This event brought together an esteemed panel of distinguished scientists, leading the panel was Prof. Sir Richard Henry Friend, the esteemed Chair of the VinFuture Prize Council, who also served as the webinar’s chair. Joining him as the co-chair of the webinar was Prof. Quarraisha Abdool Karim, Member of the Pre-Screening Committee and Laureate of the 2021 VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators from Developing Countries. Adding to the lineup of luminaries, the special guest for this occasion was none other than Prof. Stanley Whittingham, Laureate of the 2023 VinFuture Grand Prize.

True to its name, the webinar aimed to provide valuable insights to potential nominating partners. With the expert guidance of VinFuture Foundation representatives, attendees were presented with a comprehensive overview that delved into the essence of the prestigious award. While relatively young, VinFuture has carved out its place in the scientific community with resounding success over the past three years, thanks to its unwavering mission of “Science for Humanity,” as highlighted by Prof. Karim.

“The impact of this particular award is gaining a lot of traction and attention as we proceed, with the number of nominations coming in. And I think the other part is, if you think about other prizes at this level, for example, the Nobel Prize or the Millennium Technology Prize or the Turing Award, it’s usually a grand prize. And I think, with VinFuture, there are related prizes that recognize female innovators, innovators for emerging fields, and also innovators from developing countries. And I think this gives you very complementary insights into the kind of knowledge that is being generated across the globe.”

In the webinar, Prof. Whittingham, who was a special guest, gave his insights as the Laureate of the 2023 VinFuture Grand Prize. Reflecting on his research experience, he underlined how crucial the VinFuture Prize is to achieving transformative goals for a more sustainable global community. In addition, Prof. Whittingham encouraged scientists who were interested in the Prize, as well as their nominating partners, to submit nominations with confidence if they thought they were deserving.

“This award has been great publicity for our goal of building a greener, more sustainable world for citizens. This differs from other awards that focus on fundamental understanding or discovery and do not really merge the different supports that are needed to make a successful application. I’d suggest the nominators look at the big picture, not just your local nominees or favorites. I encourage everybody from developing and developed nations to participate, send in nominations, as from the prize, we see that the winners come from all around the world. Don’t hold back just because you don’t think you’re competitive.”

The deadline for nomination submissions for the 2024 VinFuture Prize is 2:00 PM, April 17th, 2024 (Vietnam Time, GMT +7). Nominations received after this deadline will be considered for the following year. VinFuture Foundation will organize the second and final “Call for Nominations” webinar in March.

Previously, the recently concluded 2023 VinFuture Prize award season garnered a robust response from the global science and technology community, with nearly 1,400 exceptional nominations from scientists, researchers, and inventors worldwide. The third season made a significant impact by connecting and inspiring the country’s scientific community, leaving a legacy of success.