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Nemmers Prizes

The Erwin Plein Nemmers Prize in Economics and the Frederic Esser Nemmers Prize in Mathematics are awarded every two years to recognize "work of lasting significance" in the respective disciplines. They were established through a generous gift from the late Erwin Esser Nemmers and his brother the late Frederic Esser Nemmers. In particular, the prizes recognize "major contributions to new knowledge or the development of significant new modes of analysis." Each prize is currently $200,000.

Five out of the nine winners in economics have since received the Nobel Prize: Daniel L. McFadden (2000), Edward C. Prescott (2004), Robert J. Aumann (2005), Peter A. Diamond (2010), and Thomas J. Sargent (2011).

About the Nemmers Brothers

Erwin Esser Nemmers served as a member of the faculty of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management from 1957 until his retirement in 1986. He was a man of wide-ranging interests. Erwin E. Nemmers followed his undergraduate work in music with a Master degree in that field. Over the years, he also earned a law degree from Harvard, a degree in aeronautical engineering from Iowa, and doctorates in both economics and law from Wisconsin. His passion for learning was apparently accompanied by a shrewd business sense, and along with his faculty position he held a number of corporate directorships. He and his brother, Frederic E. Nemmers, were principals in a Milwaukee-based, family-owned church music publishing house. Erwin E. Nemmers's entrepreneurial skill and success in the financial markets provided the resources that enabled him and his brother, whom he persuaded to join him in making the gift, to contribute $14 million to Northwestern upon their deaths.

Those gifts were designated by Erwin and Frederic Nemmers for two purposes: the establishment of four endowed professorships in the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and the establishment of the Nemmers Prizes.

About the Nemmers Prize Endowment

In establishing the Nemmers Prize endowment, Erwin and Frederic Nemmers envisioned prizes in a variety of areas, including not only economics and mathematics but also possibly, in the future, in such areas as geology, engineering, and medical science. They also hoped that the various Nemmers Prizes would carry with them both the prestige and emoluments attached to the Nobel prizes; however, they realized that their endowment gift was insufficient to fund initially a prize of Nobel magnitude. Until such an award was possible, they stipulated that most of the income from their gift should be returned each year to principal, with a portion being used to fund prizes more modest than the Nobel in stipend if not in stature.

Consistent with the terms of the Nemmers bequests, the Erwin Plein Nemmers Prize in Economics (named in honor of the Nemmers' father) and the Frederic Esser Nemmers Prize in Mathematics (named by Erwin in honor of his brother) are designed to recognize "work of lasting significance" in the respective disciplines and specifically "major contributions to new knowledge or the development of significant new modes of analysis."

Nominations Process

Northwestern University invites nominations for the Erwin Plein Nemmers Prize in Economics and the Frederic Esser Nemmers Prize in Mathematics every other year. The next nomination deadline is December 1, 2013, for the 2014 awards.

Candidacy for the Nemmers Prizes is open to those with careers of outstanding achievement in either the field of economics or mathematics as demonstrated by major contributions to new knowledge or the development of significant new modes of analysis. Individuals of all nationalities and institutional affiliations are eligible except current or recent members of the Northwestern University faculty and recipients of the Nobel Prize.

The recipients of the 2014 Nemmers Prizes will deliver a public lecture and participate in other scholarly activities at Northwestern University for 10 weeks during the 2014-2015 academic year.

Nominations should include:

  • A letter of no more than three pages describing the nominee's professional experience, accomplishments, and qualifications for the award
  • A brief curriculum vitae of the nominee is helpful but not required

Nominations from experts in the field are preferred to institutional nominations; direct applications will not be accepted.

Nominations may be sent to:

Email: nemmers@northwestern.edu

Secretary
Selection Committee for the Nemmers Prizes
Office of the Provost
Northwestern University
633 Clark Street
Evanston, Illinois 60208-1119
U.S.A.