YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 13, ARMENPRESS. Three scientists have been honored in Armenia with the 2018 Viktor Hambardzumian International Science Prize. The prize, named after renowned Armenian scientist and astronomer Viktor Hambardzumian, is being awarded once every two years to outstanding scientists having significant contribution in physical-mathematical sciences from any country and nationality.

The winners of the 2018 prize are Dutch astronomer Edward van den Heuvel (Professor at Pannekoek Astronomy Institute of the University of Amsterdam), Russian scientist Alexander Tutukov (Professor at Institute of Astronomy of Russian Academy of Sciences), and Russian scientist Lev Yungelson (Professor at Institute of Astronomy of Russian Academy of Sciences).

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan personally awarded the prizes.

“We fully realize the importance of this prize’s reputation. Its value includes being accepted by the scientific community, the names of renowned scientists, who will become laureates and will capture their deserved place next to the glorious name of Viktor Hambartsumian. The more glorious scientists win this prize, the more confidence and international reputation towards it grows. Many are asking, how is it that the small country of Armenia has put out such a major scientific award. Being a newly independent state, Armenia, since the most difficult years, and now also, continues to attach importance to the development of science, continues having its place among leading countries,” Pashinyan said.

Armenian Academy of Sciences President Radik Martirosyan, chairman of the international commission of the award, said they received 14 different proposal-presentations from science academies and other major scientific centers for consideration. The commission decided to award the prize to the group of scientists who were nominated jointly by the Pannekoek Astronomy Institute and the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences “For their pioneering studies of massive binary stars, in particular the formation of relativistic binaries and gravitational-wave sources”.

“Armenia, like my country of the Netherlands, is also a small country,” said Edward van den Heuvel. “But in astronomy Armenia isn’t small at all. Armenia has given numerous world famous scientists, who are working in many countries of the world, namely in Germany, Spain, the US, and certainly in Armenia,” he said, thanking for the honor.

Yungelson, thanking for the award, said he will use the money of the prize to support astronomical research, also for young astronomers.

The prize is awarded since 2010.

The international commission of the prize includes Nobel laureate Brian Schmidt, Professor Yervand Terzyan, Professor Vahe Petrosyan and others.

The winning group of the prize receives a 300,000 dollar prize, out of which 100,000 dollars will be used in Armenia in the next two years for the development of astrophysics, relating physics and mathematics.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan