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Blavatnik Awards
June 2, 2026
STEMcast Episode 40 | “We Are All Made of Stardust”: Learning About Early Planetary Formation with Prof. Paola Pinilla

In a recent episode of STEMcast, 2026 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the UK Laureate Paola Pinilla discusses her research into the earliest stages of planet formation. Pinilla, Associate Professor at University College London, was recognized in Physical Sciences & Engineering for her work showing how pressure differences in discs of gas and dust around young stars can trap particles, allowing them to grow into planets. The conversation introduces listeners to the scientific questions at the center of her work, including how planetary systems form and how water and organic compounds may reach young planets. By translating complex astrophysics into an accessible discussion, the episode highlights both the wonder and rigor of research into the origins of worlds beyond our own. Pinilla’s appearance also reflects the broader public value of the Blavatnik Awards, which recognize exceptional early-career scientists and help bring their discoveries to wider audiences. The episode offers an engaging opportunity to learn more about how planets, including those like Earth, come into being.

Blavatnik Awards
June 1, 2026
Astrophysicist Paz Beniamini Snags Science Prize — a Burst of Light for Reenergizing Open University

Astrophysicist Paz Beniamini of the Open University of Israel has been named a 2026 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel Laureate in Physical Sciences & Engineering. Beniamini, who leads the university’s Astrophysics Research Center, was recognized for research into extreme cosmic events, including exploding stars, radiation bursts, and rapid collisions. His work combines theoretical physics with observational data, using distant astrophysical phenomena to explore questions that cannot be tested at the same scale on Earth. The recognition marks the first Blavatnik Award for the Open University of Israel, underscoring the growing strength of its focused astrophysics program. It also highlights the importance of supporting outstanding early-career scientists across a broad range of institutions. Through the Awards, the Blavatnik Family Foundation helps advance scientific discovery and recognize researchers whose work expands understanding of the natural world.

Arts & Culture
June 1, 2026
‘It was poignant, knowing that these were the last images she did’: The Intimate Final Photos of Marilyn Monroe

The National Portrait Gallery’s Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait, supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, marks the centenary of Monroe’s birth with a thoughtful examination of her image, artistry, and enduring cultural presence. The exhibition traces Monroe’s evolving public image through major photographic collaborations and works by artists including Eve Arnold, Cecil Beaton, Andy Warhol, Pauline Boty, and Richard Hamilton. Among its highlights are six images from George Barris’s 1962 Santa Monica beach shoot, the final portraits taken of Monroe during her lifetime. The exhibition considers how Monroe engaged actively with photographers and publicity, shaping her image with care at a time when she was navigating intense public scrutiny. By presenting familiar images alongside more intimate and complex material, the show invites audiences to look beyond myth and celebrity toward Monroe’s agency, vulnerability, and lasting influence on visual culture.

Arts & Culture
May 21, 2026
Daubs and Distractions

The Wallace Collection’s Winston Churchill: The Painter, supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, invites visitors to look beyond Churchill’s public image and consider the discipline, pleasure, and persistence behind his art. The exhibition presents painting as a serious and sustaining part of Churchill’s life, beginning after the political crisis of 1915 and continuing across decades of public service. Rather than treating the works as historical curiosities, the show follows Churchill’s engagement with color, composition, and place, from the gardens and pools of Chartwell to the coastlines and landscapes he returned to throughout his life. It also places his work within a broader artistic context, acknowledging the guidance and influence of professional painters while allowing audiences to judge the paintings on their own terms. In doing so, the exhibition offers a more intimate view of a figure often understood primarily through politics and wartime leadership. The Foundation’s support helps make this reflective cultural presentation accessible to a wide public, deepening understanding of how artistic practice can illuminate history, character, and resilience.

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The Blavatnik Archive is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to preserving and disseminating materials that contribute to the study of 20th-century Jewish and world history, with a special emphasis on World War I, World War II, and Soviet Russia.

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