Jason Chin

Microscopes have transformed society, from the first discovery of cells and viruses, to 21st century precision medicine and pharmaceuticals. However, the best microscopes have hit a major barrier: the light they use is so intense that it can destroy the sample being looked at. We used quantum light to break…

Transforming Universities in Ways that accelerate the Transition to a Sustainable Future. Universities need to become more useful societal partners in solving problems in sustainable development (i.e. problems requiring a dual focus on improving human well-being and protecting the environment). This requires breaking down the “external walls” that separate universities…

Nominated by: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Presented by: Dr. Théau Peronnin

Anna Siekierka is addressing the challenging issue of lithium-ion battery (LIB) effluent containing hazardous metals like cobalt, lithium, and nickel by proposing a zero-waste process for metal recovery. Her solution involves using reverse electrodialysis with an ultra-selective cobalt exchange membrane, allowing for cobalt recovery and simultaneous energy harvesting from the…

Mout De Vrieze is addressing the challenge faced by potato farmers who heavily rely on toxic pesticides to protect their crops, leading to environmental and health risks. Her solution involves isolating natural protective microorganisms from potato plants and combining them to create eco-friendly plant protection products, offering a sustainable and…

Where Physics and Life Meet at the Nanoscale In philosophy, the sanskrit concept of  Māyā alludes to the illusion created by the limits of our physical senses which prevent us from seeing reality in its deepest essence. If science could tear this veil, what would the world look like and…

The nominating institution GEOMAR on the breakthrough: Dr. Micallef’s work highlights the important role that offshore groundwater systems play for the geological and biological processes at the seafloor. The work in MARCAN quickly documented the abundance of freshwater below the seafloor. Recent estimates suggest that there is as much as…

We’re a Peruvian nonprofit using participatory storytelling and community-based research to engage learners and educators in fishing villages. They gain insights into their changing social-ecological systems in a shifting climate and industrialized planet. Through “edutainment” workshops, programs, and festivals, we provide tools and spaces to foster encounters, establishing relations between…

After successful restoration of visual function in animal models of retinal degeneration (with Botond Roska (IOB, Basel), Dr. Sahel conceived the first-in-man clinical trial combining a biotherapy (photoactivatable optogene channelrhodopsin expressed in retinal ganglion cells) coupled with a stimulation device, and observed the first clinical evidence for vision restoration using…

The nominating institution Mi Terro on the project: Luo has started the world’s only new material technology company that turns excess milk into soft, sustainable, and affordable fibres. These fibres can apply to apparel, bedding linen, and packaging.   Tags: Bio-Tech, Circular Economy, Climate change, Engineering, Environment & Nature, Food…