The Singapore Prize is an award program which acknowledges outstanding research and innovation achievements in various fields, with the purpose of honoring hardworking scientists and engineers as they push the boundaries of knowledge and technology further. Established by the Government of Singapore in 2009, it remains one of its highest accolades bestowed.
As well as the main prize, two special awards are also presented: President’s Science and Technology Award and Young Scientist Award (previously known as National Science and Technology Awards). These honours represent some of the highest honours a scientist can receive in Singapore and are given out annually to those whose contributions help uphold Singapore’s research excellence while strengthening its growing pool of scientific talent.
At this year’s Singapore Prize competition, an unprecedented 31 publisher entries compared to five in 2021 were shortlisted by judges. Out of this group of books published by Marshall Cavendish publishers alone, Khir Johari’s The Food of the Singapore Malays by Khir Johari won out over five other finalists including Loh Kah Seng and Lynn Wong’s Lost Seven Sisters Festival as well as Juria Toramae, Alex Tan, Koh Keng We and Lorna Lee’s Theatres of Memory: Industrial Heritage in 20th Century Singapore by Juria Toramae Alex Tan Koh Keng We and Lorna Lee.
Prasanthi’s collection of stories “captures the human experience of a coronavirus pandemic and how it disturbs ordinary lives in unanticipated ways”. Her writing was described by judges as skillful, assured, comedic at times, yet profoundly moving.
Clara Chow is the first writer since 1992 who has been nominated in three categories at once; English fiction, creative nonfiction and Chinese poetry were her nominations this year – making her the most nominated writer this prize has seen! Clara’s short story cycle examines relationships’ impact on family and personal identity.
The three-member panel was highly impressed by “an abundance of perspectives and contexts, combined with strong narrative momentum and poetic form”. According to them, this story “captures the human experience of pandemic disease while exploring how it impacts normal lives in unprecedented ways”.
Tomorrow at a special event hosted by Temasek Trust in Singapore, Prince William will join celebrities like Cate Blanchett, Donnie Yen and Lana Condor on the green carpet to announce the winners of Earthshot Prize III. These prizes were unveiled at an elaborate ceremony that brought together Temasek Trust, GenZero and Conservation International; solutions offered ranged from solar dryers to food waste reduction measures to making electric car batteries cleaner – these winning ideas will soon be implemented into action! Visit here for the complete list of finalists