Inspiring the next generation: Future Science Awards Foundation, HKU collaborate to nurture future scientists in Hong Kong
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The Future Science Awards Foundation (‘the Foundation’) has announced that the ‘2023 Future Science Prize Award Ceremony’ and associated week-long events will be held for the first time in Hong Kong in October this year.
The Future Science Prize is a highly respected annual award that recognises outstanding achievements in scientific research and innovation in three categories: life science, physical science, and mathematics and computer science.
The decision to host the event in Hong Kong was made in recognition of the city’s growing status as an international hub for scientific research and innovation. The event is expected to draw leading scientists, researchers and industry experts from around the world, providing a platform to promote collaborations and for the exchange of knowledge and ideas.
Hong Kong has a unique opportunity to leverage its strengths in R&D capabilities, technology infrastructure, legal system and intellectual property, thanks to the national 14th Five-Year Plan and the Greater Bay Area. By acting as a strategic bridge for innovative companies, Hong Kong can capitalise on these advantages and become a key player in the international innovation and technology scene, according to Wu.
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has three laureates namely: Prof Yuen Kwok-yung, Henry Fok Professor of Infectious Diseases and Chair Professor of Microbiology at the HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, and Prof Joseph Sriyal Malik PEIRIS, Tam Wah-Ching Professor in Medical Science (2021 The Life Science Prize) and Prof Mok Ngai-ming, Edmund and Peggy Tse Professor in Mathematics (2022 The Mathematics and Computer Science Prize).
To celebrate this world-class science event, the Foundation and co-organisers, including the HKU and Tencent Foundation, hosted the first significant event of the ‘2023 Future Science Prize’ event series on Saturday, June 10. The event, known as the ‘Future Science Prize Laureates Documentary Screening’, showcased a series of documentaries that highlighted the work and life of three previous winners of the prestigious Future Science Prize.
Among the esteemed laureates showcased were Prof Yuen Kwok-yung, Chair of Infectious Diseases at the HKU Department of Microbiology, Prof Yang Xue-ming, a physical chemist, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Vice President of Southern University of Science and Technology, and Prof Mok Ngai-ming, Chair of Mathematics at the HKU Department of Mathematics and the Director of the HKU Mathematical Research Institute.
These documentaries portray the stories, reflections and life-long achievements of the three influential scientists to a few hundred of young audience comprising high school and university students from Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. The aim is to inspire the next generation to pursue science and knowledge and showcase the impact such pursuits can have on the world.
“True science knows no borders. Over the past eight years, the Future Science Prize has awarded 27 winners, all of whom come from Greater China, for their research work and achievements that have had a significant impact globally and contributed to humanity as a whole,” said Cathy Wu, Founder of the Future Forum and Secretary-General of the Future Science Awards Foundation before the screening.
Wu noted that holding the prize week in Hong Kong allows for greater exposure and accessibility to a wider audience of scientists and innovators from around the world. By holding the event in Hong Kong in 2023, the goal is to foster greater collaboration and knowledge sharing among scientists and innovators worldwide.
The 2023 winners of the Future Science Prize will be announced in August this year and the awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on October 17 at the Hong Kong Palace Museum.
The Foundation has set aside October 14-17 as the award week, during which nearly 100 world-class scientists from nine countries will convene in Hong Kong for discussions and exchanges on cutting-edge science and technology.
By bringing the most up-to-date scientific knowledge and forward-thinking perspectives to Hong Kong, they will establish a platform for further scientific dialogue and collaboration in Hong Kong, its neighbouring Greater Bay Area, and beyond.
“HKU is a world-class university and a major hub for talent development. By co-organising a variety of activities throughout the award week, our goal is to promote the exchange of scientific talent on an international level, increase the global community’s awareness of the country’s impressive achievements in scientific development, and cultivate a thriving scientific culture within Hong Kong society,” said Prof Shum alongside Prof Mok and Wu.
“I’m very grateful that the Future Science Prize Committee has recognised the value of fundamental research in mathematics for scientific development and has recognised my own macroscopic research ideas developed through comprehensive complex analysis, differential geometry, algebraic geometry and number theory,” said Prof Mok in response to receiving the 2022 award.
“The dream of pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty has been a shared goal for mathematicians throughout history, and this force will continue to shine brightly and make contributions to the evolution of mathematics and scientific development,” he expressed.
