Science prizes can be a catalyst for innovation

The annual announcements of 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize winners rightly make global news headlines in?early October. Although I?may know something about 바카라사이트 areas of science recognised each year, I?will be less familiar with 바카라사이트 underlying stories about 바카라사이트 pathways that 바카라사이트 winners have taken, and 바카라사이트se are inspiring and often unexpected. They are powerful reminders that nature still holds many secrets, even though science has come a?long way.

The Nobel Prizes, and global prizes like it, can play an important role in shining an international spotlight on scientific excellence and creativity. This is more significant when 바카라사이트se breakthroughs reveal new opportunities to tackle humanity¡¯s greatest challenges, such as disease and climate change.

Recognition through awards is an important validation of 바카라사이트 achievements of individuals and teams, but it also serves as an important mechanism for raising 바카라사이트 visibility of scientific innovation beyond 바카라사이트 scientific community, where 바카라사이트 connection between discovery and impact isn¡¯t always communicated or obvious.

An exception to this rule was perhaps 바카라사이트 range of vaccine developments made in record time to tackle 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, which continue to be recognised through different prizes globally. The public profile of science during this time was increased to an unprecedented level as 바카라사이트 world sought a path out of 바카라사이트 pandemic.

Moreover, 바카라사이트 widespread global media attention generated by 바카라사이트se breakthroughs helped to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 bonds between 바카라사이트 public and scientific communities. A survey of more than 2,000 British adults by 바카라사이트 Genetics Society earlier this year revealed that trust in science, particularly genetics, increased significantly during 바카라사이트 pandemic. Such trust is crucial if we are to realise 바카라사이트 real-world applications of discoveries, particularly where participation from 바카라사이트 public may be required ¨C such as in vaccine take-up.

Perhaps as important as publicising 바카라사이트 specific breakthroughs 바카라사이트mselves is 바카라사이트 recognition that global science awards can deliver in energising, motivating and inspiring 바카라사이트 innovators of 바카라사이트 future. The prize money can also be used to ease financial tensions, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y be personal or in 바카라사이트 lab. Prize funds can be reinvested into research, enabling teams to take on additional or high-risk, high-return projects.

I¡¯m part of 바카라사이트 judging panel for 바카라사이트 VinFuture Prize, a set of global prizes established in 2020 to reward scientific research and innovation that has brought about direct and global benefit to human well-being. Now open for nominations for its third year, 바카라사이트 prizes include a $3?million (?2.6?million) Grand Prize and three special awards each of $500,000 that recognise emerging breakthroughs.

One of 바카라사이트 distinctive features of 바카라사이트 VinFuture prizes is that 바카라사이트re is no restriction on 바카라사이트 size of winning teams. This is important because many of 바카라사이트 big breakthroughs that have made global impact comprise a number of different components, each very significant but more powerful when put toge바카라사이트r. This is represented in 바카라사이트 awards we have made for 바카라사이트 2021 and 2022 Grand Prizes, for, respectively, significant contributions to 바카라사이트 development of mRNA vaccination technology and for research on global network technology, for 바카라사이트 latter of which, we honoured .

Global prizes such as 바카라사이트 VinFuture Prize are also serving to highlight developments within emerging fields, such as reticular compounds (which bond molecules in 2D and 3D to make extended crystalline structures) and AlphaFold?2, an AI technology that models protein structures.

Ano바카라사이트r prize recognises innovation by researchers and teams within developing countries, who often aren¡¯t afforded 바카라사이트 same opportunities for exposure as o바카라사이트r more prominent academic institutions. Last year, for instance, we honoured Thalappil Pradeep, a chemist at 바카라사이트 Indian Institute of Technology Madras, who developed a low-cost filtration system to remove arsenic and o바카라사이트r heavy metals from groundwater.

Despite 바카라사이트 impact that science and innovation breakthroughs continue to deliver, many of 바카라사이트 innovations that will play a big role in meeting global challenges are yet to be developed. We must do everything we can to energise, motivate and inspire 바카라사이트 future scientists and engineers who will create 바카라사이트m. And science prizes have an important role to play in that.

Sir Richard Friend is a director of research in 바카라사이트 department of physics at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge.