A glittering future

The WLA Prize has two categories, with each offering a monetary award of 10 million yuan ($1.4 million), making it one of the most lucrative scientific awards globally. Since its inception, the WLA Prize has honored 15 scientists from Germany, the US, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Switzerland over five editions, including this year's, and its international influence and prestige are rising.

Receiving the awards in Shanghai also brought this year's three scientists to China for the first time.

"I've had interactions with a number of Chinese scientists and the opportunity to come to China and meet with people at many different universities certainly opens the door to more opportunities for collaboration, and for the growth of the bridge between the US and China in research science," says Emr, adding that he was thrilled to be recognized with the award, which is well known worldwide as one of the most significant prizes in research.

Emr received his PhD degree in molecular genetics from Harvard Medical School in 1981. Prior to joining the faculty at Cornell, he held positions at institutions including the University of California, and the California Institute of Technology. The past honors bestowed on him include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2022, and the Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine in 2021.

Sundquist says that he has been inundated with emails from around the world since the WLA announced this year's prize winners on Sept 10, and that being included in such august company as previous winners of the prize is a huge personal achievement.

The professor of biochemistry, who is also a member of the Cell Response and Regulation Program at Huntsman Cancer Institute in the US, initially received his bachelor's degree from Carleton College, Minnesota, and a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His honors and awards include election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the US National Academy of Sciences.

All of them say that the World Laureates Forum, which featured an array of globally recognized scientists, including 25 recipients of prestigious international awards — the Nobel Prize, Turing Award, Wolf Prize, and Fields Medal among them — had an impressive set of sessions and topics of great significance to the future of humankind.

They agree that such events will inspire local young scientists and students.

"I remember when I was a student; hearing lectures from people whom I very much admired would motivate me a lot. So I think it's a great thing for students to have contact with the leaders in the field," says Schoen, who received a bachelor's degree from the University of Dayton in 1972, and a PhD from Stanford University in 1977. His past honors include winning the Wolf Prize in Mathematics in 2017.

Having leading figures in China in the field of mathematics is a key factor for the country in attracting leading global mathematicians, says Schoen, and that has already been happening over the past decade.

"I know many senior Chinese mathematicians who moved back to China. So to me, the momentum seems to be fairly good for Chinese mathematics," he says.