2026 Future Science Prize Week - Laureates' Dialogue with the Youth Three Laureates Share Inspiring Journeys to Empower 200 Local Secondary Students

The 2026 Future Science Prize Week hosted the Laureates' Dialogue with the Youth today, bringing together this year's three laureates and nearly 200 local secondary school students for a face-to-face exchange on scientific research experiences. Image source: the Future Science Awards Foundation

The 2026 Future Science Prize Week hosted the Laureates' Dialogue with the Youth today, bringing together this year's three laureates and nearly 200 local secondary school students for a face-to-face exchange on scientific research experiences. Image source: the Future Science Awards Foundation

Hong ZHANG, laureate of the 2026 Future Science Prize in Life Science, discussed his award-winning achievements, detailing his groundbreaking discovery of the mechanism and physiological function of autophagy in multicellular organisms. Image source: the Future Science Awards Foundation

Dongyuan ZHAO, laureate of the 2026 Future Science Prize in Physical Science, presented his innovative work, explaining how he brought mesoporous materials to the forefront of chemistry. Image source: the Future Science Awards Foundation

Xinyi YUAN, laureate of the 2026 Future Science Prize in Mathematics and Computer Science, was honoured for his fundamental contributions to arithmetic geometry, in particular for developing the theory of arithmetic bigness in Arakelov geometry. Image source: the Future Science Awards Foundation

Ms Yang YANG (First Right), China's first Winter Olympics gold medallist and former short-track speed skater, joined the three 2026 Future Science Prize laureates – Hong ZHANG (First Left), Dongyuan ZHAO (Second Left), and Xinyi YUAN (Second Right) – in engaging with local secondary school students and sharing their personal journeys and experiences. Image source: 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)

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)