Ig Nobel Awards Relocate to Zurich, Highlighting Visa Issues

The annual Ig Nobel Awards, which celebrate unconventional scientific achievements, will be held in Zurich, Switzerland, this year, marking the first time the ceremony has moved from the United States since its inception. Organizers, citing concerns over visa accessibility for attendees, announced the change on Monday. The 36th ceremony is set for September 2023, shortly before the traditional Nobel Prizes are awarded.

Organized by the Annals of Improbable Research, a digital magazine promoting humorous yet thought-provoking research, the Ig Nobels typically attract a diverse international audience. In an email interview with The Associated Press, Marc Abrahams, the master of ceremonies and editor of the publication, expressed concerns about the safety of guests traveling to the U.S. “We cannot in good conscience ask the new winners, or the international journalists who cover the event, to travel to the USA this year,” he stated.

This decision follows recent immigration policies under the administration of President Donald Trump, which have significantly impacted travel for many international visitors. Over the past 35 years, award winners have gathered in the U.S. to receive their prizes, often accompanied by the ceremonial throwing of paper airplanes. Last year’s winners included a team from Japan investigating the effectiveness of painting cows with zebra-like stripes to deter flies, and another group examining lizard pizza preferences.

Despite the longstanding tradition, four of the ten winners last year opted not to attend the ceremony in Boston, reflecting growing apprehensions about travel to the United States. The awards have previously taken place at prestigious institutions such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston University.

New Venue and Future Plans

This year’s ceremony will be produced in collaboration with institutions affiliated with the ETH Domain and the University of Zurich. Abrahams noted the significance of Switzerland in fostering innovation, stating, “Switzerland has nurtured many unexpected good things — Albert Einstein’s physics, the world economy, and the cuckoo clock leap to mind — and is again helping the world appreciate improbable people and ideas.”

Milo Puhan, an epidemiologist at the University of Zurich and a Swiss Ig Nobel Prize winner in 2017, welcomed the event’s relocation. He remarked, “The Ig Nobel Prize makes research visible, and does so with a wink.” Puhan’s own research demonstrated that playing the didgeridoo strengthens the muscles that keep the upper airways open, reducing snoring and improving sleep apnea symptoms.

Looking ahead, Abrahams confirmed that the Ig Nobel ceremony will take place in Zurich every other year, with plans to host it in other European cities in between. There are currently no intentions to return the event to the United States, reflecting a significant shift in its historical hosting.

The move to Europe not only underscores the challenges faced by international attendees but also reinforces the Ig Nobel Awards’ commitment to celebrating unique and often humorous scientific exploration on a global scale.