AsianScientist (May. 29, 2023) –Asian Scientist Magazine has published the eighth iteration of the Asian Scientist 100 (2023 edition), a list we compile every year to highlight top scientific talent in the region. This year’s list shows the groundbreaking achievements of researchers and industry leaders determined to transform our world—from understanding glacial cycles and structural geology to advancing space exploration.
Asia’s researchers continue to dream big and serve marginalized communities. Pushing the boundaries of the unknown, the awardees, with the help of their teams, accomplished huge successes. These include dropping the rate of new HIV/AIDS infections in Malaysia by 50 percent over the course of a decade, identifying the connection between the chikungunya virus and meningitis in Bangladeshi children and treating eye disorders of over 20,000 patients in Japan as well as training and supporting ophthalmologists in Vietnam.
This year’s list includes honorees from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam in fields ranging from modern number theory to mental health.
The Asian Scientist 100 (2023 edition) includes trailblazing women in sustainability like Dr Asha DeVos, founder of Oceanswell, Sri Lanka’s first marine conservation research and education organization, and the first National Geographic explorer from the country. Dr Aletta Yñiquez from the Philippines appears on the list as well for her work with local communities advocating for sustainable fishing practices and designing accessible artificial intelligence systems that can warn of harmful algal blooms.
In the field of mental health, researchers look to heal old scars and find new solutions. In the wake of the Cambodian Civil War, roughly 40 percent of Cambodians suffered continuing mental health problems. From the early 2000s, psychiatrist Dr Chhim Sotheara has consistently led community-based integrative mental health support. Searching for a better understanding of rising mental health diagnoses, neuroscientist Professor Vidita Vaidya won the 2022 Infosys Prize in Life Sciences for her work exploring the brain mechanisms behind mood disorders like anxiety and depression.
To be included on the list, honorees must have been awarded a national or international prize in 2022. Alternatively, they must have achieved a significant accomplishment such as a scientific discovery or demonstrated leadership that advances scientific enterprise.
“The honorees featured in this year’s list have worked relentlessly and harnessed science to improve the lives of the people around them and the environment we live in,” said Dr Juliana Chan, CEO and publisher of Asian Scientist Magazine. “By highlighting their efforts, we hope to encourage a new generation of young scientists.”
The list, in no order of merit, is available online here.
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Illustration: Shelly Liew/Asian Scientist Magazine.
Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine.