Rumford Medal

The Royal Society grants the Rumford Medal for "outstanding contributions in the field of physics". Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford, a British scientist and the award's first recipient, is honored by the name of the prize.

After Thompson gave the Royal Society £1,000 in stocks and directed them to give the awardee the fund's interest as a premium, the award was established in 1796.

Criteria: The medal is available to all Commonwealth of Nations or Republic of Ireland citizens and residents who have lived there for more than three years. On the advice of the Physical Sciences Awards Committee, the Royal Society Council chooses medal candidates.