The two-day Science Symposium (6 to 7 November), part of the 2026 Future Science Prize Week, co-organised by the Future Science Awards Foundation and the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences, drew to a successful close today. The event attracted more than 1,000 participants from academia, the innovation and technology sector and the general public, with leading international scientists gathering in Hong Kong.
The "Computer Science Session — Artificial Intelligence" at the 2026 Future Science Prize Week Science Symposium discussed today's trending AI technologies and was moderated by Professor Ya Qin ZHANG (First Left), Founding Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) at Tsinghua University. Professor Yanyan LAN (First Right), Deputy Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) at Tsinghua University; Professor Shaoqing REN (Third Left), 2023 Future Science Prize Laureate in Mathematics and Computer Science; Mr Shunyu YAO (Second Right), Chief AI Scientist at Tencent; and Dr Fan-Gang ZENG (Second Left), International Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, joined the discussion. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
Professor Omar YAGHI, 2025 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, attended the Science Symposium of the Future Science Prize Week and delivered a keynote lecture titled “Selection Science for the Planet”. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
Professor Sir Andre GEIM, 2010 Nobel Laureate in Physics, delivered a keynote lecture titled “Random Walk to Stockholm” at the Science Symposium of the Future Science Prize Week. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
Today’s (7 November) special session, entitled "How Should Major Prizes Evolve in the AI Era?", featured current and former members of several international science prize committees (see photos).
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The "Computer Science Session — Artificial Intelligence" at the 2026 Future Science Prize Week Science Symposium discussed today's trending AI technologies and was moderated by Professor Ya Qin ZHANG (First Left), Founding Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) at Tsinghua University. Professor Yanyan LAN (First Right), Deputy Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) at Tsinghua University; Professor Shaoqing REN (Third Left), 2023 Future Science Prize Laureate in Mathematics and Computer Science; Mr Shunyu YAO (Second Right), Chief AI Scientist at Tencent; and Dr Fan-Gang ZENG (Second Left), International Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, joined the discussion. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
Professor Omar YAGHI, 2025 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, attended the Science Symposium of the Future Science Prize Week and delivered a keynote lecture titled “Selection Science for the Planet”. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
Professor Sir Andre GEIM, 2010 Nobel Laureate in Physics, delivered a keynote lecture titled “Random Walk to Stockholm” at the Science Symposium of the Future Science Prize Week. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
This year's Science Symposium featured a special session entitled "How Should Major Prizes Evolve in the AI Era?", with participants including Professor Yike GUO (Second Left), Provost of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Professor Ehud KEINAN (Third Right), Council Member of the Wolf Foundation; Mr Victor WANG (Second Right), Permanent Donor of the Future Science Prize; Professor Zhihong Jeff XIA (First Right), Co-Chair of the Programme Committee of the 2026 Future Science Prize Week; and Professor Mau-Chung Frank CHANG(First Left), Rotating Chair of the Future Science Prize Advisory Committee. Professor Thors Hans HANSSON, former Chairman of the Nobel Physics Committee also participated online. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
Several distinguished scholars participated in the "Physical Session — Frontiers in Optics" at the Science Symposium. The discussion was moderated by Professor Che Ting CHAN (First Left), Associate Vice-President (Research) of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Fellow of The Hong Kong Academy of Sciences; guest speakers included Professor Sir Andre GEIM (First Right), 2010 Nobel Laureate in Physics; Professor Naomi J. HALAS (Third Right), Stanley C. Moore Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University; Professor Susumu NODA (Second Right), Distinguished Professor of Kyoto University; and Professor John Brian PENDRY (Second Left), Chair in Theoretical Solid State Physics at Imperial College London. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
The "Mathematics Session - Bridges in Mathematics" at the Science Symposium was moderated by Professor SUN Song (First Left), Chair Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics at Zhejiang University. Speakers included Professor Bing WANG (Second Left), Professor of the Center for Geometry and Physics, University of Science and Technology of China; Professor Semyon DYATLOV(Second Right), Professor of Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and 2026 American Mathematical Society Böcher Memorial Prize Laureate; and Professor Guozhen WANG (Frist Right), Professor of the Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences at Fudan University. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
Several internationally renowned scientists participated in the "Life Science Session — The Frontier of Healthy Longevity" at the Science Symposium. Professor Guojun BU (First Left), Head and Chair Professor of the Division of Life Science at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, moderated the discussion. Guest speakers included Professor Linda PARTRIDGE (Second Left), Professor at the UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing and Founding Director of the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Germany; Professor Peter WALTER(Third Left), Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of California at San Francisco; Professor Steve HORVATH(Second Right), Professor of Human Genetics and Biostatistics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); and Dr Yi Arial ZENG (First Right), Principal Investigator at the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology of Chinese Academy of Sciences. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
