Newswise — On June 3, 8:30-10am EDT, the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters will announce the 2010 Kavli Prize laureates.

A live webcast will include the announcements from Oslo and a special prize program from the World Science Festival in New York City, beginning with a keynote address by Harold Varmus, Co-Chair of President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Also from New York will be a panel discussion about the Prizes led by award-winning ABC news journalist Elizabeth Vargas, who will be joined by three renowned scientists: neurologist Antonio Damasio, nanoscience researcher Mostafa A. El-Sayed and theoretical physicist Kip Thorne. Media may also preregister to attend either event.

The webcast will be available at: www.kavlifoundation.org, www.kavliprize.no and www.worldsciencefestival.com.

The Kavli Prizes recognize scientists for their seminal advances in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience. Consisting of a scroll, medal and cash award of one million dollars, a prize in each field is awarded biennially. Independent of The Kavli Foundation, Kavli Prize recipients are chosen by three prize committees comprised of distinguished international scientists recommended by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the French Academy of Sciences, the Max Planck Society, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and The Royal Society. After making their selection for prize recipients, the recommendations of these committees are confirmed by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. The Kavli Prizes are a partnership between the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, The Kavli Foundation and the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research.

PROGRAM IN BRIEFDATE: June 3, 2010 - 8:30-10:00 a.m. EDT* Harold Varmus, co-chair of President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, presents a keynote address from the World Science Festival in New York City. * Announcements of the 2010 Kavli Prize Laureates by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, with presentation moderated by scientist and science writer Jim Al-Khalili.* Panel discussion on honored scientific discoveries in three prize fields, moderated by Elizabeth Vargas, ABC News, and featuring acclaimed scientists Antonio Damasio (neuroscience), Mostafa A. El-Sayed (nanoscience) and Kip Thorne (astrophysics).

The New York event begins at 8:00 AM, ahead of the webcast. The New York event will be held at the Rosenthal Pavilion, Kimmel Center at New York University, and include a simulcast of the announcements. Also in attendance will be Fred Kavli, founder and chairman of The Kavli Foundation; Øivind Andersen, Secretary General of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters; and noted guests of the Festival, the Norwegian Academy and the Foundation.