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Wellbeing scientists named among Nobel-class researchers
Three of the world’s brightest minds in the field of wellbeing science have been cited among researchers considered possibles for a Nobel Prize.
Professor Lord Richard Layard (LSE), Professor Andrew Oswald (Warwick) and Professor Richard A Easterlin (USC) have been named Clarivate Citation Laureates “for pioneering contributions to the economics of happiness and subjective wellbeing”.
Citation Laureates are so named based on the citation impact of their published research and demonstrated research influence comparable to that of Nobel Prize recipients. The trio are among just 21 Citation Laureates named across four categories (physics, chemistry, medicine and economics) in 2022.
Professor Oswald is a Senior Research Fellow at the Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Oxford, while Professor Lord Layard is a senior member of the Centre’s Advisory Board. Professor Easterlin has previously contributed to the Centre’s seminar series.
Since Citation Laureates were first named by Clarivate analysts in 2002*, 64 have gone on to become Nobel laureates either in the year of their citation or later.
Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Director of the Wellbeing Research Centre and Professor of Economics and Behavioural Science at the Saïd Business School, Oxford, said: “This prestigious recognition is hugely well-deserved by these three giants of wellbeing science, and all at the Centre wish to congratulate Lord Layard, Andrew and Richard on their citations.
“All three have made incomparable contributions to our field of research, and we are honoured to not only host Professor Oswald as a Senior Research Fellow at our Centre, but to maintain the support of Lord Layard both as a member of the Centre’s Advisory Board, and that of the World Wellbeing Movement.
“Not only have we witnessed first-hand their own research contributions, but Andrew and Lord Layard’s continued encouragement for the next generation of wellbeing researchers is of great value to our field.”
Professor Lord Richard Layard, Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, said: “Wellbeing science has now reached the point where people’s wellbeing can be made the goal of every government.”
Professor Andrew Oswald, Professor of Economics and Behavioural Science at the University of Warwick, said: “I’m pleased to receive such an award, especially alongside colleagues I have known and respected for decades.”
The full list of Clarivate Citation Laureates for 2022 is available here. This year’s Nobel Prize announcements will be made 3-10 October.
Mary-Claire King & Andrew J. Oswald talk about encouragement – Citation Laureates 2022
*Citation Laureates were first established as ‘Thomson Reuters Citation Laureates’ in 1989. They have been awarded as Clarivate Citation Laureates since 2002.