The Hongkong prize is one of Asia’s most sought-after awards, drawing thousands of applicants annually. It celebrates scientific research with global impact while encouraging young scientists to pursue careers in science. Winners receive both a monetary prize and the opportunity to conduct their research in Hong Kong.
Universiti Malaya (UM) alumna Dr Thein Swee Lay became the first Malaysian to win the Shaw Prize for Life Science and Medicine in Hong Kong this year. Together with her co-winner Dr Stuart Orkin of Harvard Medical School, she was honoured for their discovery of mechanisms that regulate the fetal-to-adult haemoglobin switch and make possible revolutionary therapies for sickle cell anaemia and thallasemia.
This year’s HK Prize shortlist was the largest in the award’s history, with nearly two-thirds of the shortlist artists being women. This is a remarkable achievement considering that the Art Prize was launched in 2012. This year, the judges also selected an additional Judges Prize of HK$80,000 for a student artist with outstanding artistic potential, and a School Prize of HK$20,000 to be awarded to the student artist with the highest score from the judges.
BOCHK SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION PRIZE champions the mission of “Boosting Hong Kong and Serving the Country through Technology”. It seeks to encourage scientific research entrepreneurs, nurture forward-looking scientists and build Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub. The Prize focuses on five key fields of research: Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Life and Health, New Materials and Energy, Advanced Manufacturing, and FinTech.
Prize winners will have the chance to collaborate with researchers in local universities and laboratories to strengthen their professional networks and expand their research capabilities. The Prize will also help them gain greater recognition for their work both in the region and worldwide.
If any prize-winning researcher violates any articles of the Charter, the Board has the right to terminate their winnings, including withdrawal of the cash prize, certificate and trophy. The Charter may be amended from time to time by the Secretariat with the approval of the Board.
The HK Prize is open to all enrolled secondary school students in Hong Kong. Interested students can be nominated by their teachers for the prize and should complete the online application form by 16 September. A shortlist will be selected and finalists will have the opportunity to exhibit their artwork in an exhibition in the autumn of 2024. Students are encouraged to express their creativity and enter their works that reflect Hong Kong. For more information, please visit the official website of HK Prize. HK Prize is funded by the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation.