In a momentous occasion recognising exceptional scholars in the field, PolyU recently held the inaugural Yuen Ren Chao Prize in Language Sciences. Named after the late Professor Yuen Ren Chao, widely regarded as the father of modern Chinese language studies, the Chao Prize is an international award that honours scholars and researchers who have made distinguished contributions to language sciences.

During the Prize Presentation Ceremony, PolyU bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award upon two distinguished scholars, Professor Peter Hagoort, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics; and Professor William Wang Shiyuan, Chair Professor of Language and Cognitive Sciences at PolyU.

A tale of two laureates

Both Laureates have made profound breakthroughs in their respective fields, leaving an indelible impact on language sciences research. 

 

Professor Hagoort was recognised for his interdisciplinary research in cognitive neuroscience and understanding human language processing in the brain. His use of neuroimaging techniques has revolutionised our understanding of how the brain processes language, unravelling the complexities of conditions such as aphasia, dyslexia, and autism. In his acceptance speech, Prof. Hagoort said that it is all more rewarding to receive a prize named after an intellectual giant like Prof. Chao, who reminds us that language is not only an object of study, but also the way to create literature and humour, and thereby adding to the joy of life.

Prof. William Shiyuan Wang is awarded the inaugural Chao Prize. His significant contributions span Chinese linguistics, evolutionary linguistics, and the cognitive neuroscience of language and ageing. Notably, his early work on evolutionary theory laid the groundwork for a theory of lexical diffusion. In his acceptance speech, Prof. Wang said that the Prize is based on the recognition of the vital and central role language plays in all human affairs, and that with Hong Kong sitting at the crossroads between East and West, PolyU is well situated for scholars to continually interact and collaborate with each other even across continents.

Substantial support from iRead Foundation

The Chao Prize has garnered substantial support from the Shenzhen iRead Foundation (iRead Foundation), a foundation dedicated to enhancing the development of children's reading ability and quality. The Foundation's generous donation of US$800,000 will fund cash prizes for winners over five consecutive prize cycles, starting from the inaugural one in 2024. With this generous support, the Lifetime Achievement Award recipients will be awarded US$100,000, while the Early Career Contribution Award recipients will be awarded US$50,000.

PolyU expresses its warmest gratitude to the Chao family for allowing the establishment of the Chao Prize in Professor Chao's name. The University also extends appreciation to the Prize's patron, Shenzhen iRead Foundation, for its generous donation, which bolsters the Prize's impact on language sciences research.

Through the Chao Prize, PolyU is poised to bring together renowned scholars in the field of language sciences worldwide and become a hub in language sciences research.

For biographies of the two Laureates, please visit the website of the Yuen Ren Chao Prize in Language Sciences.