JATE Award was established in 2023 by Katalin Karikó, who donated the full monetary component of her Nobel Prize, in collaboration with the University of Szeged.
In October 2023, Nobel laureate Katalin Karikó, Research Professor and former student of József Attila University in Szeged, the predecessor institution of the University of Szeged (SZTE), announced that she would donate a replica of her Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with the monetary award of more than USD 500,000, to her alma mater. Using this donation, Karikó and the University of Szeged established JATE Award, named after the university’s former name. Its mission is to preserve the legacy of József Attila University, strengthen the reputation of the University of Szeged, and recognise excellence and scientific achievement in Szeged.
The award is presented annually in three categories, recognising current students, lecturers and researchers of the University of Szeged, as well as former students and lecturers of József Attila University. This year’s recipient in the alumni category is mathematician László Lovász, Research Professor at Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics and former President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, who headed the Department of Geometry at József Attila University between 1975 and 1982.
Mathematician László Lovász, the second recipient of the JATE Award in the alumni category (official citation) Between 1975 and 1982, László Lovász headed the Department of Geometry at József Attila University in Szeged. His years in Szeged marked an exceptionally productive period in the development of modern discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science. During this time, he developed the Lovász Local Lemma together with Paul Erdős, proved the Kneser conjecture, laying the foundations of topological combinatorics, and introduced the theta function, which brought a breakthrough in information theory. One of the highlights of his work in Szeged was the LLL lattice reduction algorithm, developed in 1982, which remains a fundamental tool in cryptography and number theory. His internationally influential textbook Combinatorial Problems and Exercises was also written during this period. His outstanding scientific achievements are reflected in the fact that he was elected a Corresponding Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 1979, at the age of just 31. He became a Full Member of the Academy in 1985. As one of the founders of modern combinatorics, and through his leadership of the International Mathematical Union and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, he has devoted his knowledge and expertise to scientific excellence, talent development and international collaboration. Through his scientific work and contributions to the organisation of research in Szeged, he played a defining role in establishing the city as a leading centre of international mathematical research. In recognition of this exceptional body of work, he receives the 2026 JATE Award in the alumni category.
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In the student category, the award goes to Tamás Gergő Iványi, a biophysicist and doctoral student at the University of Szeged. He conducts his research at the Institute of Biophysics of the HUN-REN Biological Research Centre in Szeged, where he develops light-controlled microscopic devices. His doctoral research uses optical tweezers to investigate the surfaces of individual cells. His first-author papers have been published in Advanced Materials and Nature Communications, and he is also active in science communication.
In the teaching and research category, JATE Award will be presented to mathematician Gergely Röst, Head of Department and Professor at the University of Szeged. According to the official citation, he is an internationally recognised expert in mathematical modelling who established a mathematical epidemiology research group in Szeged with support from the European Research Council. He became widely known for his forecasts during the COVID-19 pandemic and also contributed to Hungary’s pandemic response as the professional lead of the National Laboratory for Health Security. His scientific output includes 143 publications.
JATE Award was presented for the first time last year, when physician and doctoral student Márton Simon Czikkely, chemistry professor Ágota Tóth and literary historian Mihály Ilia received the distinction.
At the briefing introducing this year’s award recipients, Katalin Karikó emphasised that more than 150 nominations had been submitted, including recommendations for lecturers and students from abroad. She highlighted the particular importance she attaches to the citations accompanying the nominations, which showcase the scientific and community work carried out at the university. She added that the monetary award accompanying her Nobel Prize could ensure that the distinction continues to be presented for many years to come.
The award recipients will receive their honours at the second JATE Award ceremony, to be held at the University of Szeged on 14 November.
