HONG KONG, Oct. 22, 2025 -- The Shaw Prize presented its awards to four 2025 Shaw Laureates on 21 Oct at the 2025 Award Presentation Ceremony, held in the Grand Hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Approximately 600 guests from various sectors participated in the event.
In his opening remarks, Professor Kenneth Young, Chair of The Shaw Prize Council, expressed deep sorrow at the passing of Professor Chen-ning Yang, a founding member of the Shaw Prize. Professor Young highlighted Professor Yang's pivotal role in shaping the Prize from its inception, and his profound influence on its development and global prominence. On behalf of The Shaw Prize Foundation, Professor Young extended heartfelt condolences to Professor Yang's family, friends, and the global scientific community.
The 2025 Shaw Laureates, Professor John Richard Bond, Professor George Efstathiou, Professor Wolfgang Baumeister, and Professor Kenji Fukaya, were then presented with their awards by Professor Reinhard Genzel, Chair of the Board of Adjudicators. Each Shaw Prize also carries a monetary award of US$1.2 million.
Professors Bond and Efstathiou, recognised for their studies of fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background, reminisced about their decades-long friendship and collaboration. They celebrated their personal and intellectual connections, and global network of collaborators that shaped their work.
During his acceptance speech, Professor Baumeister, recognised for his pioneering work in cryogenic-electron tomography, looked back on his journey to visualise cellular structures in their native environment, emphasised the collaborative nature of scientific breakthroughs, and advocated for science without borders.
Professor Fukaya, whose work spans Riemannian geometry, symplectic geometry, and gauge theory, reflected on the solitary nature of mathematical work and the rare but meaningful recognition it brings. He expressed heartfelt thanks to his collaborators and his family, for their unwavering support throughout his mathematical journey.
