Winners of the 2016 Tang Prize in four categories were announced June 18-21, with each category receiving a cash prize of US$1.24 million and research grant of US$311,000 to be presented in September.
Canadian jurist Louise Arbour won in the rule of law category, joining academic American William Theodore de Bary of Columbia University for Sinology, French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier, American geneticist Jennifer A. Doudna and Chinese-American biologist Feng Zhang for biopharmaceutical science and American physicist Arthur H. Rosenfeld for sustainable development.
Arbour was recognized June 21 for enduring contributions to international criminal justice and the protection of human rights, to promoting peace, justice and security at home and abroad, and to working within the law to expand the frontiers of freedom for all. She is a former U.N. high commissioner for human rights and a former chief prosecutor for the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda.
De Bary was honored June 20 for his monumental scholarship and leadership in the field of Confucianism, as well as an unflagging dedication to renewing and realizing a great civilized conversation to iron out differences and foster mutual understanding between East and West; Charpentier, Doudna and Zhang June 19 for the development of CRISPR/Cas 9 as a breakthrough genome editing platform promising to revolutionize biomedical research and disease treatment; and Rosenfeld June 18 for sustained and pioneering innovations of energy efficiency resulting in significant reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
In addition to the presentation ceremony involving the cash prizes, certificates and medals Sept. 25 at Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei, “Glory of Tang Prize: Laureate and Diploma Exhibition” will take place Sept. 2 to Nov. 6 in Taipei and Kaohsiung cities, according to presenter Lee Yuan-tseh, chairman of the 2016 Tang Prize Selection Committee and Taiwan’s winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in chemistry.
Established by Taiwan entrepreneur Samuel Yin in December 2012, the biennial prize takes its name from the Tang dynasty (618-907), a period considered the peak of ancient Chinese civilization. It was also one characterized by international exchanges and robust cultural activities. The open-mindedness exhibited by the Tang people in embracing different cultures epitomizes the core values of the prize.
Further information on the winners and the Tang Prize is available at the Tang Prize website. (WF-E)
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