FYI: Science Policy News
FYI
/
Article

Imprisoned Iranian Engineer and Activist Wins Peace Prize

OCT 09, 2023
Jacob Taylor headshot
Senior Editor for Science Policy, FYI AIP
narges-mohammadi.jpg

Narges Mohammadi

(Center for Human Rights in Iran)

Narges Mohammadi was awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for her activism on behalf of women and human rights in Iran.

After studying physics at Imam Khomeini University, Mohammadi worked as both an engineer and a journalist. Since 2011, she has been repeatedly arrested for her political activities and is currently imprisoned in Iran on charges that include defamation against the state.

In 2018, Mohammadi received the American Physical Society’s Andrei Sakharov Prize for her “unwavering efforts to promote the human rights and freedoms of the Iranian people, despite persecution that has forced her to suspend her scientific pursuits and endure lengthy incarceration.”

This year’s Nobel Prize for Physics went to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz, and Anne L’Huillier for work enabling electron-illuminating ultrafast laser pulses.

The chemistry prize went to Moungi Bawendi, Louis Brus, and Alexei Ekimov for developing “quantum dots” that can alter the color of semiconductor crystals.

Related Topics
More from FYI
FYI
/
Article
Speakers in Washington, DC, emphasized the need for bipartisan support for the National Institutes of Health and other science agencies.
FYI
/
Article
Restoring public trust in science and encouraging scientific dissent are among Bhattacharya’s top goals for the agency.
FYI
/
Article
The agency has lost about 10% of its workforce so far and the White House has mandated plans for further reductions in force.
FYI
/
Article
The move responds to a judge’s ruling that OPM lacks the authority to direct other agencies to make layoffs.