The Golden Goose Award is a United States award in recognition of scientists whose federally funded basic research has led to innovations or inventions with significant impact on humanity or society. Created by Congressman Jim Cooper of Tennessee in 2012, recipients receive the award in a ceremony during the fall each year on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.
Background Between 1975 and 1988, William Proxmire, a Democratic United States Senator for Wisconsin awarded the tongue-in-cheek Golden Fleece Awards to public officials for spending public money in ways he considered irresponsible or wasteful. These awards were often given to scientists working on seemingly obscure federally funded scientific studies causing ridicule and scrutiny of the usefulness of such research.
The Golden Goose Awards were established over two decades later in order to highlight the value of federally-funded basic research. With the Golden Goose Award, Cooper wanted to reverse the image created by Proxmire's award by highlighting examples of seemingly obscure studies that have led to major breakthroughs and resulted in significant societal impact. The award has bipartisan support in Congress, sponsored by multiple organizations and legislators.
Awardees Year Award Title Project Awardees2012Coralline CeramicsBone Grafts from CoralJon Weber, Eugene White, Rodney White, Della RoyGreen Fluorescent ProteinMedical Advances from JellyfishOsamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie, Roger TsienThe MaserThe MaserCharles Townes2013Diabetes MedicationDiabetes Medication Developed from Gila Monster VenomJohn EngThermus aquaticusThermus aquaticusThomas D. Brock, Hudson FreezeMarket DesignMarket DesignAlvin E. Roth, David Gale, Lloyd Shapley2014Black Holes and SupercomputingBlack Holes and SupercomputingLarry SmarrAuction DesignAuction DesignPreston McAfee, Paul Milgrom, Robert WilsonRat and Infant MassageRat Massage Research Helps Premature Babies ThriveTiffany Field, Gary Evoniuk, Cynthia Kuhn, Saul Schanberg2015Trick or Treat: The Marshmallow TestThe Marshmallow TestWalter Mischel, Yuichi Shoda, Philip PeakeOut of Sight: Neuroplasticity and VisionOcular Dominance ColumnsTorsten Wiesel, David HubelOf Maps and MenHypsographic DemographyJoel E. Cohen, Christopher Small2016A Tale of Two Studies: The Adolescent Health StoryThe National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult HealthPeter Bearman, Barbara Entwisle, Kathleen Mullan Harris, Ronald Rindfuss, Richard UdryThe Sex Life of the Screw Worm FlyThe Sex Life of the Screw Worm FlyEdward F. Knipling, Raymond C. BushlandThe Honey Bee AlgorithmThe Honey Bee AlgorithmJohn J. Bartholdi III, Sunil Nakrani, Thomas Dyer Seeley, Craig A. Tovey, John Hagood Vande Vate2017The Sea Soy SolutionThe Sea Soy SolutionKaichang LiThe Silence of the FrogsThe Silence of the FrogsJoyce Longcore, Elaine Lamirande, Don Nichols, Allan PessierFuzzy Logic, Clear ImpactFuzzy Logic, Clear ImpactLotfi A. Zadeh2018The Goose Gland: Discoveries in ImmunologyThe Goose Gland: Discoveries in ImmunologyBruce GlickChickens, Cells and CytokinesChickens, Cells and CytokinesStanley CohenImplicit Bias, Explicit ScienceImplicit Bias, Explicit ScienceMahzarin Banaji, Anthony Greenwald, Brian Nosek 2019The Blood of the Horseshoe CrabThe Blood of the Horseshoe CrabJack Levin, Frederik BangAdvancing AutoimmunityAdvancing AutoimmunityNoel Rose, Ernest Witebsky The Frog Skin that saved 50 Million LivesThe Frog Skin that saved 50 Million LivesDavid B. Sachar 2020A Llama Named WinterA Llama Named WinterJason McLellan, Daniel WrappThe Human Immunome: Small Moves Become a MovementThe Human Immunome: Small Moves Become a MovementJames E. CroweA Spike in MomentumA Spike in MomentumKizzmekia Corbett, Barney Graham, Emmie de Wit, and Vincent Munster 2021Making MRNAmRNA therapeuticsKatalin Karikó, Drew WeissmanThe Fast and the CuriousHow the critical functions of internet-connected vehicles can be compromised by remote attackersStephen Checkoway, Tadayoshi Kohno, Karl Koscher, Stefan SavageThe Secrets of SERMsResearch on drugs for breast cancer treatment, in particular tamoxifenV. Craig Jordan2022Foldscopes and Frugal Science: Paper Microscopes Make Science Globally AccessibleFoldscope for accessible and powerful science educationManu Prakash and Jim CybulskiTiny Snail, Big Impact: Cone Snail Venom Eases Pain and Injects New Energy into NeuroscienceCraig T. Clark, Lourdes J. Cruz, J. Michael McIntosh, and Baldomero Marquez OliveraHow a Lab Incident Led to Better Eye Surgery for Millions of PeopleTibor Juhasz, Ron Kurtz, Detao Du, Gérard Mourou, and Donna Strickland2023Sketch to Concept: Unraveling the Invention of Nanopore SequencingDavid Deamer, Mark Akeson, and Daniel BrantonAgrobacterium: Nature’s Genetic Engineer, Hidden Within Plant TumorsMary-Dell ChiltonRaising Chickens, Elevating ScientistsPaul Siegel2024It’s a Family Affair: The Resurgence of the Red-Cockaded WoodpeckerJeff WaltersFrom Poop to Protection: Satellite Discoveries Help Save Antarctic Penguins and Advance Wildlife MonitoringChristian Che-Castaldo, Heather Joan Lynch, Mathew SchwallerHow We Think: Brain-Inspired Models of Human Cognition Contribute to the Foundations of Today’s Artificial IntelligenceGeoffrey Hinton, James L. McClelland, David E. Rumelhart2025Nature’s Oddities Inform Disease Diagnostics and Inspire Prize-Winning ScientistsJoseph G. GallCisplatin Breakthrough Redefines Testicular Cancer TreatmentBarnett Rosenberg, Loretta VanCamp, Thomas Krigas
Founding organizations Some of the twelve founding organizations for this award are the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (A۰P۰L۰U), the Breakthrough Institute, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), and The Science Coalition (TSC)
References
External links
Golden Goose Awards honor "silly" science. CBS News. September 14, 2012. First Golden Goose Awards Honor Ideas That Hatched Unexpectedly. Science Insider. Science. September 10, 2012.