Fred Kavli

Physicist Fred Kavli led a hugely successful career with his company Kavlico Corporation, developing sophisticated sensors that were useful for a wide variety of functions in the aeronautical and automotive industries: his technologies are found in the International Space Station, space shuttles, missiles, and dishwashers. After retiring, Kavli donated much of his fortune to science. The Kavli Foundation launched in 2000, has birthed seventeen Kavli institutes around the world, providing seed money to allow researchers to pursue their ideas. It also established the Kavli Prizes in 2008, which recognize scientists for their advances in astrophysics, nanoscience, and neuroscience. Updated 2012