'Nobel Prize for Statistics' awarded: meet the Belgian who pays the 1 million dollar prize out of his own pocket

In Leuven, the developers of R, a free statistical software, received the Rousseeuw Prize for Statistics, funded by Peter Rousseeuw. The $1 million prize is split between five professors and the remaining members of the R Core Team. Rousseeuw aims to enhance recognition for statistics, likening the prize to the Nobel Prize but awarded every two years. The prize promotes equal access to statistical tools globally, especially in developing countries. R, created in the early 1990s, has become essential for researchers worldwide, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rousseeuw, who financed the prize from his earnings, intends for it to continue long-term.