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WINNER OF THE 2012 MAHATHIR SCIENCE AWARD
Friday 05/10/2012
KUALA LUMPUR, October 5 (Bernama) --
Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, Chairman of Mahathir Science Award Foundation (MSAF), announced the winner of the Mahathir Science Award, today at a press conference held at the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), Jalan Tun Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
The distinguished Fellows of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) met on 2 Oct 2012 in Kuala Lumpur to select the winner of the prestigious Mahathir Science Award for the year 2012. The winner was picked through a voting process by the Fellows based on evaluations made by an International Advisory Panel, which included Nobel Prize winner Professor Lee Yuan Tseh from Taiwan.
The Mahathir Science Award Foundation bestows the Mahathir Science Award to researchers or institutions who have made internationally recognized scientific breakthroughs in pioneering tropical research that have brought greater positive impacts on the well-being of society in the fields of Tropical Medicine, Tropical Agriculture, Tropical Architecture and Engineering and Tropical Natural Resources.
This year, MSAF received 31 nominations (scientists and institutions) from 11 countries around the world and two scientists were shortlisted for the award.
Over the years, the award has been awarded to six recipients. It carries a cash prize of RM100,000, a gold medal and a certificate.
The Academy of Sciences Malaysia being an august body of Malaysian scientists, engineers and technologists, was entrusted by MSAF to conduct the selection exercise of the Mahathir Science Award on behalf of the Foundation.
The winner for the award is selected based on three selection criteria which are scientific breakthrough, impact of the breakthrough and solving the problems of the tropics.
Nominations were opened last year and leading scientists and institutions nominated for the award were shortlisted by a selection committee before it was submitted for evaluation by experts from abroad.
PAST RECIPIENTS
1. 2005-Tropical Medicine - Professor John Sheppard Mackenzie
(for his contributions in solving the problems related to Japanese encephalitis virus)
2. 2006-Tropical Medicine - Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya
(Outstanding contribution to the understanding and treatment of the Nipah Encephalitis)
3. 2007-Tropical Medicine - Professor Joseph Sriyal Malik Peiris
(for his discovery of the aetiological agent causing SARS leading to understanding of pathogenesis and epidemilogy of the disease in 2003)
4. 2008-Tropical Agriculture - Professor Dr Gurdev Singh Khush
(for his perseverance, leadership, commitment and revolutionary work in systematically directing and developing several rice varieties that have overwhelmingly contributed towards reducing global hunger)
5. 2009-Tropical Natural Resources - Forest Research Institute Malaysia
(in recognition of its role in the development of the rubberwood furniture industry)
6. 2010 – NIL (no winner was selected)
7. 2011 – Tropical Agricultural – Professor Yuan LongPing
(recognition of his courage in independent thinking out of the norm in rice breeding resulting in the innovative development of hybrid rice, a staple food of the tropics that has revolutionized global rice production and sustainability)
SOURCE: Academy of Sciences Malaysia
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
NAME : Ms Suhailee Sudirman
Operation Executive
Mahathir Science Award Foundation (MSAF)
902-4 Jalan Tun Ismail, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
TEL : 03-2694 9898 (office)
MOBILE : 012-348 3025
FAX : 03-2694 5858
E-MAIL : suhailee@msa-foundation.org
--BERNAMA
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