A Hong Kong-based physical scientist has been named one of seven laureates of this year’s Future Science Prize, which is often referred to as China’s version of the Nobel Prize.
Dai Xi, chair professor of physics at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, will share a US$1 million award in the Physical Science category with mainland scientists Fang Zhong from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ding Hong from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
The trio was recognized for their computational prediction and experimental discovery of topological electronic materials, a breakthrough with vast implications for quantum computing and advanced electronics.
The winners were unveiled during a live-streamed press conference held simultaneously in Beijing and Hong Kong on Wednesday.
In the Life Science category, Ji Qiang, Xu Xing, and Zhou Zhonghe will be honored for their fossil discoveries that confirmed birds evolved from dinosaurs.
Meanwhile, the Mathematics and Computer Science Prize will be awarded to Taiwanese scholar Lu Chih-yuan for his innovations in enhancing the density, integration, and data reliability of non-volatile semiconductor memory cells.
Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, Co-Chair of the 2025 Future Science Prize Week Program Committee and president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, highlighted that six of the prize’s 46 laureates over its ten-year history have ties to Hong Kong.
Lo thanked the Hong Kong government for its ongoing support in hosting major scientific events, which has strengthened the city’s research culture and sparked public interest in science.
He noted that the prize has become a key driver of scientific progress in China and beyond, showcasing the research strengths of the Greater China region.
For the first time, the Future Science Prize Awards Ceremony will take place at the Hong Kong Cultural Center on October 26, gathering nearly 100 top scientists, including four Nobel Prize winners, for discussions on cutting-edge research.
The Future Science Prize is a privately funded initiative established by scientists and entrepreneurs to celebrate outstanding scientific contributions from mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
