The Singapore Prize 2023 – Pushing the Boundaries of Science and Innovation
Those seeking to push the boundaries of science and innovation in Singapore will be put on the map by a new prize. Launched by the Singapore National Research Foundation and President’s Scientific and Technology Award Committee, this award will recognise scientists who have made significant contributions to pushing the boundaries of scientific research in Singapore.
The prize will be awarded on a quarterly basis and will come with a monetary award of $50,000. It will also provide the winner with opportunities to work alongside other researchers to further develop their work.
It will also support them in establishing and building their networks and connections with business, investors, academics and community leaders. The organisers also hope to foster a community of people who are committed to making the world a better place and to driving climate action.
The award, which was announced at the Singapore International Convention Centre on Monday, is inspired by former US President John F Kennedy’s 1962 “Moonshot” speech that set a goal to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. The initiative will recognise innovative solutions and technologies that aim to accelerate efforts to address environmental challenges such as climate change, air pollution and water scarcity. The 2023 prize is backed by Temasek Trust, investment platform GenZero and Conservation International. “Their collective expertise and resources will play a critical role in supporting the series of engagements in the lead up to, during and after the awards ceremony and Earthshot Week,” said organisers.
Last year’s inaugural prize winners included a team from Oman that found a way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and a company that aims to bring cleaner-burning stoves to Kenyan women. The prize will be presented at an awards ceremony on November 7.
Interested in submitting your own idea for the Singapore Prize? Learn more about the nomination process here.
In addition to the monetary award, this year’s winners will receive opportunities to work with other scientists and industry players to further their research. They will also be able to access Temasek’s ecosystem of resources and investments to help scale their environmental solutions.
A total of six submissions have been shortlisted for the prize, which was introduced in 2014. The judging panel will be chaired by Prof Mahbubani. The shortlist includes non-fiction titles such as Imperial Creatures (2019, available here), a look at human and animal relationships in colonial Singapore, and the novel Sembawang (2020, available here), which follows a family across five decades of change in the country’s history.
The prizes will be awarded to individuals and teams who have a strong Singapore connection. The winning entries will be chosen by a jury panel comprising of Prof Mahbubani, Dr Tan Tai Yong, Prof John Miksic and Dr Peter A Coclanis. The deadline for applications is May 30.