Why does the Nobel Prize honor so many scientists from the United States?

The 2024 Nobel Prize results have extended the historical trend regarding the power of the United States in scientific research and talent attraction policies.

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics has been awarded to three American economists for their research on the benefits of democracy and the rule of law.

This outcome continues the historical trend related to the strength of the United States in scientific research and talent attraction policies.

The three recipients of this year’s Nobel Prize in Economics are Daron Acemoglu, a Turkish-American economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Co-recipient of the award is Simon Johnson, also a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The remaining Nobel laureate in Economics is James A. Robinson, who works at the University of Chicago.

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded to three American economists: Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson. (Photo: AA/TTXVN)

The Nobel Committee awarded the trio with “research on how institutions are formed and their impact on prosperity.”

Their work demonstrates that, on the whole, citizens of democratic nations governed by the rule of law tend to be wealthier.

A representative from the Nobel Committee stated that the wealthiest 20% of countries in the world are currently about 30 times wealthier than the poorest 20%. Moreover, income disparity persists.

Although the poorest countries have become wealthier, they still have not caught up with the most prosperous group. Economists Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson pointed out the link between this disparity and differences in institutions.

With this result, the United States continues to assert its dominant position in scientific research.

According to David Baltimore, co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1975, the abundant funding for basic research—which aims to improve scientific theories or enhance understanding of various subjects—is key to America’s success.

Additionally, Baltimore noted that the strength of American research institutes and universities, nurtured since the establishment of Harvard University hundreds of years ago, along with continuous and unrelenting support, has also contributed to this success. American universities consistently dominate the “Top 100 Universities in the World” rankings.

The United States began prioritizing basic research after World War II, marked by the establishment of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 1950. The NSF still plays a coordinating role in federal funding for universities.

Furthermore, philanthropy and private funding are increasingly contributing to scientific research.

Although China is catching up to the U.S. in total investment in research, according to H.N. Cheng, President of the American Chemical Society, the country still faces challenges related to academic freedom and the ability to attract talent.

Marc Kastner, an honorary professor of physics at MIT, further stated that American universities have long had a tradition of enabling talented young researchers to establish their own laboratories.

This expert mentioned that in Europe or Japan, large research groups are often led by a very senior professor, and only when that person retires do younger researchers have the opportunity to take over. However, by that time, they may no longer retain the most groundbreaking ideas.

Another noteworthy point is that this year’s Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded to three scientists who are all immigrants. This once again confirms the significant contributions of the immigrant community to the United States.

According to an analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) updated to 2024, immigrants have won 38% (equivalent to 45 out of 117) of the Nobel Prizes received by American scientists in the fields of chemistry, medicine, and physics since 2000. In the field of economics, this number stands at 31% (24 out of 78 awards).

This is not the first time that the Nobel Prize in Economics has honored multiple immigrant scientists. Previously, two out of the three recipients of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2019 and 2021 were immigrants. Notably, in 2016, all six American scientists who won Nobel Prizes in economics and natural sciences were immigrants.

In a recent report, the National Academy of Sciences of the United States stated that the high rate of immigrant Nobel laureates is one of the reasons for the loosening of U.S. immigration laws and regulations.

Many analysts believe that the annual Nobel Prize announcement has become evidence of the immense contributions of the immigrant community to the United States.