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| The Mustafa Prize | |
|---|---|
Mustafa Prize Logo
| |
| Description | A top scientific achievement that has played a considerable role in the human life or has expanded the boundaries of our understanding of the world |
| Country | Iran |
| Presented by | Mustafa Science and Technology Foundation |
| First awarded | 2015[1] |
| Website | mustafaprize |
The Mustafa Prize is a science and technology award, granted to top researchers and scientists from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, biennially.[2][3][4]
The Mustafa Prize is a platform for top scientists and innovative engineers from OIC member states to present their achievements to the world. It aims to improve scientific relations between academics and researchers in order to facilitate the growth of science in OIC member states. OIC is the second largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations with about sixty member countries over four continents.
Our understanding and knowledge of principal structures shaping life on the planet has undergone massive changes over the past half century. The new fields of study in biosciences, including the genetics, molecular biology, neurology etc. have improved our perception of the functions of the living organisms. This knowledge not only covers theoretical findings inside the world of academia, but it has also left numerous impacts on the welfare and health of people by providing real world solutions. The Mustafa Prize in this category will be awarded to top works in fields and applications associated with biomedical sciences and technologies that have had lasting impact on our perception of life and have improved quality of human life.
The effects of achievements made by the information and communication technology have been so tremendous in our life, especially in recent decades, that living without them is almost inconceivable. It is in light of ICT that we are living in a smarter environment. We are now connected to the world from almost everywhere on the planet. This enables us to be informed about things we need to know and present to the world what we have achieved. The Mustafa Prize in this category is awarded to works which have, through their findings, played an important role in advancement in these fields of science across the world or it have paved the way for an effective global communication or a positive change in human lifestyle.
Over the past few decades, researchers have passed through the normal features of the substances to give them new properties. The new capabilities are, in fact, the result of manipulating the properties through the smallest scales up to the molecules and atoms of the substances and living organisms. This startling progress has opened new chapters in theoretical and applied interdisciplinary researches which, if further developed, can help other branches of science to grow in various parts of the world. To expand the Nano Science and Technology and to unveil the options embedded in this fairly young field of science, the Mustafa Prize will be granted to an innovative, pioneering initiative which has increased our knowledge of the supramolecular scale and benefits the human society.
There are many researchers across the world, helping progress in various fields of science and improving human life through their innovations and findings. The Mustafa Prize in this category, honors a top scientific achievement that has played a considerable role in the human life or has expanded the boundaries of our understanding of the world.
Submitted works should not have been awarded any other international prizes. A judging panel consisting of seven high-profile researchers and academics examine the works and select one according to the following criteria:
The work should be notably innovative and outstanding; it should have specific applications and tangible results with reasons specified for its significance.
The work should have already resulted in advancing the frontiers of knowledge; it should also have had a great regional or global impact. Its results should have been published either in the form of a scientific theory or should have potential for production and wealth generation. Moreover, it should have a visible impact on the economy, culture, society, health, environment, and/or public welfare. The work should also have a share in addressing scientific and technological needs and solving social problems.
The owner of the work (nominee) should have a high scientific profile and good reputation. This manifests itself in the number and quality of his/her publications, innovations, patents, etc. The nominee should also have an innovative and holistic scientific spirit.
| Name | Affiliation | Year | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professor Jackie Yi-Ru Ying | Executive Director of the Institute of Bioengineering
and Nanotechnology of Singapore |
2015 | Bio-Nanotechnology |
| Professor Omar M. Yaghi | Co-Director of Kavli Energy Nanosciences Institute
and faculty member of University of California, Berkeley |
2015 | Nanoscience and Nanotechnology |
| Professor Sami Erol Gelenbe | Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
and a member of the Science Academy of Turkey (Bilim Akademisi Derneği) |
2017 | Information and Communications Science and Technology |
| Professor Amin Shokrollahi | Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at EPFL,
and Founder, President, and CEO of Kandou Labs, Lausanne, Switzerland |
2017 | Information Theory |
This prize is named after one of the monikers of Muhammad, who always emphasized education and learning. “Mustafa” means “The Chosen One”. The Musatafa Prize laureates will receive 500,000 USD and an engraved medal and a diploma in each category. The 97 percent silver medal is covered in 22-karat gold which makes 3 percent of its weight. The medal is engraved with the logo of the prize, the year in which the medal is awarded, and the category which is awarded for.
The Policy Making Council of the prize will supervise the procedure of awarding the prize to the laureates. Members of the policy making council are OIC related organizations and a number of top academic institutions of member states, such as Islamic World Academy of Sciences, Islamic Development Bank, Academy of Sciences of I.R. Iran, University of Tehran, Sharif University of Technology, University of Malaya, University of Karachi and some other significant academic institutions. Pardis Technology Park, which is based in Tehran is one of the sub-organs of Iran’s Presidential Deputy for Science and Technology, and is responsible for establishing the secretariat of the Mustafa Prize. The secretariat is in charge of executive affairs of the event, including call for submissions, applications, organizing the final ceremony and managing the brand of the prize.
The prize money for the Mustafa Prize is financed through endowment. Mustafa Prize Endowment Office accepts donations from all individuals who are interested in helping development of science and technology. Money received via donations, in addition to funding the prize money (US$2M) will be used in granting financial support for scientific researches in related fields and supporting intergovernmental programs for development of technology in the OIC member states. Additionally, the Islamic Development Bank, will be building a trade center in Tehran which will be one of the largest in the Middle East, and donate its proceedings to the prize.
