Timothy Tong rallies global support to turn Hong Kong into an innovation powerhouse 

Timothy W. Tong, chairman of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum (HKLF), which runs a biennial science event in partnership with the Shaw Prize Foundation (which awards the prestigious Shaw Prize, popularly known as “the Nobel Prize of the East”), has called upon the global scientific community for support in fast-tracking the rise of the special administrative region of the People's Republic of China as an innovation and technology hub. “Because it is good for mankind. We want scientists to come from everywhere,” said Professor Tong, an alumnus of the University of California at Berkeley and Oregon State University who had earlier served as Dean of School of Engineering and Applied Science at George Washington University. 

A section of analysts believe that leaders in both Hong Kong and mainland China are looking to retain the special reputation that the territory enjoys within the global business community for mutual gains. 

HKLF, which envisages supporting science globally and locally, is currently being promoted by its organisers and partners as a “world-class scientific gathering fostering cross-generational, cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary exchanges.” As of now, senior scientists, some of them Shaw Prize winners as well as Nobel laureates, interact with young scientists and researchers in the fields of life sciences, astronomy and mathematical sciences.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing four-day HKLF, Tong, a former president of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, outlined how the selection of scientists is carried out for this science conference: “There is a pool of scientists who have received prizes from the Shaw Foundation. And what we (HKLF) are doing is to make use of the resources made up of such a high-level group of scientists – so that they come back to Hong Kong and inspire our younger generation to take an interest in science. Our focus is not just Hong Kong; many of the participants here are from other countries.”  

The 72-year-old talked about the learnings from the previous edition of the Forum in Hong Kong. In the inaugural forum two years ago, a large number of Shaw Prize laureates were in attendance, perhaps too many, he noted, adding, “But because it was the inaugural Forum, we did not mind accommodating everyone among Shaw Prize winners if they expressed an interest to come. But learning from the first edition, we wanted to make sure we give enough time to our attendees to interact with all top-notch scientists, and so we accommodated only as many as a dozen Shaw Prize laureates this time.”

Regarding the selection of papers and research work for presentation at the Forum, Tong, an expert in the field of heat transfers, noted that “in today’s environment, people in a community generally expect more from the researchers. Just doing fundamental work and publishing is not enough. In the olden days, meaning when I was young, that was okay,” he laughs, “but nowadays, people expect more. People also want to see research translating into something that will benefit the general public. So we try to provide a balance between presenting fundamental work and also research that can be put into application for the betterment of the human race.”

To a query about what he expects from the international community, Tong said that his message is crystal clear: “Support us. Participate.” He elaborated, “The young scientists from all over should participate. The senior scientists must support us. Shaw Prize winners must come back and interact with our young people and share their experiences.”

As far as geopolitical tensions between the West and the rest of the world and within the region are concerned, he averred, “I will let other people worry about it.” He also hastened to add that the focus of the Forum isn’t Hong Kong alone, but also mainland China, as evident from the participation of people at the event.

Tong said that he was flexible about including more subjects in the biennial science meet. “Let me put it this way. We don’t have a concrete plan to expand it, but we are open to including other presentations in topics that we think would benefit the participants,” he shared.

The Shaw Prize, established by the late Hong Kong philanthropist Sir Run Run Shaw, gives away three annual awards, namely in astronomy, life science and medicine, and mathematical sciences, beginning from 2004. Among the luminaries who have won the Prize over the years is Indian-origin astronomer Shrinivas Ramchandra Kulkarni, a professor at the California Institute of Technology who won it in 2024. He is the brother of Sudha Murty, wife of Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy.  

HKLF, fully sponsored by the Lee Shau Kee Foundation, is being held under the theme “Meeting of Inspirational Minds”. Besides 12 distinguished Shaw laureates, over 200 outstanding young scientists from over 20 countries and regions are taking part in the conference aimed at connecting scientists across generations and cultures.