key figure in building up the very framework for our current understanding of heterogeneous catalysis, electro-catalysis and photo-catalysis.
These phenomena are of immense societal importance as they underlie much chemical production, energy conversion, and environmental protection. 

Nørskov has not only made a lasting impression as a research leader in the Danish scientific community but also internationally as he in 2010 moved to Stanford University to become director of the SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis. 

The Carlsberg Foundation Research Prize for 2015 is thus awarded to professor Jens Kehlet Nørskov for his excellent contributions to the basic understanding and application of catalysis, both as a scientist and as a research leader.