5 scientists awarded Shaw Prize in Hong Kong virtually

HONG KONG, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- The awards presentation ceremony of the annual Shaw Prize for 2021 was held online on Thursday, with five scientists commended for their prominent work in the prize's three categories of astronomy, life science and medicine, and mathematical sciences.

The Hong Kong-based Shaw Prize Foundation announced the list of 2021 laureates in June. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the awarding ceremony was held online.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam delivered a video speech at the virtual awarding ceremony on Thursday.

Lam said that the COVID-19 pandemic has again reminded people of the importance of basic research in sciences, global cooperation and solidarity. Scientists in many parts of the world have raced against time to enhance testing capacity and produce vaccines to keep people safe.

"For Hong Kong, the commitment and investment we have made in innovation and technology in recent years has also paid off, as reflected in the many applications adopted in our fight against the pandemic," she said.

Lam said, looking ahead, especially in light of the support given by the Central authorities in the nation's 14th Five-Year Plan for Hong Kong to develop as an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub, the HKSAR government will continue to accord policy priority to press ahead with Hong Kong's science and technology development.

For the 2021 Shaw Prize, the Astronomy category went to Victoria M Kaspi, professor of Physics and director of McGill Space Institute, McGill University, Canada, and Chryssa Kouveliotou, professor and chair of the Department of Physics at George Washington University, the United States. They were commended for their contributions to our understanding of magnetars, a class of highly magnetized neutron stars that are linked to a wide range of spectacular, transient astrophysical phenomena.

The Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine went to Scott D Emr, director of the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, the United States. He was commended for his landmark discovery of the Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport pathway, which is essential in diverse processes involving membrane biology, including cell division and cell-surface receptor regulation, viral dissemination and nerve axon pruning. These processes are central to life, health and disease.

The Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences was in equal shares to Jean-Michel Bismut, emeritus professor of the Mathematics Department, Université Paris-Saclay, France, and Jeff Cheeger, silver professor of Mathematics at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, the United States. They were commended for their remarkable insights that have transformed, and continue to transform, modern geometry.

Established under the auspices of Run Run Shaw in November 2002, the Shaw Prize is an international award to honor individuals who have achieved significant breakthroughs in academic and scientific research or applications, and whose work has resulted in a positive and profound impact on mankind. Each prize bears a monetary award of 1.2 million U.S. dollars.