VinFuture reveals judges for 2024 prize season

The 2024 VinFuture Prize Council consists of 11 distinguished scientists who have made remarkable contributions to humanity. This year, three exceptional scientists have joined the Council, all of whom have previously been honored in the fields of solar batteries, plant biology, and atmospheric chemistry.

Here is the complete list of the 2024 VinFuture Prize Council members:

– Chair of the Prize Council: Professor Sir Richard Henry Friend, FRS – University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, winner of the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize.

– Professor Pascale Cossart – Pasteur Institute, Paris, France.

– Professor Chi Van Dang – Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Johns Hopkins University, United States.

– Professor Soumitra Dutta – University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

– Professor Martin Andrew Green – University of New South Wales, Australia, winner of the 2022 Millennium Technology Prize and the 2023 VinFuture Grand Prize.

– Professor Xuedong David Huang – Zoom Video Communications, United States.

– Professor Daniel Merson Kammen – University of California, Berkeley, United States.

– Professor Sir Konstantin (Kostya) S. Novoselov, FRS – University of Manchester, United Kingdom and National University of Singapore, Singapore, winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics.

– Professor Pamela Christine Ronald – University of California, Davis, United States, winner of the 2022 Wolf Prize in Agriculture & VinFuture Special Prize.

– Professor Susan Solomon – Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States, winner of the 2009 Volvo Environmental Prize and the 2023 VinFuture Special Prize.

– Professor Leslie Gabriel Valiant, FRS – Harvard University, United States, winner of the 2010 A.M. Turing Award.

The members of the 2024 Prize Council are all accomplished and renowned scientists, many of whom have been associated with VinFuture for a long time.

This year, the Council welcomes three new members: Prof. Martin Andrew Green (University of New South Wales, Australia, winner of the 2023 VinFuture Grand Prize), Prof. Pamela Christine Ronald (University of California, Davis, United States, winner of the 2022 VinFuture Special Prize for Women Innovators), and Prof. Susan Solomon (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States, winner of the 2023 VinFuture Special Prize for Women Innovators).

Prof. Martin Andrew Green is a Scientia Professor at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, and the Founding Director of the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics. His contributions to photovoltaics are widely recognized, including holding the record for silicon solar cell efficiency for 30 of the last 40 years. He invented the PERC solar cell, which accounted for 91.2% of worldwide silicon solar module production in 2021.

Prof. Green has received numerous international awards, including the 2018 Global Energy Prize, the prestigious 2021 Japan Prize, the 2022 Millennium Technology Prize, the 2023 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, and the 2023 VinFuture Grand Prize.

In the field of biology, the Prize Council has gained an additional member, Prof. Pamela Christine Ronald. Prof. Ronald holds a Ph.D. in Molecular and Physiological Plant Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. She is currently a Distinguished Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of California, Davis, and an Investigator at the Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley.

As the co-author of “Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food,” Prof. Ronald was named one of the world’s 100 most influential people in biotechnology by Scientific American. In 2022, she received the Wolf Prize in Agriculture & the VinFuture Special Prize for Women Innovators. She is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Another VinFuture Prize laureate, Prof. Susan Solomon, currently serves as the Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies and Chair of the Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.

Previously, she held positions such as the Ellen Swallow Richards Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry & Climate Science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Acting Director at the Atmospheric Chemistry Division of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and Senior Scientist and Research Chemist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

She is internationally renowned for her outstanding contributions to the understanding of the Antarctic ozone “hole” and the intricate interaction between atmospheric chemistry and climate change. Prof. Solomon has received numerous awards, including the 1999 National Medal of Science, the 2009 Volvo Environmental Prize, the 2018 Crafoord Prize of the Swedish Academy of Sciences, and the 2023 VinFuture Special Prize for Women Innovators. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008.

Expressing his thoughts on his new role, Prof. Martin Andrew Green said: “I am deeply impressed by the VinFuture Prizes and how they have become one of the leading international awards in just three years. As someone interested in Vietnam’s role in leading the energy transition through solar cell manufacturing, I am thrilled to be a member of the Prize Council. I look forward to contributing to the Council’s mission and upholding its strong track record in selecting deserving awardees.”

Prof. Richard Henry Friend, Chair of the VinFuture Prize Council, emphasized the importance of the new members by stating: “The new members of the Prize Council bring expertise in key areas where we receive many exceptional nominations. Sustainability is often seen as a challenge when it comes to balancing the needs of feeding and providing energy to societies worldwide, and our new members bring strength and experience to address these issues“

About the VinFuture Prize

The VinFuture Foundation, established on International Human Solidarity Day on December 20th, 2020, is a non-profit organization co-founded by billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong and his wife, Pham Thu Huong. The Foundation’s main activity is awarding the annual VinFuture Prize, which honors transformative scientific and technological innovations capable of bringing significant positive changes to the lives of millions of people worldwide.

The VinFuture Prize consists of four prestigious awards presented annually. The most prestigious is the VinFuture Grand Prize, valued at US$3 million, making it one of the largest annual prizes globally. In addition, there are three Special Prizes, each valued at US$500,000, dedicated to honoring female innovators, innovators from developing countries, and innovators with outstanding achievements in emerging fields.

In pursuing its mission, the Foundation engages in various activities, including strategic grantmaking initiatives, fostering intellectual connections, and collaborating in the advancement of science and technology.