Honoring women researchers who are spearheading breakthroughs - Celebrating the Inaugural Winners of "Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature" -
In February 2025, the inaugural award ceremony for "Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature", which aims to empower women researchers in the early to mid-career stages, was held at Sony Group headquarters in Shinagawa, Tokyo. The three winners as well as the Judges' Commendation honoree were announced. The award grants each of the three winners a prize of $250,000 to support and accelerate their technological research.
At the award ceremony, Kenichiro Yoshida, Chairman and CEO of Sony Group Corporation, Dr. Hiroaki Kitano, Executive Deputy President and CTO of Sony Group Corporation, and Dr. Magdalena Skipper, Editor in Chief of Nature took to the stage. Also, Dr. Karin Markides, President and CEO of Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) delivered keynote and the winners gave presentations on their research.
In March 2024, Sony partnered with Nature, the internationally renowned science journal, to launch the "Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature." This award honors outstanding women researchers who are spearheading breakthroughs for the betterment of society and the planet in the field of technology (science, engineering, and mathematics).
Dr. Kiana Aran (University of California, San Diego, USA) was selected as one of the two mid-career winners for her achievements in the field of bioengineering, where she is pioneering research in the fusion of biology with electronics to enhance precision medicine, including the use of fingertip sensors for viral detection.
Dr. Amanda Randles (Duke University, USA) received the award for her research in "digital twin" technology, which integrates wearable-informed computational models to provide personalized insights into cardiovascular hemodynamics and optimize treatment strategies.
Early-career winner Dr. Yating Wan (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia) was recognized for her work in Silicon Photonics, which focuses on integrating light sources onto silicon chips for more energy-efficient data communication and information processing.
In addition, after receiving high-caliber applications from researchers worldwide, a special Judges' Commendation was awarded to Dr. Jiawen Li (University of Adelaide, Australia), who was recognized for her work combining nanoscale 3D printing with optical fiber technology to create a hair-thin endoscope.
For a more detailed summary of the award ceremony, including speeches by Yoshida, Kitano, the keynote address, and acceptance remarks from the winners, please visit here.