Tuesday, 29 May 2012.  At today’s press conference in Hong Kong, The Shaw Prize Foundation announced the Shaw Laureates for 2012. Information was posted on the website www.shawprize.org at Hong Kong time 15:30 (GMT 07:30).

The Shaw Prize consists of three annual prizes: Astronomy, Life Science and Medicine, and Mathematical Sciences, each bearing a monetary award of one million US dollars. This will be the ninth year that the Prize has been awarded and the presentation ceremony is scheduled for Monday, 17 September 2012.

The Shaw Laureates

The Shaw Prize in Astronomy is awarded in equal shares to

Professor David C Jewitt
Professor of Astronomy and Director of Institute for Planets and Exoplanets, University of California, Los Angeles, USA and

Professor Jane Luu
Technical Staff of Lincoln Laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

for their discovery and characterization of trans-Neptunian bodies, an archeological treasure dating back to the formation of the solar system and the long-sought source of short period comets.

The Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine is awarded in equal shares to

Professor Franz-Ulrich Hartl
Director, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany and

Professor Arthur L Horwich
Sterling Professor of Genetics, Yale University, USA

for their contributions to the understanding of the molecular mechanism of protein folding.  Proper protein folding is essential for many cellular functions.

The Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences is awarded to

Professor Maxim Kontsevich
Permanent Professor at l’Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques, France

for his pioneering works in algebra, geometry and mathematical physics and in particular deformation quantization, motivic integration and mirror symmetry.

Background

Established under the auspices of Mr Run Run Shaw, the Prize honours individuals, regardless of race, nationality and religious belief, who have achieved significant breakthrough in academic and scientific research or application and whose work has resulted in a positive and profound impact on mankind.

The Shaw Prize is an international award managed and administered by The Shaw Prize Foundation based in Hong Kong. Mr Shaw has also founded The Sir Run Run Shaw Charitable Trust and The Shaw Foundation Hong Kong, both dedicated to the promotion of education, scientific and technological research, medical and welfare services, and culture and the arts.

29 May 2012   Hong Kong