Nancy Cartwright’s work has had far-reaching consequences for different fields of knowledge, from natural sciences to social and human sciences. Her contributions have laid the foundations for an approach combining rigour and realism that aims at evidence-based policy. This has had a major impact on society and policies around Europe and beyond.

Nancy Cartwright’s early career focused on the philosophy of physics. Later she shifted her attention to social and economic sciences, paying particular attention to causation, evidence and modelling. Her recent research has addressed scientific evidence, objectivity and how to put scientific knowledge to work, particularly for improving policy deliberation. She has also worked on education projects, child protection and international development.

She is Professor of Philosophy at Durham University and Distinguished Professor at the University of California San Diego. She worked previously at Stanford University and the London School of Economics.

She is also Honorary Professor at the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan and Visiting Professor at the University of Johannesburg Institute for the Future of Knowledge. She has been awarded honorary doctorates by the University of St Andrews and by the Southern Methodist University.

End of a cycle

The award rounds off the first cycle of the prize, with the three editions held since 2018 the result of collaboration with the Academia Europaea-Barcelona Knowledge Hub, within the framework of the Barcelona Science Plan 2020-2023.

The main goal is to drive and promote science and highlight the value of top-class research carried out in Europe and to explain the impact that this research has on society.