Singapore Prize 2018 Winners AnnouncedSingapore Prize 2018 Winners Announced
The Singapore Prize is one of the country’s most prestigious prizes. It was launched in 2009 to recognise science and technology excellence. The winners are selected by a panel of judges, which is appointed by the President of Singapore. The prize money ranges from S$500,000 to S$1 million. It is awarded every three years. The winners are announced at a ceremony, where the awardees wear designer gowns or suits designed by local designers. The ceremony also features performances by singers and musicians. In addition, the winners are presented with a trophy and a cheque to commemorate their achievement.
The winner of the 2018 Singapore Prize was Prof Miksic, who won S$500,000 for his book “A Fortified City: Singapore’s Archaeological Heritage”. The book is an account of research done by Professor Miksic and his team. He was picked out of five shortlisted candidates by a panel of judges. He said he wrote the book to tell the more than 1,000 people who volunteered their time to help him with excavations the importance of their work.
Other works on the list include “Leluhur: The Story of Kampong Gelam” by Hidayah Amin, which shines a light on the history of a place many now see as a tourist attraction. Another is “Harvard Prize Book (Singapore)” by the Harvard alumni association, which aims to inspire students in Singapore with the idea that Harvard is an attainable university.
Kishore Mahbubani, senior adviser (university and global relations) at the National University of Singapore, said that there could be plans to expand the type of works that qualify for the prize. He cited the movie 12 Years a Slave as an example, and added that sometimes history is more effectively conveyed through fiction and other formats.
In addition, the prize is a great way to give recognition to outstanding scientists and engineers in Singapore. Last year, it gave out a total of S$5 million to nine winners in different categories, from medicine and agriculture to information technology and energy. The prize money was raised from sponsors, including the Government of Singapore.
The awards were handed out at a glitzy ceremony in the state-owned Media Corp theatre, which was decorated with greenery. Actors William wore a 10-year-old dark green blazer by Alexander McQueen to match the theme. Actresses Yen and Mbatha were dressed in clothes by McCartney, which is known for its eco-friendly clothing. The bands One Republic and Bastille performed for the event. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who is a trustee of the Earthshot board, was in attendance.
Aimed at encouraging AI researchers to advance their research, the Online Safety Prize Challenge is a 10-week competition that offers up to S$200,000 in cash and other prizes to teams who develop models that can detect audiovisual fake media. The competition was held by AI Singapore, in partnership with the Singapore Land Authority. Click here for more details. The deadline to enter is May 30.