Future Science Prize Week 2022 came to a successful conclusion recently. The 4-day Prize Week held events such as Public Lectures by Laureates, Science Symposium, and Laureates Meet K12 Students. Nearly 100 distinguished scientists, experts and scholars from around the world focused on the world’s cutting-edge science discoveries to celebrate the future.
Future Science Prize Week invited renowned experts from home and abroad to form the Steering Committee to guide the program, and the Program Committee to set the agenda and invite domestic and international guests. This year, Professor Chuan He from the University of Chicago and Professor Jianhua Lin, the founding director of Peking University’s Research Center for Future Education Management, co-chaired the Program Committee of Future Science Prize Week 2022, which aimed to hold events with authority, professionalism and international influence.
Future Science Prize Week 2022 proudly presented a “Special Program: Looking up at the Stars and Talking about the Future”, which is divided into three chapters: “Looking up at the Stars and Understanding the Future”, “Science Changes the World”, and “Science Illuminates the Future”. The program reviewed the seven-year history of the Future Science Prize under a sky of stars, passed on the essence of science, and paid tribute to the spirit of science.
This year, the pubic lectures by laureates were held jointly with the Southern University of Science and Technology and the University of Hong Kong. Future Science Prize laureates Professor Xueming Yang and Professor Ngaiming Mok elaborated on their prize-winning achievements, and many internationally renowned scientists also gave lectures and conducted academic exchanges on their fields of expertise, encouraging a new generation of young students to keep their scientific curiosity and actively engage in scientific research and exploration.
The Science Symposium of Future Science Prize Week 2022 was attended by more than 30 global top experts and scholars from Tsinghua University, Peking University, Duke University, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Fudan University, University of Virginia, Beijing Forestry University, as well as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Astronomical Observatory FAST (China Sky Eye), Pengcheng Laboratory, CSIRO, National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation, GV20 Therapeutics as well as other domestic and foreign universities and research institutions. They shared the latest scientific discoveries and research results to break down the boundaries of science, focusing on six major themes including Nanocatalysis and Materials [chemistry], Epigenetics [life sciences], Fluid and Power Systems [mathematics], Big Science Facilities [astronomy], Artificial Intelligence and Big Data [computer science] and [climate change].
In a series of events called “Science Ignites the Youth - Laureates Meet with K12 Students", Professor Xueming Yang and Professor Ngaiming Mok talked with K12 Students online and offline, telling them stories about scientific research, sharing their life experiences and inspiring the future generation to embark on the road of scientific research and innovation. The “Laureates Meet with K12 Students” events aim to provide opportunities for students who love science to communicate with scientists, inspire their interest in science and encourage them to explore the unknown.
The award ceremony of Future Science Prize 2022 was successfully held recently. Professor Wenhui Li from the National Institute of Biological Sciences, and Tsinghua University’s Institute for Biomedical Interdisciplinary Research was awarded the “Life Science Prize”; Professor Xueming Yang, Vice President of Southern University of Science and Technology and Dean of the Faculty of Science, was awarded the “Physical Science Prize”; Professor Ngaiming Mok from the University of Hong Kong was awarded the “Mathematics and Computer Science Prize”.
Dr. Harry Shum, rotating chair of the Council of Future Forum 2022, dual employed professor of Tsinghua University’s Institute for Advanced Study, and foreign member of the National Academy of Engineering, Mr. David Yu, rotating chair of Future Science Prize Donors’ Conference 2022 and member of Fudan University’s School Board, Professor Xiaodong Wang, member of the Future Science Prize’s Scientific Committee, Director of the National Institute of Biological Sciences, member of the American Academy of Sciences and foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Xiang Zhang, President of the University of Hong Kong, member of the American Academy of Engineering, and foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ms. Cathy Wu, founder and secretary-general of the Future Forum, and Professor Qikun Xue, President of Southern University of Science and Technology and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, attended the award ceremony and delivered speeches online and offline.
Ms. Cathy Wu, founder and secretary-general of the Future Forum, said at the closing ceremony of Future Science Prize Week 2022 that the original intention of establishing the Future Science Prize was to start a trend of “loving scientists and revering the spirit of science” among people by rewarding scientists who have made outstanding contributions to society. It was also the consensus and original intention of the founders and donors of the Prize.
