Predicting potential candidates ahead of the VinFuture Prize 2024

NDO - Faced with urgent current issues, scientists who have received the VinFuture Prize predict that breakthrough research in the fields of climate change and environmental degradation, energy security or global health... will be potential candidates for the prestigious VinFuture Prize 2024.

Many "heavyweight" candidates

Professor Gurdev Singh Khush, co-recipient of the VinFuture 2023 Special Prize for Scientists from Developing Countries, highlighted three important research areas that are likely to receive attention this year. The first is climate change and environmental degradation - issues with far-reaching implications for food and water security.

“Any research that aims to mitigate the effects of climate change, develop sustainable agriculture, and ensure people have access to clean water will certainly be of great value,” he said.

With 60 years of experience in researching and developing disease- and pest-resistant rice varieties, Professor Khush understands how increasingly severe climate change is negatively impacting sustainable agricultural development.

This view is also strongly supported by Professor Martin Andrew Green, the 2023 VinFuture Grand Prize Laureate, who believes that the solar industry is booming and that this is one of the best opportunities to combat climate change.

From the perspective of someone who has spent decades researching to improve the efficiency of silicon solar cells, Professor Green believes that this technology still has a lot of potential to develop: “Solar energy is currently providing electricity at very low cost in many countries, and this is considered the third energy revolution - after the agricultural and industrial revolutions”.

Energy security is another key area. With the world’s population growing and energy demand increasing, the search for sustainable and reliable energy solutions is more urgent than ever. Innovations in renewable energy technology, energy storage and energy efficiency will play a key role in meeting this challenge.

Professor Martin Green stressed the importance of achieving a balance between developing new energy solutions and effectively controlling energy consumption.

Professor Green points out that solar technology and sustainable materials are making significant strides. Cost is the biggest driver, he says, as it helps technologies gain a foothold in the commercial market. A technology that is cost-competitive will grow rapidly, as has been seen with solar. As deployment scales up, the use of environmentally friendly, recyclable, and sustainable materials becomes more important.

Finally, global health is also one of the top areas of interest. The Covid-19 pandemic has shown the importance of preparing for and responding quickly to infectious diseases. In this area, Professor Jens Juul Holst, Winner of the VinFuture 2023 Special Prize for Scientists Researching Emerging Fields, commented that microRNA research has great potential in solving global health challenges.

According to him, microRNA is opening up new directions in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and many other diseases. The development of microRNA-based therapies promises to create a revolution in medicine, bringing hope to millions of patients worldwide.

Expectations for the global vision of the VinFuture Prize

As a member of the VinFuture Prize Council this year, Professor Green revealed that the number of nominations for the Prize was impressive. He also revealed that this year's nominations were divided into main groups, such as materials science, agriculture, climate, medicine and health care, environment, mathematics, artificial intelligence, communications, computer science, etc. He was also impressed with the way VinFuture organized the evaluation process, screening the applications in a professional, methodical and rigorous way.

Professor Holst - Winner of the VinFuture 2023 Special Prize - believes that VinFuture is on the right track in honoring global scientific discovery.

Professor Jens Juul Holst emphasized that the support and recognition from the VinFuture Prize creates great conditions for scientists.

“The most important thing is that this recognition shows the global importance of scientific discoveries. The greatest happiness is that more and more people benefit from scientific discoveries and have a better life,” he said.

Professor Khush also particularly appreciated the fact that VinFuture is the first major international prize awarded by a developing country.

“Most other prestigious awards come from developed countries. Recognition from a developing country is particularly meaningful,” he said, adding that he believes the VinFuture Prize will play an important role in raising global awareness of pressing issues today, while also contributing to creating a better life for future generations.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/du-doan-ung-cu-vien-tiem-nang-truoc-them-giai-thuong-vinfuture-2024-post847180.html