Mr. Luc Taerwe, Director of the China Platform at Ghent University, is one of the recipients of the 2019 Shanghai Science & Technology Awards. A total of 308 scientific breakthroughs and distinguished researchers were honored at an awards ceremony at the Shanghai Exhibition Center in Jing’an district. The 2019 awards, for the first time, allowed scientists based overseas to compete directly with locals. Also, renowned foreign scientists were invited to be judges and encouraged to nominate projects. “We have changed our outlook from simply recognizing foreign scientists based in Shanghai to rewarding those who have made, or are making, great contributions to the scientific life of Shanghai, no matter where they are,” said Han Yuanjian, an official of the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission. Among the nominees, 37 projects involved foreign scientists from 11 countries and regions, including the UK, France and Japan. In 2006, Shanghai introduced an international cooperation category into the Shanghai Science and Technology Awards to honor foreign scientists for their involvement in local projects. So far, nearly 30 expats have won such awards.

Luc Taerwe

Belgian engineer Luc Taerwe and American scientist Yu Jinquan received an award for deepening international exchange and cooperation between China and other countries. Taerwe is Director of the China Platform at Ghent University in Belgium, a platform established to facilitate the university’s academic interaction with Chinese universities and organizations, the Shanghai Daily reports. Yu, Professor at The Scripps Research Institute based in California, has organized key meetings in China and invited renowned scientists to attend. Also, he has cooperated with local researchers to publish articles in the science journal Nature. Shanghai this year introduced a “science education” category, the first city in the country to do so. Fifteen projects were awarded. They included books to explain the treatment of nearsightedness, promote traditional Chinese medicine to children, and raise awareness of chronic diseases.

Ten people ranging from 35 to 46 were honored as outstanding young scientists. Energy and environmental technology topped the winners, accounting for more than a fifth. Biomedicine and pharmaceutical technology accounted for 19.05%, followed by information technology (11.22%) and new materials (7.82%), the Shanghai Daily reports.