The Hong Kong Prize is one of Asia’s most prestigious awards, celebrating scientific research with global impact and encouraging students to pursue science careers. Winners are offered both a monetary prize and the chance to conduct their research in Hong Kong. The prize has also been lauded for its international recognition, top-tier media coverage and access to world-class facilities at Hong Kong University.
The prize is open to enrolled secondary school students in Hong Kong. Students are nominated by their teachers and must submit a piece of artwork online by the submission deadline. Students will be shortlisted by a panel of judges and the winning entry will receive HK$8,000, while HK$20,000 will be awarded to the student’s nominating teacher’s school.
Hong Kong police on Thursday offered bounties of up to 1 million Hong Kong dollars (US$128,000) for information leading to the arrest of five overseas-based activists, in a fresh crackdown on pro-democracy protesters who were arrested or forced into self-exile after a wave of anti-government rallies last year. The move is part of a broad government crackdown on dissidents since the introduction of a controversial security law in 2020, which critics say is eroding freedoms promised when the semi-autonomous Chinese city returned to Beijing’s control in 1997.
Veteran actor and martial arts director Sammo Hung won the best director prize for his cops-and-robbers actioner Raging Fire at the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards. It was the second time he has won the award, which is considered one of the most important in the local film industry. He beat out rivals Andy Lau and Donnie Yen, both of whom starred in the film, and fellow legends such as Jackie Chan.
An exhibition on 2024: The Future Science Prize is currently on show at the Hong Kong Science Museum. The exhibits introduce the research of this year’s winners, and the work of previous laureates. Visitors can learn how the researchers’ remarkable insights and innovation open up new doors of scientific possibility.
The award ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday. Hundreds of local and international dignitaries and scholars attended the event to support and celebrate the achievements of the prize’s winners. The prizes were presented by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, John Lee, and Dr. Li Ka Shing, founder and chairman of the Hong Kong-based SK Foundation. Other guests included representatives of government departments and agencies, universities, industry-education-research bases, and companies in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The event was hosted by BOCHK SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION PRIZE. The Board of Directors is responsible for the overall operation of the prize and has established an independent review procedure to ensure that the review process will be conducted professionally, objectively and fairly. The Board consists of renowned experts from Hong Kong, the United States, and China. They will oversee the entire review process and make final decisions on the awardees. The Board is committed to upholding scientific and rigorous standards, and will not allow any organization or individual to exert undue influence on the review process.