GERMANY: Nobel winner for physics Peter Gruenberg says he's "overwhelmed" by award

Peter Gruenberg says he is "overwhelmed" by the 2007 Nobel Prize for physics which he won with Albert Fert. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was among the well-wishers. Peter Gruenberg, who jointly won the Nobel Prize for physics with France's Albert Fert, told reporters at an impromptu news conference at his research centre in western Germany on Tuesday (October 9) he was "overwhelmed." "What my first reaction was? I can't really remember. I was overwhelmed although we partly expected it," Gruenberg told reporters before heading into a small ceremony where colleagues celebrated the award with the physicist. "On the other hand, I didn't totally expect it because otherwise, I would have worn a tie," Gruenberg added. In Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel was among the first well-wishers, saying "this is a great distinction, once again for a German scientist." "It is also an honour for the Juelich Research Centre and this prize, which he received together with a French colleague, shows how fundamental research leads to daily applications," Merkel said. "Congratulations once again. It shows that sponsoring fundamental research is the base for having outstanding international scientists here in Germany." France's Fert and Germany's Gruenberg won the 2007 Nobel Prize for physics on Tuesday for discoveries allowing the miniaturisation of hard disks in electronic devices from laptops to iPods. The 10 million Swedish crown (1.54 million U.S. dollars) prize, awarded by The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, recognised the discovery by Fert, 69, and Gruenberg, 68, of giant magnetoresistance, which has helped revolutionise computer data storage and retrieval. This was the second of this year's crop of Nobel prizes, which are handed out annually for achievements in science, literature, economics and peace. The prizes bearing the name of Alfred Nobel were first awarded in 1901 in accordance with the will of the Swedish dynamite millionaire.

ITN Source | October 9, 2007

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