Meet Nobel Laureates at HKUST: Where Curiosity Connects with Global Scientific Excellence

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) recently hosted an engaging dialogue featuring three Nobel Prize winners, drawing nearly 200 students, faculty members and guests on campus, and an additional 2,000 online viewers from sister institutions across Mainland China. The event highlighted HKUST’s dedication to fostering cross-disciplinary innovation, and bridging the local scientific community with global thought leaders.

As part of the Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference and Xiang Jiang Nobel Forum this year, the event titled “Together with the Scientists – Nobel Laureates Visit HKUST” took place on April 14 in collaboration with the Hong Kong Alumni Association of Beijing Universities. The program showcased the groundbreaking insights from three distinguished laureates: 

• Prof. May-Britt MOSER, 2014 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine, recognized for her discoveries of grid cells in the brain’s spatial navigation system.
• Prof. Konstantin NOVOSELOV, 2010 Nobel Prize recipient in Physics, acclaimed for his pioneering work on graphene and two-dimensional materials. 
• Prof. Didier QUELOZ, 2019 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, known for his landmark discovery of the first exoplanet orbiting a sun-like star. 

The laureates shared their scientific journeys, emphasizing the importance of curiosity-driven research and their visions for future breakthroughs.

In her opening remarks, HKUST President Prof. Nancy Ip warmly welcomed the guests while extended her heartfelt gratitude to the event organizers and supporting organizations. “Today’s event is not merely an opportunity to meet esteemed scientists, but also a chance to engage with the very essence of scientific inquiry and discovery. Since its founding, HKUST has been committed to fostering innovation, research and knowledge transfer. Our Nobel Laureates exemplify the spirit of curiosity, creativity, and resilience that we strive to nurture at HKUST. I hope their journeys will inspire us to push boundaries, and collaborate across disciplines and borders to advance knowledge for the betterment of society.”

The event included a lively Q&A session that allows students and researchers to interact directly with the laureates, moderated by Prof. Angela WU from Division of Life Science at HKUST, the parties exchanged on topics ranging from materials science to neuroscience and astrophysics. 

This gathering reflects HKUST’s longstanding tradition of convening global leaders to promote knowledge exchange, nurture talent, and tackle pressing challenges through cutting-edge research. Last November, HKUST organized a prestigious three-day “Molecular Frontiers Symposium” on campus, showcasing a lineup of internationally renowned scientists, including four Nobel laureates, to spark dialogues and inspire a new generation of innovators.