A Nobel Prize in microwave engineering?

As this issue goes to print, the announcements of the various Nobel Prizes have been prominently featured in the news, and have highlighted the scientific advancements in their respective fields. Such public attention, brought to a scientific work by the award of a Nobel Prize for it, can hardly be matched by anything else, even if over the years the works recognized by these awards have ranged from very significant to obscure, and do not always seem to qualify as a "service to the mankind" that Alfred Nobel envisioned in his will. Service alone is not enough - the microwave oven probably serves mankind close to a billion times a day, but lacks the intrigue of fundamental particle physics. Apparently, one way to bring the accomplishments of microwave engineers to the attention of general public would be to institute a "Nobel Prize in Microwave Theory and Techniques." It is argued that the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society Awards are as close as one can come to a Nobel Prize in microwave engineering. The Society invites nominations for a number of awards described on its Web site, and the nominations for the year 2003 are presently open.