The Ultrafast Science Journal announces the recipients of the 2nd Women in Ultrafast Science Global Award

We are honored to announce the recipients of the 2^nd Women in Ultrafast Science Global Award.

Initiated on 8 March 2024, the award has garnered an impressive response. On 25 July, each of the candidates was showcase their scientific advancements by a 15-minutes talk, presenting compelling cases for why they deserve to be recognized with the award.

After the selection, 6 talented female researchers stood out. They are:

First-class prize(only 1)：

1. Birgitta Bernhardt from Graz University of Technology, Dual comb spectroscopy in the visible spectral region with enhanced temporal coherence

Second-class prizes(2)：

1. Elsa Abreu from ETH Zürich, THz driven dynamics in hole-doped spin ladders
2. Baohua Jia from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

Third-class prizes(3)：

1. Hui Li from East China Normal University, Ultrafast Dynamics in Micro-/Nano-systems
2. Heide Ibrahim from Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique INRS, A molecular road movie: filming (bio)molecules in action
3. Margherita Maiuri from Politecnico di Milano, Manipulating light-matter interactions in flat optics through ultrafast multidimensional spectroscopies

As we announce the six recipients of the Award, we are deeply aware that each candidate showcased extraordinary talent. The candidates who did not directly receive the award also garnered praise from judges, audiences, and other scholars with their captivating presentations, impressive research accomplishments, and solid scientific backgrounds. Their performances were equally remarkable and deserving of attention! The editorial office feels deeply honored to have witnessed their outstanding achievements.

Let us celebrate all the contributions made by female scientists, let us also pledge to continue supporting and empowering women in science.

The award is initiated by Ultrafast Science, a Science Partner Journal, of Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, CAS. The Evaluation Committee was composed of eight experts, Minghui Hong, Zhiyi Wei, Dongping Zhong, Guenter Steinmeyer, Yunquan Liu, Yuxi Fu, Kyung Taec Kim, and Loh ZhiHeng. The finals was hosted by Liang Jinyang, young editor of Ultrafast Science.

Prof. Hong Minghui, advisor of Ultrafast Science, commented, “Ultrafast science is replete with fascinating physical phenomena. The inspiring research achievements presented by the candidates have deepened our understanding of ultrafast phenomena and inspired us even further.”

Prof. Zhiyi Wei said with conviction, “Throughout the history of ultrafast optics research, numerous outstanding female scientists have emerged, making significant contributions to the advancement of the field, with two of them being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics consecutively. The event organized by the journal Ultrafast Science attracted a multitude of brilliant female scientists, their research encompassed a wide range of topics, including high-order harmonic generation, ultrafast dynamics in molecular and atomic systems, ultrafast laser processing, optical frequency combs, ultrafast THz pulses, and ultrafast light sources. Through high-quality presentations, they comprehensively showcased the achievements of female scientists in the ultrafast science field in recent years, which will attract more scholars to embark on this frontier research.”.

Thanks again to all the applicants and their wonderful talks!

We also invite you to continue checking our journal’s official website for the latest articles and news updates.

For award inquiries, please contact the Office of Ultrafast Science (usjournal@opt.ac.cn).