Jensen Huang, Yoshua Bengio among $3M VinFuture award winners

The awards featured celebrated 10 scientists for their groundbreaking contribution in areas such as neural networks, deep learning, cancer therapies, oral cholera vaccines, and bio-materials that aid in the body's self-healing process.

Grand prize winners

The VinFuture 2024 Grand Prize was awarded to five renowned scientists for their pioneering work in deep learning and artificial intelligence: Yoshua Bengio, professor at the University of Montreal and founder of the Mila Institute in Canada; Geoffrey E. Hinton, a professor at the University of Toronto; Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia; Yann LeCun, vice president and chief AI scientist at Meta, and a professor at New York University; and Fei-Fei Li, a professor at Stanford University.

Vietnam's PM Pham Minh Chinh (2nd, L) applauds after handing over the VinFuture awards to Yoshua Bengio (L), Jensen Huang (3nd, L) and Yann LeCun at the award ceremony held on Dec. 6, 2024 in Hanoi. They are three of five VinFuture 2024 Grand Prize winners. The other two winners could not attend the event for personal reasons. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

Bengio is recognized for his work on artificial neural networks, particularly in representation learning and generative models. His research has played a key role in modern deep learning systems, especially in natural language processing, and continues to impact fields like robotics and personalized medicine.

Hinton is widely regarded as a leading figure in AI. His research laid the foundation for deep learning with his work on neural network architecture and the backpropagation algorithm. His breakthrough 1986 paper with David Rumelhart and Ronald Williams established the principles of distributed representations in neural networks, transforming the AI landscape and enabling advances in image recognition and speech processing. Hinton was also awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics for his AI contributions.

Huang is celebrated for his leadership in turning graphics processing units (GPUs) into powerful tools for deep learning and accelerated computing. His work on developing the CUDA platform has revolutionized AI research, enabling faster training of neural networks and making GPUs indispensable in AI development worldwide.

LeCun is known for his research in convolutional neural networks (CNNs), a key technology behind many AI applications. CNNs are the backbone of technologies used in face recognition, medical imaging, and more, and they are integral to products from global tech giants like Facebook, Google, and Microsoft.

Li is honored for her research in computer vision and her development of the ImageNet dataset, which has been instrumental in advancing AI. Her work has shaped the way machines interpret visual data, driving innovations in AI applications that impact fields like healthcare and autonomous vehicles.

Special prizes

In addition to the Grand Prize, three special prizes of $500,000 each were presented to a female scientist, a scientist from a developing country, and three researchers focused on emerging fields.

Zelig Eshhar, professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science and Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center in Israel; Carl H. June, a professor at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania; and Michel Sadelain, a professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Sadelain received the special prize in the category of "Innovators with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields" for their contributions in emerging fields which have the potential to create positive changes for humanity.

(From L) Carl H. June, Michel Sadelain and Sharon Eshhar (daughter of Zelig Eshhar) receives the awards from Vietnam's deputy PM Bui Thanh Son. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

Eshhar was honored for his development of CAR-T cell therapy. This innovation has revolutionized cancer treatment, saving countless lives and driving growth in the biopharmaceutical industry. His work holds promise for expanding the reach of effective, affordable treatments worldwide.

June is recognized for his role in developing CAR-T cell therapy. His contributions have led to FDA-approved treatments for leukemia and other cancers, with his research laying the foundation for expanding the use of this revolutionary therapy.

Sadelain is celebrated for his work in advancing CAR-T cell therapy. His improvements to the therapy have made it effective for cancers and autoimmune diseases that do not respond to traditional treatments. His pioneering efforts have led to the FDA approval of the first CAR-T therapy for pediatric leukemia in 2017.

The special prize of "Innovators from Developing Countries" for exceptional researcher(s) or innovator(s) currently working in an institute located in a developing country was awarded to Firdausi Qadri, a researcher at the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research in Bangladesh. Qadri is recognized for her work in improving the oral cholera vaccine, a significant contribution to public health in developing countries. Her research has led to large-scale vaccination campaigns in low-income nations, effectively preventing cholera outbreaks and helping safeguard global health.

Firdausi Qadri (L) receives the award from Nguyen Thuc Quyen, chair of the VinFuture Pre-screening Committee. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

The special prize of "Women Innovators" dedicated to outstanding women researcher(s) or innovator(s) for a female scientist was awarded to Kristi S. Anseth, a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Anseth is honored for her pioneering work in biomaterials, particularly in the design of cell culture systems and materials for tissue engineering. Her research has enabled advances in regenerative medicine and therapeutic development, offering hope for new treatments for various diseases.

Kristi S. Anseth (L) receives the award from Richard Henry Friend, president of the VinFuture Prize Council. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

Since its establishment in 2020, the VinFuture Foundation has aimed to support and promote scientific and technological advancements with the potential to change lives. Over four seasons, the foundation has recognized 37 distinguished scientists, contributing to a global effort to solve critical challenges and improve quality of life through innovation.