Dear Distinguished Guest,
It is with deep respect and profound sadness that I must inform you of the passing of Professor Xuan Vo-Tong, co-laureate of the 2023 VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators from Developing Countries. In August, the VinFuture family and the global agricultural community lost one of its most significant figures.
Professor Xuan Vo-Tong’s pioneering work in developing disease-resistant rice varieties has left an indelible mark on global food security. Throughout his distinguished career, he received numerous prestigious accolades, including the Nikkei Asia Award for Regional Growth (2002), the Derek Tribe Award for Science and Technology in Australia (2005), and Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon (2023). In 2023, he became the first Vietnamese scientist to be honored with the VinFuture Prize.
His passing represents a profound loss to both the Vietnamese and international agricultural and scientific communities. Nevertheless, his legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire and guide future efforts toward a more sustainable and secure global agricultural landscape. On page 02, you will find a heartfelt tribute to Professor Xuan Vo-Tong, written by his dear friend and also co-laureate of the 2023 VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators from Developing Countries, Professor Gurdev S. Khush.
As we share this fourth newsletter of 2024, our Prize Council and Pre-Screening Committee are diligently reviewing nearly 1,500 nominations to select the most impactful innovations for this year’s VinFuture Prizes. For the first time ever, as previously announced in our 2024 VinFuture Nominator Recognition Program, we will invite five distinguished nominators, who have made significant contributions to helping the VinFuture Prize recognize groundbreaking scientific achievements, to participate in the enriching experiences of VinFuture Sci-Tech Week, with all expenses covered. Further details regarding this year’s Sci-Tech Week will be shared in our next newsletter, scheduled for release by the end of October.
In the meantime, I encourage you to explore our latest podcast episode, featuring Professor Sir. David Neil Payne, the 2022 VinFuture Grand Prize Laureate. In this episode (on page 07), Professor Payne reflects on his remarkable journey, from his early curiosity about light to his groundbreaking discoveries.
Finally, I warmly invite you to submit your nominations for the 2025 VinFuture Prize before the deadline on April 17, 2025, at 2:00 PM Vietnam time (GMT+7). Your participation is critical to recognizing and celebrating the innovators driving global progress.
Warmest regards,
Dr. Thai-Ha Le
Managing Director
