Rainer Weiss, Kip S. Thorne, Barry C. Barish and la Colaboración Científica Ligo 2017 Princess of Asturias Award for Technical & Scientific Research

Statement by Barry Barish on being bestowed with the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research

“I am honored and humbled to be awarded the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research for 2017, along with my colleagues, Rai Weiss and Kip Thorne, and especially with the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1916 and after years of developing the techniques, we observed them from the merger of two black holes 100 years later. Now, we have the exciting prospect of viewing the universe in a totally new way. Who knows what wonders we will find?”

Barry Barish
Santa Monica (United States), 14th June 2017

Statement by Kip S. Thorne on being bestowed with the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research

“I am very pleased that the LIGO Scientific Collaboration is being awarded the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award for Scientific and Technical Research, and feel greatly honored to be singled out, along with my esteemed colleagues Dr. Barry Barish and Dr. Rainer Weiss for special mention in connection with this award.”

Kip S. Thorne
Haifa (Israel), 14th June 2017

Statement by Laura Cadonati, deputy spokesperson of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, on being bestowed with the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research

“The LIGO Scientific Collaboration is deeply honored to receive the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award for Scientific and Technical Research with Rainer Weiss, Kip Thorne and Barry Barish. The discovery of gravitational waves is a genuine breakthrough that opened the frontiers of a new kind of astrophysics and is already bringing new insights into the invisible side of the universe. We are honored the Foundation recognizes that this discovery would not have been possible without the decades-long scientific insight and dedication of hundreds of scientists and engineers from around the world, who have addressed technical challenges at the limits of human knowledge.”

Laura Cadonati
Deputy spokesperson of the LIGO scientific collaboration
Atlanta (United States), 14th June 2017

Statement by Rainer Weiss on being bestowed with the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research

“I am honored to be one of the receipients along with Kip Thorne, Barry Barish and the LIGO scientific collaboration of the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award for Scientific and Technical Research.

The award really celebrates the remarkable insight that Albert Einstein had a little over one hundred years ago in his then new theory of gravitation which predicted both gravitational waves and black holes.

The award also recognizes the remarkable advances that have been made both in astrophysics and in the technology during those hundred years which enabled the recent measurements.”

Rainer Weiss
Boston, 15th June 2017