Ig Nobel Awards Move to Zurich Amidst US Visa Concerns

The Ig Nobel Prizes, a satirical award recognizing unusual or humorous scientific research, will be held in Zurich, Switzerland, for the 36th annual ceremony. This marks the first time the event will take place outside of the United States since its inception in 1991, due to increasing difficulties for international attendees in obtaining US visas.

Visa Issues Prompt Relocation

Organized by the Annals of Improbable Research, the Ig Nobels honor studies that “make people laugh, and then think.” Marc Abrahams, the master of ceremonies and editor of the magazine, explained that the decision to move the ceremony was made because “it has grow unsafe for our guests to visit the country.” He further stated, “We cannot in good conscience request the new winners, or the international journalists covering the event, to travel to the USA this year.” [San Diego Union-Tribune]

The move coincides with a stricter US immigration policy under President Donald Trump, focusing on increased deportations and tighter restrictions on student and visitor exchange visas. [Orlando Sentinel]

A European Shift

The 36th annual ceremony will be held in Zurich, with organizers planning to alternate the location with other European cities, ensuring Zurich hosts the event at least once every two years. Abrahams likened the future arrangement to the Eurovision Song Contest, with Zurich serving as a regular host city. [San Diego Union-Tribune]

The University of Zurich and the ETH Domain are collaborating on this year’s event, mirroring past collaborations with institutions like Harvard University, MIT, and Boston University when the awards were held in the United States. [Orlando Sentinel]

Past Ig Nobel Winners

The Ig Nobel Prizes recognize ten unique research projects each year. Previous winners have included a Japanese team that investigated whether painting cows with zebra stripes deters flies, and researchers who studied the pizza preferences of lizards. [San Diego Union-Tribune] Last year’s Physiology prize went to a team for discovering mammals can breathe through their anus, while the Physics award recognized research demonstrating the swimming ability of a dead trout.

[Winy Radio Facebook Post] indicates there are currently no plans to return the ceremony to the United States.