What are the Educational Requirements for Winning a Nobel Prize?

[rodsika]

Hi, What degrees and diploma must one finish before one can be nominated for the Nobel Prize? Are all Awardees since the 1900 holding PhDs? Discovery is not planned but often accidental. What if an undergraduate or just a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Physics accidentally discovered something important like quantum tunneling between many worlds. Can he win a Nobel or must he be PhD. first? Maybe all those who vote for him are PhDs and they would feel bad if just a B.S. Physics graduate is nominated which can undermine their PhDs degrees? Is this the reason only those PhDs are nominated or chosen?

 

[lisab]

I don't think there are any degree requirements.

 

[jhae2.718]

No, one must only make the golden discovery of destiny (to borrow a phrase).

 

[Geezer]

Hi, What degrees and diploma must one finish before one can be nominated for the Nobel Prize? Are all Awardees since the 1900 holding PhDs? Discovery is not planned but often accidental. What if an undergraduate or just a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Physics accidentally discovered something important like quantum tunneling between many worlds. Can he win a Nobel or must he be PhD. first? Maybe all those who vote for him are PhDs and they would feel bad if just a B.S. Physics graduate is nominated which can undermine their PhDs degrees? Is this the reason only those PhDs are nominated or chosen?

There are no minimum credentials. As long as your work is original, ground-breaking, reproducible, has significant impact on science, etc., you can get a Nobel. Heck, you can even be illiterate and get a Nobel (though I wouldn't know how an illiterate person could publish his/her research...and without publication, you don't get credit for your "discovery").

 

[rodsika]

Can someone give example of Nobel Laureates in Physics who only have degree in Bachelor of Science in Physics or even other degrees?

 

[lisab]

Can someone give example of Nobel Laureates in Physics who only have degree in Bachelor of Science in Physics or even other degrees?

Google is your friend.

But let's suppose there are no winners with only a BS. That doesn't mean it's a requirement to have a higher degree.

 

[jhae2.718]

It's also worth pointing out that there's a strong correlation between doing research work and having a PhD.

 

[apeiron]

Hi, What degrees and diploma must one finish before one can be nominated for the Nobel Prize? Are all Awardees since the 1900 holding PhDs? Discovery is not planned but often accidental. What if an undergraduate or just a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Physics accidentally discovered something important like quantum tunneling between many worlds. Can he win a Nobel or must he be PhD. first? Maybe all those who vote for him are PhDs and they would feel bad if just a B.S. Physics graduate is nominated which can undermine their PhDs degrees? Is this the reason only those PhDs are nominated or chosen?

Brian Josphson is the usual cite - his superconductivity theory came while still doing his PhD.

His career since is rather an embarrassment to his peers though...

Unusually, along with Josephson, neither Esaki nor Giaever held professorships at the time of the award. It is rare that academics ranked below professors win the prestigious prize.[9] In addition and also unusually, each of the three performed the relevant research prior to being awarded his PhD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_David_Josephson#Education

 

[rootX]

Little google said Godfrey Hounsfield did not have sufficient education background.But for correlation, I agree with jhae2.718.

 

[lisab]

It's also worth pointing out that there's a strong correlation between doing research work and having a PhD.

Absolutely.

I almost put into my post, "correlation <> causation" but "causation" isn't quite the right term. So, correlation <> requirement.

 

[Dr Lots-o'watts]

A requirement is that the work be original. And most often, it will take years of training and experience before you find yourself in such new territory. B.sc. do research for an equivalent of a few months at most in a given year. After that, you get to go for it full time, with more access to equipment and more math skills. So the probability of finding interesting things increases.

 

[MATLABdude]

I seem to recall that Louis de Broglie got his Nobel Prize for his Ph.D. thesis work. I also seem to recall hearing that said thesis was two pages long (but I couldn't find that on his Wikipedia page) and was basically a thought experiment on particle wavelength, which at the time couldn't be verified:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_de_Broglie

 

[Dr Lots-o'watts]

A requirement is that the work be original. And most often, it will take years of training and experience before you find yourself in such new territory. B.sc. do research for an equivalent of a few months at most in a given year. After that, you get to go for it full time, with more access to equipment and more math skills. So the probability of finding interesting things increases.

And then the probability wanes again as you start having responsibilities, and can't think about physics as much anymore. The peak period is when you're fresh with newly acquired education, but still too poor to spend your time shopping for furniture and mainstream clothing.

 

[Evo]

There are several Nobel prizes. Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace prize and she wasn't educated.

 

[jhae2.718]

There are several Nobel prizes. Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace prize and she wasn't educated.

I think the OP was referring specifically to the Nobel Prize in Physics.

 

[Pengwuino]

There are several Nobel prizes. Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace prize and she wasn't educated.

I think the OP was referring specifically to the Nobel Prize in Physics.

In other words, legitimate ones :)

 

[jhae2.718]

In other words, legitimate ones :)