In the interiors of stars and most planets, global magnetic fields are generated by thermal convection of an electrically conducting fluid under the influence of rotation. Planetary scientist Gary A
Few plant biologists would imagine the honor of a walk down a glitzy red carpet. However, that is where Joanne Chory, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, found herself in December 2017. She, along with 11 others, had been awarded the Breakthrough Prize, a $3 million award that recognizes extraordinary achievements in the fields of fundamental physics, life sciences, and mathematics. The prize is awarded at a televised ceremony in Mountain View, California. Chory recently spoke to PNAS about the prize, her experience attending the ceremony, and how she, as a laureate, can influence the next generation of Breakthrough Prize winners. PNAS: How did you hear that you had been awarded the Breakthrough Prize? Chory: I was sitting here in my office on a Friday morning when Gary Ruvkun [a molecular biologist at Massachusetts General Hospital] phoned. He's on the prize committee, and he's someone I know well, so he probably volunteered to make the call.
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