The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) issued its annual awards in recognition of the exceptional contributions across scientific disciplines across the year of 2024 in a ceremony held on January 16, 2025 in Beijing.

Recipients of the Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize, Young Scientist Awards, and International Scientific Cooperation Award were announced alongside inaugural recipients of the CAS Person of the Year and Team of the Year distinctions.

The Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize encompasses four specialized recognition. 

The Individual Achievement Award honors scientists with sustained leadership in cutting-edge research fields, whose long-term contributions have driven transformative innovations. Simultaneously, the Basic Research Award celebrates theoretical breakthroughs with demonstrated real-world applicability, bridging foundational science and practical solutions.

In the realm of applied sciences, the Technology Invention Award acknowledges patented innovations that generate measurable economic returns, social welfare improvements, or ecological benefits through scaled implementation. And the Science and Technology Breakthrough Award highlights critical advancements in China’s key research programs, marking milestones in national scientific priorities.

CAS further distinguished 20 researchers through its Young Scientist Awards, recognizing contributions across two domains: basic research and engineering technology. The ceremony also honored foreign experts with the International Scientific Cooperation Award for strengthening collaborative research networks with CAS institutions.

New this year, the CAS Person of the Year and Team of the Year awards spotlight individuals and groups exemplifying scientific integrity while delivering field-defining discoveries. Recipients spanned disciplines from quantum computing to sustainable energy, reflecting CAS’s multidisciplinary focus.

Recepients of the awards are:

2024 CAS Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize Winners (General Field)

Ⅰ. Individual Achievement Award  

CHEN Liquan, Institute of Physics

CHEN Xianhui, University of Science and Technology of China

Ⅱ. Basic Research Award

1. Early Formation and Evolution of the Milky Way

ZHAO Gang, XING Qianfan, YAN Hongliang, CHEN Yuqin, SHI Jianrong

National Astronomical Observatories  

2. Discovery of Effects in Metals at Extremely-fine Grain Sizes    

LI Xiuyan, XU Wei, ZHANG Baobing, LUO Zhaoping

Institute of Metal Research

3. Multi-timescale Environmental Evolution on Mars

CHEN Ling, LIU Jianjun, ZHANG Jinhai, QIN Xiaoguang, DU Aimin

Institute of Geology and Geophysics, National Astronomical Observatories  

4. The Mechanisms of Light Sensation in Regulating Life Processes

XUE Tian, MA Yuqian, ZHANG Mei, MENG Jianjun, SHI Yiming

University of Science and Technology of China

Ⅲ. Technology Invention Award

1. The Development and Application of Large-scale Compressed Air Energy Storage Technology

CHEN Haisheng, XU Yujie, LI Wen, ZHU Yangli, ZUO Zhitao, WANG Liang

Institute of Engineering Thermophysics  

2. Emission Control Technologies For Diesel Vehicles

HE Hong, YU Yunbo, SHAN Wenpo, SHAN Yulong, HE Guangzhi, LIAN Zhihua

Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Institute of Urban Environment 

3. Key Technologies for Industrialization of High-Performance Polylactic Acid

CHEN Xuesi, BIAN Xinchao, PANG Huan, LIU Yanlong, ZHANG Bao, SUN Hai

Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry

Ⅳ. Science and Technology Breakthrough Award 

1. Key technologies to mitigate farmland degradation and improve fertility in black soils

ZHANG Jiabao, JIANG Ming, JIA Zhongjun, LIANG Zhengwei, ZOU Wenxiu, ZHANG Xingyi, ZHANG Lili, LIANG Aijun, GUAN Yixin, LIU Huanjun

Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Institute of Soil Science, Institute of Applied Ecology 

2. Large-scale cryogenic plant and its demonstration in helium extraction project

LIU Liqiang, GONG Linghui, LI Zhengyu, PENG Nan, WU Jihao, XIE Xiujuan, ZHOU Gang, HU Zhongjun, ZHANG Yu, WANG Bingming

Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry

2024 CAS Young Scientist Awards Winners (Sorted by Surname Strokes)

Ⅰ. Award for Basic Research (10 Winners)

WANG Zhijun, Institute of Physics

SHI Fazhan, University of Science and Technology of China

CHENG Lijing, Institute of Atmospheric Physics

QIAO Yan, Institute of Chemistry

LIU Zhen, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology

LI Bing, Institute of Metal Research

WU Dongdong, Kunming Institute of Zoology

LIN Mang, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry

ZHOU Wu, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

ZHENG Weizhe, Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science

Ⅱ. Award for Engineering Technology (10 Winners)

WANG Yi, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion

WANG Lei, Institute of Electrical Engineering

TIAN Dapeng, Changchun Institute of Optics Fine Mechanics and Physics

ZHU Yangli, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics

QIAO Dan, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics

LIU Yumeng, Institute of Software

SUN Tao, Institute of Applied Ecology

LUO Qing, Institute of Microelectronics

GAO Shuaihe, National Time Service Center

HUANG Hefei, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics

2024 CAS Person of the Year and Team of the Year

Ⅰ. Person of the Year - Innovative Person

XUE Tian, University of Science and Technology of China

LI Jinsong, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science

Ⅱ. Person of the Year - Pioneering Person

LIANG Wei, Shenyang Institute of Automation

GAO Bo, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry

Ⅲ. Person of the Year - Impressive Person

CAO Wenxuan, Institute of Hydrobiology

YU Chengqun, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research

Ⅳ. Team of the Year

The Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) Research Group, Institute of High Energy Physics

The Liquid-helium-free High-field Magnetic Equipment Research Group, Institute of Electrical Engineering