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HKU Chemistry Professor Vivian Yam Wing-wah receives L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Awards 2011

04 Mar 2011

 

Professor Vivian Yam Wing-wah, Philip Wong Wilson Wong Professor in Chemistry and Energy, and Chair of Chemistry of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), was recipient of the 2011 L'Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Awards in a ceremony held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on March 3 (Thursday).

Five outstanding women scientists, one from each continent, received the awards at the ceremony. Professor Yam is the laureate of the Asia/ Pacific region, honoured for her contributions in light-emitting materials and innovative ways of capturing solar energy.

"I feel deeply privileged and greatly honoured for receiving the award." She was thankful to her research team members for their dedicated hard work, and donors like Dr Philip Wong and Dr Wilson Wong, HKU and the community for their wide support given to scientific research.

Professor Yam obtained her Bachelor and PhD degrees from HKU in 1985 and 1988 respectively. She then joined HKU's Department of Chemistry in 1990, and has been dedicated in teaching and research at the University since then. Her main area of research is in inorganic / organometallic syntheses and photochemistry related to luminescence and solar energy conversion.

The major focus is on the molecular design and synthesis of novel inorganic and organometallic metal complexes that may find potential applications as functional metal-based molecular materials. Professor Yam's seminal works on luminescent polynuclear metal complexes and clusters, and light-emitting carbon-rich organometallics have gained her international recognition.

More than 1,000 high-level scientists from around the world were involved in the nomination of the Awards' candidates, who come from five continents.

The International Awards Jury, comprised of 16 eminent members of the scientific community, and presided by Professor Ahmed Zewail, recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, then selected the five women researchers in the Physical Sciences as the Laureates of the 2011 Awards. Their pioneering projects contribute to finding solutions to major challenges for our planet. Other winners include Professor Faiza Al-kharafi (Africa and Arab States), Professor Anne L'huillier (Europe), Professor Silvia Torres-Peimbert (Latin America), Professor Jillian Banfield (North America).

For a video clip of Prof Yam about her hopes for future research after the ceremony:
http://www.youtube.com/forwomeninscience#p/c/9358CB6CF80797DD/5/gVTWMNTbDN8

For the biography of Professor Yam, please visit:
http://www.cpao.hku.hk/media/101110yam-eng.doc

For media enquiries, please contact: Ms Trinni Choy, tel: 2859 2606 email: pychoy@hku.hk or Ms Melanie Wan tel: 2859 2600 email: melwkwan@hku.hk  .

HKU Chemistry Professor Vivian Yam Wing-wah receives the L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Awards 2011	HKU Chemistry Professor Vivian Yam Wing-wah receives the L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Awards 2011 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris
HKU Chemistry Professor Vivian Yam Wing-wah receives the L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Awards 2011 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris