What are the four major scientific breakthroughs honored by the VinFuture Foundation in 2023?

Question

Accepted Answer

The VinFuture Foundation Recognized Four Significant Scientific Breakthroughs in 2023

The VinFuture Foundation has honored four groundbreaking scientific achievements in 2023, encompassing advancements in green energy, disease-resistant agriculture, environmental science, and healthcare. The Grand Prize specifically celebrated innovations in sustainable energy, while three Special Prizes recognized crucial work in emerging fields, contributions from developing nations, and achievements by female scientists. These awarded works were selected from nearly 1,400 nominations across 90 countries and territories.
Grand Prize for Sustainable Green Energy

The prestigious US$3 million Grand Prize was awarded for the "Invention in creating a sustainable platform for green energy through production with solar cells and storage with Lithium-ion batteries." This award recognized the synergistic contributions of Prof. Martin Andrew Green (Australia), Prof. Stanley Whittingham (United States), Prof. Rachid Yazami (Morocco), and Prof. Akira Yoshino (Japan). Prof. Green's pioneering work on Passive Emitter and Rear Contact (PERC) technology has significantly improved solar cell efficiency, now accounting for 60% of the global market share since its mass production in 2012. Concurrently, the development of Lithium-ion battery storage, credited to Prof. Whittingham, Prof. Yazami, Prof. Yoshino, and the late Prof. John Goodenough, has enabled widespread access to green energy, powering billions of devices and millions of electric vehicles globally.
Special Prize for Advancements in Disease-Resistant Rice Varieties

The Special Prize for Innovators from Developing Countries was presented to Indian American Prof. Gurdev Singh Khush and Vietnamese Prof. Vo Tong Xuan for their contributions to the invention and advancement of disease-resistant rice varieties. Their work has been instrumental in ensuring global food security. Prof. Khush developed high-yield rice cultivars with pest resistance, such as IR36 and IR64, which are widely cultivated in countries including the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and India. Prof. Vo Tong Xuan's efforts have made these varieties, particularly IR36, common in regions like Vietnam's Mekong Delta, leading to reduced production costs, increased yields, and decreased pesticide use, thereby promoting agricultural sustainability.
Special Prize for Understanding Ozone Depletion

Prof. Susan Solomon (United States) received the Special Prize for Female Innovators for her discovery of the ozone depletion mechanism in Antarctica. Her research provided crucial evidence regarding the impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) on the ozone layer, which laid the foundation for the Montreal Protocol. This international accord has been highly effective in phasing out ozone-depleting substances, contributing significantly to environmental protection. Data from 2016 indicated a reduction in the ozone hole by over 4 million square kilometers since its peak, with projections for full regeneration in the coming decades.
Special Prize for the Role of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1)

The Special Prize for Innovators with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields was awarded to Prof. Daniel Joshua Drucker (Canada), Prof. Joel Francis Habener (United States), Prof. Jens Juul Holst (Denmark), and Assoc. Prof. Svetlana Mojsov (United States) for their discovery of the role of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). This breakthrough has paved the way for widely used treatments for diabetes and obesity, impacting over 400 million people with type-2 diabetes and more than 1 billion people with obesity. The research also stimulates emerging applications for neurodegenerative diseases, with over 20 million doses of GLP-1 drugs administered globally in 2023.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

What are the four major scientific breakthroughs honored by the VinFuture Foundation in 2023?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends