List of Canadian Nobel Laureates: Many esteemed individuals from Canada have been honored with the prestigious Nobel Prize in various fields such as Physiology or Medicine, Chemistry, Physics, Literature, Peace, and Economics. These extraordinary laureates have made groundbreaking contributions to their respective fields, bringing international recognition to Canadian excellence in academia, science, literature, and peacekeeping efforts.
Table of Content
List of Canadian Nobel Laureates
Here’s a comprehensive list of all Canadian Nobel Laureates:
| Nobel Prize Category | Laureate | Year Awarded | Contribution / Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physiology or Medicine | Frederick Banting | 1923 | Discovery of insulin and its therapeutic application |
| John Macleod | 1923 | Discovery of insulin and its therapeutic application | |
| Literature | Saul Bellow | 1976 | Novelist and playwright |
| Peace | Lester B. Pearson | 1957 | Role in resolving the Suez Crisis and creating UN Peacekeeping Forces |
| United Nations | 2001 | Organization’s work for a better organized and more peaceful world | |
| Chemistry | Gerhard Herzberg | 1971 | Molecular spectroscopy |
| Physics | Bertram Brockhouse | 1994 | Neutron scattering techniques for solids |
| John Polanyi | 1986 | Chemical kinetics | |
| Richard E. Taylor | 1990 | Discovery of quarks within the proton | |
| Arthur B. McDonald | 2015 | Discovery of neutrino oscillations, demonstrating that neutrinos have mass |
Canadian Nobel Prize Winners
s Nobel Prize Winners
Frederick Banting
- (b. Alliston, 1891 – d. Musgrave Harbour, 1941)
- Jointly awarded the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with John James Rickard Macleod (1876-1935), for discovering insulin, a treatment for diabetes.
William Giauque
- (b. Niagara Falls, 1895 – d. Berkeley, 1982)
- Awarded the 1949 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for thermodynamics research “concerning the behaviour of substances at extremely low temperatures.”
Lester B. Pearson
- (b. Toronto, 1897 – d. Ottawa, 1972)
- Awarded the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize for helping mediate the end of the Suez Crisis and establishing the United Nations Emergency Force.
Charles Huggins
- (b. Halifax, 1901 – d. Chicago, 1997)
- Jointly awarded the 1966 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with Peyton Rous (1879-1972), “for his discoveries concerning hormonal treatment of prostatic cancer.”
Gerhard Herzberg
- (b. Hamburg, 1904 – d. Ottawa, 1999)
- Awarded the 1971 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work involving the “electronic structure and geometry of molecules, particularly free radicals.”
David Hubel
- (b. Windsor, 1926 – d. Lincoln, 2013)
- Jointly awarded the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with Roger W. Sperry (1913-1994), and Torsten N. Wiesel (b. 1924), for their discoveries regarding how the human brain processes images.
Henry Taube
- (b. Neudorf, 1915 – d. Stanford, 2005)
- Awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize in Chemistry “for his work on the mechanisms of electron transfer reactions, especially in metal complexes.”
John Polanyi
- (b. 1929)
- Jointly awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, along with Yuan T. Lee (b. 1936) and Dudley Herschbach (b. 1932) for for “their contributions concerning the dynamics of chemical elementary processes.”
Sidney Altman
- (b. 1939)
- Jointly awarded the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, along with Thomas R. Cech (b. 1947), for discovering the catalytic properties of ribonucleic acid in living cells.
Richard E. Taylor
- (b. 1929)
- Jointly awarded the 1990 Nobel Prize in Physics, along with Jerome I. Friedman (b. 1930) and Henry W. Kendall (1926-1999), for their investigations of the “quark model in particle physics.”
Rudolph Marcus
- (b. 1923)
- Awarded the 1992 Nobel Prize in Chemistry “for his contributions to the theory of electron transfer reactions in chemical systems.”
Bertram Brockhouse
- (b. Lethbridge, 1918 – d. Hamilton, 2003)
- Jointly awarded the 1994 Nobel Prize in Physics, along with Clifford G. Shull (1915-2001), “for pioneering contributions to the development of neutron scattering techniques for studies of condensed matter.”
William Vickrey
- (b. Victoria, 1914 – b. New York, 1996)
- Jointly awarded the 1996 Nobel Prize in Economics, along with James A. Mirrlees, “for their fundamental contributions to the economic theory of incentives under asymmetric information.”
Myron Scholes
- (b. 1941)
- Jointly awarded the 1997 Nobel Prize in Economics, along with Robert C. Merton (b. 1944), for their “new method to determine the value of derivatives.”
Robert A. Mundell
- (b. 1932)
- Awarded the 1999 Nobel Prize in Economics “for his analysis of monetary and fiscal policy under different exchange rate regimes and his analysis of optimum currency areas.”
Willard S. Boyle
- (b. Amherst, 1924 – d. Truro, 2011)
- Jointly awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics, along with Charles Kuen Kao (b. 1933) and George E. Smith (b. 1930), for his invention of the CCD sensor.
Ralph M. Steinman
- (b. Montreal, 1943 – d. New York, 2011)
- Jointly awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with Bruce A. Beutler (b. 1957) and Jules A. Hoffmann (b. 1941), “for his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity.” Dr. Steinman received the award posthumously.
Alice Munro
- (b. 1931)
- Awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature for her short stories.
Donna Strickland
- (b. 1959)
- Jointly awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics along with Arthur Ashkin (b. 1922) and Gérard Mourou (b. 1944) for “for their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses.”
David Card
- (b. 1956)
- Jointly awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Economics along with Joshua Angrist (b. 1960) and Guido Imbens (b. 1963) for their methodological contributions to the analysis of causal relationships.
Nobel prize winners from Canadian universities
Here’s a list of Nobel Prize winners who have been affiliated with Canadian universities:
-
Frederick Banting:
- Affiliation: University of Toronto
- Nobel Prize: Physiology or Medicine, 1923
-
John Macleod:
- Affiliation: University of Toronto
- Nobel Prize: Physiology or Medicine, 1923
-
Gerhard Herzberg:
- Affiliation: University of Saskatchewan (formerly)
- Nobel Prize: Chemistry, 1971
-
Henry Taube:
- Affiliation: University of Saskatchewan
- Nobel Prize: Chemistry, 1983
-
Rudolph Marcus:
- Affiliation: University of British Columbia
- Nobel Prize: Chemistry, 1992
-
Bertram Brockhouse:
- Affiliation: McMaster University
- Nobel Prize: Physics, 1994
-
Richard E. Taylor:
- Affiliation: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), former professor at University of Saskatchewan
- Nobel Prize: Physics, 1990
-
Willard S. Boyle:
- Affiliation: University of British Columbia
- Nobel Prize: Physics, 2009
Canadian Nobel Laureates – Interesting Facts
- Frederick Banting’s Dream: The groundbreaking idea behind the discovery of insulin, for which Frederick Banting and John Macleod won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1923, originated from a dream Banting had about the pancreas.
- Gerhard Herzberg’s Astronomy Passion: Nobel laureate Gerhard Herzberg, known for his contributions to Chemistry, was an avid amateur astronomer. He even had an asteroid named after him – 3316 Herzberg.
- Lester B. Pearson’s Diplomatic Career: Before becoming a politician and receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957, Lester B. Pearson served as Canada’s ambassador to the United States and made significant contributions to international diplomacy.
- Bertram Brockhouse’s Love for Nature: Nobel laureate Bertram Brockhouse, awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1994, was passionate about outdoor activities like hiking and canoeing. He credited his connection to nature for sparking his scientific curiosity.
- Alice Munro’s Rural Inspirations: Renowned author Alice Munro, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, drew inspiration from her rural upbringing in her acclaimed short stories. She began her writing career while raising her children on a farm, showcasing the profound influence of her surroundings on her literary work.
FAQs on List of Canadian Nobel Laureates
Who was the only Canadian to win the Nobel Peace Prize?
Lester B. Pearson, a former Prime Minister of Canada, was the only Canadian to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his role in resolving the Suez Crisis.
Which university has the most Nobel Prize winners in Canada?
The University of Toronto has the most Nobel Prize winners among Canadian universities, with several laureates affiliated with the institution.
Who is Canada’s one and only Nobel Prize-winning author?
Alice Munro is Canada’s one and only Nobel Prize-winning author, awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 for her exceptional contribution to literature.
Did Albert Einstein win a Nobel Prize?
Yes, Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect, which laid the foundation for the development of quantum theory.
How many Nobel Prize winners in Canada?
Canada has had numerous Nobel Prize winners across various categories, including Physiology or Medicine, Chemistry, Physics, Literature, and Peace.
Which Canadian won the Nobel Prize in Literature?
Alice Munro, a renowned Canadian author, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 for her outstanding body of work in the field of literature.
Which country has the most Nobel Prize winners in physics?
The United States has the most Nobel Prize winners in physics, with numerous laureates recognized for their contributions to the field over the years.
Which country has the most Nobel Prize winners in science?
The United States leads in Nobel Prize winners in science, including physics, chemistry, and physiology or medicine, due to its significant contributions to scientific research and innovation.