Does Joseph Polchinski win the FPP ``Physics Frontiers Prize'' twice (2013 and 2014)? Why?

Question

Recently I have been confused by the fact that:

Joseph Polchinski's name appear in FFP Physics Frontiers Prize 2013 here: https://fundamentalphysicsprize.org/laureates6

``Joseph Polchinski for his contributions in many areas of quantum field theory and string theory. His discovery of D-branes has given new insights into the nature of string theory and quantum gravity, with consequences including the AdS/CFT correspondence.''

However, the same award in the next year, FFP Physics Frontiers Prize in 2014 here: https://fundamentalphysicsprize.org/laureates3 which awarded Polchinski again. And for the exactly same news announcement.

I wonder whether Polchinski won the Physics Frontiers Prize twice, in 2013 and 2014? If so, is there a reason for that? (especially puzzling, since there are so many great candidates out there, why bother to award the same great person for the same acknowledgment?)

Excuse me this question may not be related to physical effect or phenomena, but it is about the puzzle caused by a physics prize. So, it is a puzzle of physics. I wish the physics puzzle is allowed to be asked here. (I am very puzzled!)

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-21 07:19 (UCT), posted by SE-user Idear

Comments

This soft-question appears to be off-topic because it is not an actual physics question.

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-21 07:19 (UCT), posted by SE-user Qmechanic

Answer 1

Yes, he did. There's a press release at UCSB that acknowledges it as his second win: http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/pa/display.aspx?pkey=3161

The reason for this is, presumably, that the committee is considering giving him the bigger "2014 Fundamental Physics Prize." In essence, the Physics Frontiers prize is a nomination for that. (This is based on the description on the press release, and past reading.)

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-21 07:19 (UCT), posted by SE-user AJK

Comments

I think the confusion is the following (quote from fundamentalphysicsprize.org/news6): >>The ultimate winner of the 2014 3 million Fundamental Physics Prize will be chosen from the three Physics Frontiers Prize laureates. The remaining Physics Frontiers Prize laureates will receive a prize of $300,000 and will automatically be re-nominated for the Fundamental Physics Prize each year for the next 5 years.<< Thus he should automatically be re-nominated for 5 years for the bigger prize, therefore it doesnt make sense why he won again.

This post imported from StackExchange Physics at 2014-03-21 07:19 (UCT), posted by SE-user Heidar