The2009 Nobel Prizes were awarded by theNobel Foundation, based inSweden. Six categories were awarded:Physics,Chemistry,Physiology or Medicine,Literature,Peace, andEconomic Sciences.[1]
Nobel Week took place from December 6 to 12, including programming such as lectures, dialogues, and discussions. The award ceremony and banquet for the Peace Prize were scheduled inOslo on December 10, while the award ceremony and banquet for all other categories were scheduled for the same day inStockholm.[2][3]
| Awardee(s) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Charles K. Kao (1933–2018) |  Chinese
| "for groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light infibers foroptical communication" | [4] |
 | Willard S. Boyle (1924–2011) |  Canadian | "for the invention of an imagingsemiconductor circuit—theCCD sensor" | |
 | George E. Smith (b. 1930) |  American | ||
| Awardee(s) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (b. 1952) |  British
| "for studies of the structure and function of theribosome" | [5] |
 | Thomas A. Steitz (1940–2018) | American | ||
.jpg) | Ada E. Yonath (b. 1939) |  Israeli | ||
| Awardee(s) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Elizabeth H. Blackburn (b. 1948) |  Australia | "for the discovery of howchromosomes are protected bytelomeres and theenzymetelomerase" | [6] |
 | Carol W. Greider (b. 1961) | United States | ||
 | Jack W. Szostak (b. 1952) | Canada | ||
| Awardee(s) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | Herta Müller (b. 1953) |  Germany | "who, with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, depicts the landscape of the dispossessed" | [7] |
| Awardee(s) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Barack Obama (born 1961) | United States | "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." | [8] |
| Awardee(s) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Elinor Ostrom (1933–2012) | United States | "for her analysis of economic governance, especiallythe commons" | [9] |
 | Oliver E. Williamson (1932–2020) | "for his analysis of economic governance, especially the boundaries of the firm" | ||
The Peace Prize's awarding to Obama drew widespread criticism on several counts. Polling data on American sentiments regarding its conferment were mixed, and several pointed out that Obama had only served nine months in theWhite House prior to receiving the prize and therefore it was undeserved or, at least, premature.[10] Opinion across the world, among citizens of different countries as well as many heads of state, was divided.[11] Many, such as those in theLos Angeles Times andThe New York Times, saw it less as a celebration of Obama and more so a critique of thepresidency of George W. Bush.[12][13]Peter Beinart of theDaily Beast called the decision a "farce";Noam Chomsky said: "In defense of the committee, we might say that the achievement of doing nothing to advance peace places Obama on a considerably higher moral plane than some of the earlier recipients".[14][15] Some called theNobel Foundation no longer credible.[16][17]
Later, through Obama's terms as president, public opinion among Americans regarding his deservingness for the prize waned.[18][19] Critics continued to cite thewar on terror as an indictment of his award's citation.[20][21] Some even called for it to be rescinded or returned.[22] Geil Lundestad, the former director of the Nobel Foundation up until 2014, said in his 2015 memoir that Obama failed to live up to the Nobel Committee's expectations.[23][24]