Prof Mok shared his learning experience growing up, saying, “I don’t think you can’t acquire advanced knowledge during secondary school. As a secondary school student, I often self-studied advanced mathematics during my free time. I made good use of resources in Hong Kong, such as school and public libraries like the City Hall.”
“I learned about the forms of mathematical thinking and gained valuable insights by listening to others discussing mathematical problems; this greatly contributed to my journey of becoming a mathematician. Winning the ‘Future Science Prize’ holds significant meaning and is a testament to the hard work and dedication I have put into my passion for mathematics.”
Prof Mok also shared his thoughts on the importance of nurturing scientific talents in Hong Kong, which is aligned with the objective of the HKU in co-hosting the Future Science Awards with the Foundation.
“The Awards is an excellent opportunity to showcase Hong Kong’s talent in science and technology on a global scale. By recognising and supporting exceptional students and researchers, we can inspire more young people to pursue careers in science and contribute to the advancement of our society,” he said.
The Future Science Prize is a highly significant event in the scientific community, and Hong Kong has been given the opportunity to host and participate in it. This presents a unique chance for young people, researchers and the general public to witness the incredible power of science first-hand, said Prof Anderson Shum, HKU Associate Vice-President (Research and Innovation).
In October of this year, the Foundation will once again partner with HKU to co-organise the ‘Asian Young Scientist Fellowship Annual Conference’. This conference will feature 12 Fellows of the “2023 Asian Young Scientist Fellowship” from leading universities in Japan, South Korea, Singapore and China, where they will have the opportunity to present their research achievements.
The conference will also extend invitations to approximately 300 young scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders and educators from Hong Kong, mainland China and around the world. This will provide a unique opportunity for these young elites to collaborate and explore how science can be utilised to solve major human problems in a collective effort.
The Future Science Prize is a pioneering privately funded science award that was founded in 2016 by a group of scientists and entrepreneurs. The prize was a philanthropic initiative born out of the Future Forum, a non-profit organization based in mainland China.
Nominees for the Future Science Prize are not restricted by nationality, but their work must have been predominantly conducted in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan. The prize money for each award is Rmb6.5 million (approximately US$1 million).
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.]
The Future Science Awards Foundation (‘the Foundation’) has announced that the ‘2023 Future Science Prize Award Ceremony’ and associated week-long events will be held for the first time in Hong Kong in October this year.
The Future Science Prize is a highly respected annual award that recognises outstanding achievements in scientific research and innovation in three categories: life science, physical science, and mathematics and computer science.
The decision to host the event in Hong Kong was made in recognition of the city’s growing status as an international hub for scientific research and innovation. The event is expected to draw leading scientists, researchers and industry experts from around the world, providing a platform to promote collaborations and for the exchange of knowledge and ideas.
Hong Kong has a unique opportunity to leverage its strengths in R&D capabilities, technology infrastructure, legal system and intellectual property, thanks to the national 14th Five-Year Plan and the Greater Bay Area. By acting as a strategic bridge for innovative companies, Hong Kong can capitalise on these advantages and become a key player in the international innovation and technology scene, according to Wu.
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has three laureates namely: Prof Yuen Kwok-yung, Henry Fok Professor of Infectious Diseases and Chair Professor of Microbiology at the HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, and Prof Joseph Sriyal Malik PEIRIS, Tam Wah-Ching Professor in Medical Science (2021 The Life Science Prize) and Prof Mok Ngai-ming, Edmund and Peggy Tse Professor in Mathematics (2022 The Mathematics and Computer Science Prize).
To celebrate this world-class science event, the Foundation and co-organisers, including the HKU and Tencent Foundation, hosted the first significant event of the ‘2023 Future Science Prize’ event series on Saturday, June 10. The event, known as the ‘Future Science Prize Laureates Documentary Screening’, showcased a series of documentaries that highlighted the work and life of three previous winners of the prestigious Future Science Prize.
Among the esteemed laureates showcased were Prof Yuen Kwok-yung, Chair of Infectious Diseases at the HKU Department of Microbiology, Prof Yang Xue-ming, a physical chemist, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Vice President of Southern University of Science and Technology, and Prof Mok Ngai-ming, Chair of Mathematics at the HKU Department of Mathematics and the Director of the HKU Mathematical Research Institute.
These documentaries portray the stories, reflections and life-long achievements of the three influential scientists to a few hundred of young audience comprising high school and university students from Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. The aim is to inspire the next generation to pursue science and knowledge and showcase the impact such pursuits can have on the world.
“True science knows no borders. Over the past eight years, the Future Science Prize has awarded 27 winners, all of whom come from Greater China, for their research work and achievements that have had a significant impact globally and contributed to humanity as a whole,” said Cathy Wu, Founder of the Future Forum and Secretary-General of the Future Science Awards Foundation before the screening.
Wu noted that holding the prize week in Hong Kong allows for greater exposure and accessibility to a wider audience of scientists and innovators from around the world. By holding the event in Hong Kong in 2023, the goal is to foster greater collaboration and knowledge sharing among scientists and innovators worldwide.
The 2023 winners of the Future Science Prize will be announced in August this year and the awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on October 17 at the Hong Kong Palace Museum.
The Foundation has set aside October 14-17 as the award week, during which nearly 100 world-class scientists from nine countries will convene in Hong Kong for discussions and exchanges on cutting-edge science and technology.
By bringing the most up-to-date scientific knowledge and forward-thinking perspectives to Hong Kong, they will establish a platform for further scientific dialogue and collaboration in Hong Kong, its neighbouring Greater Bay Area, and beyond.
“HKU is a world-class university and a major hub for talent development. By co-organising a variety of activities throughout the award week, our goal is to promote the exchange of scientific talent on an international level, increase the global community’s awareness of the country’s impressive achievements in scientific development, and cultivate a thriving scientific culture within Hong Kong society,” said Prof Shum alongside Prof Mok and Wu.
“I’m very grateful that the Future Science Prize Committee has recognised the value of fundamental research in mathematics for scientific development and has recognised my own macroscopic research ideas developed through comprehensive complex analysis, differential geometry, algebraic geometry and number theory,” said Prof Mok in response to receiving the 2022 award.
“The dream of pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty has been a shared goal for mathematicians throughout history, and this force will continue to shine brightly and make contributions to the evolution of mathematics and scientific development,” he expressed.
Prof Mok shared his learning experience growing up, saying, “I don’t think you can’t acquire advanced knowledge during secondary school. As a secondary school student, I often self-studied advanced mathematics during my free time. I made good use of resources in Hong Kong, such as school and public libraries like the City Hall.”
“I learned about the forms of mathematical thinking and gained valuable insights by listening to others discussing mathematical problems; this greatly contributed to my journey of becoming a mathematician. Winning the ‘Future Science Prize’ holds significant meaning and is a testament to the hard work and dedication I have put into my passion for mathematics.”
Prof Mok also shared his thoughts on the importance of nurturing scientific talents in Hong Kong, which is aligned with the objective of the HKU in co-hosting the Future Science Awards with the Foundation.
“The Awards is an excellent opportunity to showcase Hong Kong’s talent in science and technology on a global scale. By recognising and supporting exceptional students and researchers, we can inspire more young people to pursue careers in science and contribute to the advancement of our society,” he said.
The Future Science Prize is a highly significant event in the scientific community, and Hong Kong has been given the opportunity to host and participate in it. This presents a unique chance for young people, researchers and the general public to witness the incredible power of science first-hand, said Prof Anderson Shum, HKU Associate Vice-President (Research and Innovation).
In October of this year, the Foundation will once again partner with HKU to co-organise the ‘Asian Young Scientist Fellowship Annual Conference’. This conference will feature 12 Fellows of the “2023 Asian Young Scientist Fellowship” from leading universities in Japan, South Korea, Singapore and China, where they will have the opportunity to present their research achievements.
The conference will also extend invitations to approximately 300 young scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders and educators from Hong Kong, mainland China and around the world. This will provide a unique opportunity for these young elites to collaborate and explore how science can be utilised to solve major human problems in a collective effort.
The Future Science Prize is a pioneering privately funded science award that was founded in 2016 by a group of scientists and entrepreneurs. The prize was a philanthropic initiative born out of the Future Forum, a non-profit organization based in mainland China.
Nominees for the Future Science Prize are not restricted by nationality, but their work must have been predominantly conducted in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan. The prize money for each award is Rmb6.5 million (approximately US$1 million).
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