Damo Academy Qingcheng Award officially launches a new round of applications
After six consecutive years of successful hosting, the Damo Academy Qingcheng Award, which has supported many rising stars in the field of scientific research, today officially commenced a new round of application work. This year’s keyword is identified as “interdisciplinary”, aiming to incentivize more cross-innovation projects.
This selection shows two important changes compared to the past: Firstly, it encourages interdisciplinary innovation; secondly, it adopts a “category review” approach, that is, comprehensive consideration of the applicants’ achievements in research, technology, and other related fields for evaluation. This method is beneficial for talents of all kinds to stand out and be acknowledged, whether they are quirky, extraordinary, or well-rounded.
The age requirement remains under 35 years old, giving the “post-80s” generation one last chance to compete for this award this year. The prize amount continues to be one million yuan per person, aimed at effectively supporting the winners’ research activities.
The development journey of the Damo Academy Qingcheng Award has witnessed the continuously expanding support scope, from initial focus solely on the supporting talent in information science and fundamental science, to now being extended to six academic categories. Among them, the 2023 winners came from nine different disciplinary fields. In the 2024 selection, the scope of review will further expand to 12 academic fields and will include “Agricultural Science” and “Atmospheric Science” for the first time. All outstanding talents who have made revolutionary contributions in related fields will have the chance to be honored as winners of the Qingcheng Award.
In addition, beyond theoretical contributions, researchers who have achieved significant success in scientific discovery, technology breakthroughs, and engineering applications also meet the application criteria. Such comprehensive and diverse evaluation standards aim to ensure the authority and fairness of the selection results.
Regarding the Damo Academy Qingcheng Award’s encouragement for interdisciplinary and innovative initiatives, two academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences expressed their agreement and appreciation. Academician Yao Qizhi emphasized the need for social collaboration and different types of innovative scientists in the scientific field. Academician Dai Qionghai compared that whether it’s the far-sighted “bird-type” scholars or researchers focusing on minutiae as “frog-type”, their commonality lies in the enthusiasm and dedication to scientific exploration.
The outstanding application and development of AI have played a catalytic role in fostering cross-innovation between disciplines; in 2024, the Damo Academy Qingcheng Award will particularly emphasize this trend and seize this opportunity to evaluate interdisciplinary research achievements including in the field of AI.
Damo Academy Qingcheng Award‘s importance in promoting cross-innovation is becoming increasingly evident, especially reflected in the 2023 list of winners. At least three of the recipients come from emerging interdisciplinary fields. Yang Zongyin, a researcher from the College of Information and Electronic Engineering at Zhejiang University, is one of them. With a multi-disciplinary background in biology, mechanics, optics, and electronics, Yang Zongyin applied nanowire materials to optoelectronic technology, developing the world’s smallest spectrometer. At the intersection of materials and physics, he successfully integrated top-notch material synthesis technology, exquisite experimental skills, and unique algorithms. Despite choosing the “emerging cross” field for application and preparing a clear defense document, he still doubts whether his achievements can be fully understood by a cross-disciplinary judging panel.
Facing similar challenges as Yang Zongyin is also Zeng Yelu, professor at the College of Land Science and Technology at China Agricultural University. As a remote sensing scholar, his research “Quantitative Remote Sensing Research Based on Vegetation Fluorescence and Radiation Transmission Model” intersects multiple fields, including data science, agriculture, forestry and water conservancy, natural resources, and ecological environment. Zeng Yelu pointed out that cross-innovation is not merely the adoption of technology, but also requires profound knowledge in relevant fields. This often means stepping out of the comfort zone of traditional disciplines and entering an unfamiliar interdisciplinary field. He worries that some judges may not fully understand his research or may have a deeper identification with traditional research schools. Fortunately, the judging committee of the Damo Academy Young Scientist Award has exhibited high professionalism, and Yang Zongyin even shared an experience where a committee member came to consult on research details and posed professional questions.
For Yang Zongyin, the field of photoelectric research is relatively mature, and it is difficult to make new breakthroughs without cross-innovation. He recognizes the necessity of cross-innovation and encourages his team members to explore the latest academic papers in different fields. This kind of interdisciplinary communication also unfolds among the winners of the Young Scientist Award. For example, Cheng Likjing, a researcher at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was awarded for establishing a widely used ocean data set both domestically and internationally. The meeting between Cheng Likjing and Zeng Yelu led to further possibilities for cooperation, exploring how remote sensing data can be deeply applied to the emerging field of global ocean research. Their exchange eventually led to the generation of new research ideas.
Academician Yao Qizhi mentioned in his message that China does not lack talent, but what’s more crucial is creating an environment that allows top talent to gather for “chemical reaction”-style innovation.
When we bring together a group of talented young scientists, allowing them to share and collide their ideas, sparks of innovation are bound to spark, illuminating a new world that shines with a brilliance of knowledge.
This is the truth witnessed by the unexpected encounter of Cheng Likjing and Zeng Yelu, which also aligns with Mr. Yao Qizhi’s views on the revolutionary impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on science. He believes that AI is not only promoting interdisciplinary cooperation but is also reshaping the face of the world. He says, “Over the past centuries, scientists have meticulously worked within their own fields of research; and now, we are entering a broader era of big science.”
Yao Qizhi emphasizes that as science’s horizons continuously expand, its application fields are increasingly deepening, and the development of social sciences relies more and more on the collaboration and support of society. He further explained that the establishment of the Young Scientist Award is for this purpose—to cultivate young scientific talent in China, and it is positive and powerful support given by society. He added, “The Young Scientist Award has gone through seven years and achieved remarkable results. We applaud the winners and their outstanding achievements, and we also look forward to the Young Scientist Award continuing on its successful trajectory, growing stronger with each year.”
On the other hand, Dai Qionghai also suggests that scientific research is driven not only by interest but also by persistent effort. The process of research is filled with challenges and uncertainties, and exploring original problems entails significant risks. Failure may loom if expected results are not achieved. Because of this, researchers need even more support and encouragement from all sectors of society. He hopes that young scientists will not be lured by the desire for quick success and short-term gains, but instead be willing to endure temporary setbacks and use their intelligence and courage to scale the heights of science, thus repaying the cultivation of the nation and the support of society.