AsianScientist (May 29, 2014) – Considered the “Nobel Prize of Asia”, this year’s Shaw Prizes for astronomy, life science & medicine and mathematical sciences have been awarded to six scientists in recognition of their contributions to their respective fields.
The 2014 Shaw Prize in Astronomy went to three recipients: Daniel Eisenstein, Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University; Shaun Cole, Professor of Physics at the University of Durham; and John A Peacock, Professor of Cosmology at the University of Edinburgh. The award was given in recognition of their contributions to our understanding of galaxy distribution, using measurements such as baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO).
Baryons are a type of subatomic particle consisting of three quarks. BAO refer to periodic fluctuations in the density of the visible baryonic matter of the universe that act as a “standard ruler” to measure the size of galaxies. BAO measurements have been used to constrain cosmological parameters, giving scientists an insight into the nature of the dark matter driving the expansion of the universe.
The 2014 Life Science & Medicine prize honored Kazutoshi Mori from Kyoto University and Peter Walter from the University of California in San Francisco for their work on the unfolded protein response (UPR), a quality control system which prevents the accumulation of malformed proteins in the cell.
Understanding the basic system of how cells maintain proteins in their correct state has led to advances in diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, which are marked by dysregulation in the UPR.
George Lusztig, Abdun Nur Professor of Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is the recipient of the 2014 Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences. Already a Cole Prize and Leroy P. Steele Prize winner, Lusztig has contributed answers to basic questions arising in the representation theory of the structures appearing in a field known as Lie theory.
By applying methods from algebra and within Lie theory itself, as well as techniques from other areas such as algebraic geometry and topology, Lusztig successfully determined the characters of the irreducible representations of various Lie theoretical structures. These discoveries revealed previously unknown connections between different areas of mathematics, spurring developments across many mathematical research fields.
Along with a medal, the winners of each category will receive US$1 million in prize money to be shared among fellow winners in the same category.
The Shaw Prize was established in 2002 by Run Run Shaw, an Asian media mogul who passed away in January this year at the age of 107. Administered by the Shaw Prize Foundation headquartered in Hong Kong, it honors individuals who have made significant scientific advances and are currently active in their field, regardless of race, nationality, gender or religious belief.
The 2014 Shaw Laureates will receive their awards in Hong Kong at the eleventh annual ceremony on September 24, 2014.
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Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine. Photo: The Shaw Prize Foundation.
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