The Singapore Prize is an annual award presented to science and technology projects which have made outstanding contributions towards pushing forward research and innovation in Singapore. It is presented by both the government of Singapore and National Research Foundation Singapore.
This year’s award went to three scientists for helping unravel an age-old oceanographic puzzle. Their discovery, described in Nature Communications journal article, could have far-reaching effects on marine conservation efforts and could make headlines globally. Their work involved multiple groups from both University of Oxford and Institut des Sciences Naturelles de Martinique working collaboratively together on their efforts.
This year’s Singapore Prize winners include a new award for best English comic or graphic novel as well as best debut award to author Shubigi Rao for Pulp III: An Intimate Inventory Of The Banished Book (2022). English translation prize was shared among two NUS professor emeritus Peter Ellinger (1993-92) and translator Jeremy Tiang (2023, Cocoon: Family Secrets From the Cultural Revolution by Zhang Yueran (2022).
Other winners included an Indian manufacturer of solar dryers, a soil carbon marketplace and groups working to clean electric car batteries more safely, restore Andean forests and prevent illegal fishing. Prince William of Britain’s Royal Foundation Charity launched this 10-year award program in 2020 and at Tuesday’s ceremony praised all 15 winners and their global movement as providing “hope” as climate change continues its assault on our planet.
At an awards ceremony at state-owned Media Corp of Singapore theater hosted by actors Hannah Waddingham and Sterling K. Brown, performances by Bastille, OneRepublic, Bebe Rexha of US singer Bebe Rexha were featured. Cate Blanchett, Lana Condor Robert Irwin Nomzamo Mbatha were all present to present prizes; all attendees walked along a green carpet as part of its sustainability theme at this event.
The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize is an internationally acclaimed award that recognizes innovative water technologies, policies or programmes that have had real world impacts on people’s lives. 2025 laureates include advancements in membrane technology and used water treatment as well as holistic water management strategies that have positively impacted communities across the globe.