AsianScientist (Jun. 9, 2016) – On June 1, six deserving recipients were awarded the Ho-Am Prize—often referred to as the Korean equivalent of the Nobel Prize—for their contributions to science, culture and the welfare of mankind. All six awardees received a diploma, gold medal and cash prize of KRW 300 million (~US$275,000).
The recipients for 2016 are Kim Myungshik, professor at Imperial College London, UK; Oh Jun-ho, professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea; Larry Kwak, director of the Toni Stephenson Lymphoma Center at the City of Hope National Medical Center, USA; Hwang Dong-kyu, poet and professor at Seoul National University, South Korea; and Kim Hyun-soo and Cho Soon-sil, co-chairmen of charitable organization Wahaha Community, South Korea.
Kim, laureate in the Science category, is a world-renowned physicist in the field of quantum optics. His theoretical work could someday lead to the development of a quantum computer.
Oh, laureate in the Engineering category, developed one of the world’s most advanced humanoid robot platforms, HUBO. A global leader in humanoid robotics, Oh led a team that won the prestigious DARPA Robotics Challenge 2015, beating out 22 other robots from five countries.
Kwak, laureate in the Medicine category, is an expert in translational cancer immunotherapy, contributing to the development of cancer vaccines for patients with low-grade follicular lymphoma.
The Ho-Am Prize was established in 1990 by Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung Group, and named after his pen name. The Prize celebrates individuals who continue the noble spirit of public service that the late chairman and founder of Samsung Group, Lee Byung-chul, embraced.
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Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine; Photo: Samsung Group.
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