2026 Future Science Prize Awarded in Hong Kong to Three Scientists

The 2026 Future Science Awards ceremony was held in Hong Kong on November 8, 2026, according to China News Service. Zhang Hong, a researcher at the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, won the “Life Science Award.” Zhao Dongyuan, a professor at Fudan University, won the “Matter Science Award.” Yuan Xinyi, a professor at the Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research at Peking University, won the “Mathematics and Computer Science Award.”

The Future Science Awards were established in 2016 and were jointly initiated by groups of scientists and entrepreneurs. The awards focus on original basic scientific research and reward scientists who have achieved outstanding scientific results in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Currently, there are three major awards: the “Life Science Award,” the “Matter Science Award,” and the “Mathematics and Computer Science Award,” with a single prize of 1 million US dollars.

Zhang Hong received the “Life Science Award” for his pioneering contributions to revealing the autophagy mechanism and physiological functions unique to multicellular organisms. Guests presenting the award included Yuan Junying, a member of the Future Science Awards Review Committee, and Cao Dewang, a permanent donor.

Zhao Dongyuan received the “Matter Science Award” for his pioneering contributions to the synthesis control, mechanism understanding, and industrial application of mesoporous materials. Guests presenting the award included Hou Zhaomin, a member of the Future Science Awards Review Committee, and Deng Feng, a permanent donor.

Yuan Xinyi received the “Mathematics and Computer Science Award” for his foundational contributions to the field of arithmetic geometry. Guests presenting the award included Mo Yiming, a member of the Future Science Awards Review Committee, and Wang Qiang, a founding permanent donor.

The same day, the 2026 Future Science Prize Week held the Laureates’ Dialogue with the Youth at the Hong Kong Science Museum. The event was co-organised by the Future Science Awards Foundation and the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences. The three laureates engaged in face-to-face discussions with nearly 200 local secondary school students.

Ms Yang YANG, China’s first Winter Olympics gold medallist and former short-track speed skater, also participated in the event. She shared her inspiring story of perseverance throughout her athletic career, encouraging young people to bring the same spirit of sportsmanship and tenacity to their own journeys of scientific exploration.

The 2026 Future Science Prize Week ran from November 6 to November 9, 2026. Events included Science Symposium I on November 6 at the Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum, and a Science and Technology Forum titled “Human-Machine Symbiosis Era - Boundaries of AI and Human Choices” at Tsang Shiu Tim Art Hall, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Science Symposium II took place on November 7 at the Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum. The Laureates’ Dialogue with the Youth was held on November 8 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum. The 2026 Future Science Prize Awards Ceremony and Concert took place on November 8 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at The Hall, East Kowloon Cultural Centre. The 2026 Asian Young Scientist Fellowship Annual Conference was held on November 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Loke Yew Hall, The University of Hong Kong.

Prize Week events were live-streamed and made available to watch on the official 2026 Future Science Prize Week website and the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences’ social media platforms.

Sources

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