2024 WLA Forum opens in Shanghai with prize ceremony

The 2024 World Laureates Association (WLA) Forum kicked off on Friday morning with an award ceremony honoring the contributions of Professor Jon Kleinberg from Cornell University and Professor Jeremy Nathans from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the fields of computer science and life science, respectively.

Both laureates graced the ceremony in person to receive the 2024 WLA Prize, an international science award initiated by the WLA and funded by the venture capital firm HongShan. The WLA Prize was established at the 4th WLA Forum in 2021 and has been presented annually since 2022, recognizing exceptional individuals in the realms of computer science or mathematics, as well as life science or medicine, with a substantial award of 10 million yuan ($1.39 million) for each category.

During the award ceremony, Randy Schekman, the vice-chair of the WLA, emphasized the significance of the WLA Prize, stating that it aims to celebrate profound discoveries in fields that may not have received adequate international recognition, while also encouraging creativity and innovation in unraveling the mysteries of the natural world.

In his acceptance speech, Kleinberg expressed his gratitude for the WLA's acknowledgment of the pivotal role of computing science and highlighted the responsibilities that come with being a computer scientist.

"Computing is becoming increasingly central to the workings of our society and our everyday lives," said the laureate. "As computer scientists, we have a deep responsibility to ensure that the algorithms we build and the design choices we make lead to better outcomes for all people."