sink in

sink inは"become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions"という意味で、日本語でいうところの「実感する」に相当します。ここは、reality is still sinking in~と現在進行になっているので「受賞という現実がまだ実感になっていない」あたりでしょうか。これは山中教授のスピーチにある、It still feels like I'm dreaming.という文に呼応した表現です。（UG）

Nobel win still feels like a dream for Yamanaka

By DAISUKE SUDO/ Staff Writer

STOCKHOLM--Reality is still sinking in for Shinya Yamanaka, co-winner of this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking work on producing induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.

The Kyoto University professor visited the Nobel Museum in Stockholm Dec. 6 as part of the first official event of the "Nobel Week," which will culminate in an award ceremony on Dec. 10.
"It still feels like I'm dreaming," he said.

In an annual ritual, all of this year's Nobel Prize laureates got together for the first time and signed chairs in the museum.

Yamanaka first jotted down his name in English on the same chair that Britain's John Gurdon, his co-recipient, also signed. He later added his signature in Japanese at the request of Nobel Foundation officials.

Yamanaka bought 1,000 pieces of chocolate shaped like a Nobel Prize medal to give to his compatriots as souvenirs.

"Unforeseen results can herald new discoveries," he said during a subsequent news conference. "I wish to dedicate the rest of my life to giving back to patients of diseases."

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201212070040

PS 実際のスピーチはこちらで。

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2012/yamanaka-lecture.html