The Prize

The Marcus Wallenberg Foundation for Promoting Scientific Research in the Forest Industry, is based on appropriations of Stora Kopparbergs Bergslags Aktiebolag. The first appropriation was made by the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on May 12, 1980.

The object of the Foundation is to encourage scientific research by awarding an international prize called The Marcus Wallenberg Prize.

The Prize is awarded to recognise, encourage and stimulate path breaking scientific achievements, which significantly contribute to broader knowledge and/or technical development within the broad fields of interest to the forest industry.

The Prize shall be awarded to an individual, or a smaller group of individuals if the achievements is made by a team, who has published, preferably within the past ten years, scientific path breaking achievements within the fields of forest industry.

The Foundation Board shall name the Prizewinner after hearing a special Selection Committee. The Selection Committee shall consist of a Chairperson and a minimum of three and a maximum of seven more members.

In appointing the Selection Committee members the Foundation Board shall see to it that the Selection Committee has an adequate and overall competence within the broad fields of interest to the forest industry.

Marcus Wallenberg Senior

2024 – John Ralph, USA and Wout Boerjan, Belgium

For their groundbreaking research leading to a greater understanding of lignin biosynthesis and structural diversity.

2023 – Darius M. Adams, Joseph Buongiorno and Richard Haynes, USA

For their development of the original groundbreaking forest economic models TAMM, PAPYRUS and GFPM.

2022 – Ilkka Kilpeläinen, Finland, and Herbert Sixta, Austria

For the development and use of novel ionic liquids to process wood biomass into high-performance textile fibres.