The "Computer Science Session — Artificial Intelligence" at the 2026 Future Science Prize Week Science Symposium discussed today's trending AI technologies and was moderated by Professor Ya Qin ZHANG (First Left), Founding Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) at Tsinghua University. Professor Yanyan LAN (First Right), Deputy Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) at Tsinghua University; Professor Shaoqing REN (Third Left), 2023 Future Science Prize Laureate in Mathematics and Computer Science; Mr Shunyu YAO (Second Right), Chief AI Scientist at Tencent; and Dr Fan-Gang ZENG (Second Left), International Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, joined the discussion. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
This year's Science Symposium featured a special session entitled "How Should Major Prizes Evolve in the AI Era?", with participants including Professor Yike GUO (Second Left), Provost of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Professor Ehud KEINAN (Third Right), Council Member of the Wolf Foundation; Mr Victor WANG (Second Right), Permanent Donor of the Future Science Prize; Professor Zhihong Jeff XIA (First Right), Co-Chair of the Programme Committee of the 2026 Future Science Prize Week; and Professor Mau-Chung Frank CHANG(First Left), Rotating Chair of the Future Science Prize Advisory Committee. Professor Thors Hans HANSSON, former Chairman of the Nobel Physics Committee also participated online. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
Several distinguished scholars participated in the "Physical Session — Frontiers in Optics" at the Science Symposium. The discussion was moderated by Professor Che Ting CHAN (First Left), Associate Vice-President (Research) of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Fellow of The Hong Kong Academy of Sciences; guest speakers included Professor Sir Andre GEIM (First Right), 2010 Nobel Laureate in Physics; Professor Naomi J. HALAS (Third Right), Stanley C. Moore Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University; Professor Susumu NODA (Second Right), Distinguished Professor of Kyoto University; and Professor John Brian PENDRY (Second Left), Chair in Theoretical Solid State Physics at Imperial College London. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
Two major Prize Week events will take place tomorrow: the 2026 Future Science Prize Laureates' Dialogue with the Youth and the 2026 Future Science Prize Awards Ceremony & Concert. Three 2026 laureates, namely ZHANG Hong (Life Science Prize), ZHAO Dongyuan (Physical Science Prize) and YUAN Xinyi (Mathematics and Computer Science Prize), will attend in person to receive their honours before an audience of over 1,000 guests.
The "Mathematics Session - Bridges in Mathematics" at the Science Symposium was moderated by Professor SUN Song (First Left), Chair Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics at Zhejiang University. Speakers included Professor Bing WANG (Second Left), Professor of the Center for Geometry and Physics, University of Science and Technology of China; Professor Semyon DYATLOV(Second Right), Professor of Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and 2026 American Mathematical Society Böcher Memorial Prize Laureate; and Professor Guozhen WANG (Frist Right), Professor of the Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences at Fudan University. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
Several internationally renowned scientists participated in the "Life Science Session — The Frontier of Healthy Longevity" at the Science Symposium. Professor Guojun BU (First Left), Head and Chair Professor of the Division of Life Science at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, moderated the discussion. Guest speakers included Professor Linda PARTRIDGE (Second Left), Professor at the UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing and Founding Director of the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Germany; Professor Peter WALTER(Third Left), Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of California at San Francisco; Professor Steve HORVATH(Second Right), Professor of Human Genetics and Biostatistics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); and Dr Yi Arial ZENG (First Right), Principal Investigator at the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology of Chinese Academy of Sciences. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
The "Computer Science Session — Artificial Intelligence" at the 2026 Future Science Prize Week Science Symposium discussed today's trending AI technologies and was moderated by Professor Ya Qin ZHANG (First Left), Founding Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) at Tsinghua University. Professor Yanyan LAN (First Right), Deputy Dean of the Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) at Tsinghua University; Professor Shaoqing REN (Third Left), 2023 Future Science Prize Laureate in Mathematics and Computer Science; Mr Shunyu YAO (Second Right), Chief AI Scientist at Tencent; and Dr Fan-Gang ZENG (Second Left), International Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, joined the discussion. (Photo provided by the Future Science Awards Foundation)
The 2026 Future Science Prize Week events are being live-streamed and can be watched on the official website of the 2026 Future Science Prize Week (https://www.futureprize-hk.org) and on the social media platforms of the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences.
Highlights of the 2026 Future Science Prize (Hong Kong)
Details can be found on the official website of the 2026 Future Science Prize Week (https://www.futureprize-hk.org)
