The 2024 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the UK have honored nine outstanding scientists, distributing a total of £480,000 (US$608,000). Notably, three Indian scientists—Rahul R. Nair, Mehul Malik, and Tanmay Bharat—are among the laureates.
Rahul R. Nair, a materials physicist at The University of Manchester, will receive £100,000 (US$127,000) for his pioneering work on novel membranes using two-dimensional materials, addressing challenges in water filtration and separation technologies.
Mehul Malik, a quantum physicist at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, is set to receive £30,000 (US$38,000) for his contributions to quantum internet, promising unparalleled information security and laying the groundwork for high-capacity quantum communication networks.
Tanmay Bharat, a structural microbiologist at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, will also receive £30,000 (US$38,000) for his research utilizing electron cryotomography to understand biofilm and microbiome formation at the atomic level.
The awards ceremony, organized by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and the New York Academy of Sciences, is slated for February 27, 2024, at Banqueting House in Whitehall, London. Leonard Blavatnik, founder and chairman of Access Industries, emphasized the importance of early recognition and funding for scientists’ careers.
Nicholas B. Dirks, president and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences, praised this year’s laureates and finalists for their groundbreaking contributions, spanning cancer research, identifying water in distant planets, paving the way for futuristic quantum communications, and discovering unprecedented enzymes.
The event will be a celebration of scientific excellence, attended by the laureates, finalists, and the scientific community, reinforcing the awards’ commitment to promoting transformative scientific breakthroughs in the early careers of brilliant young scientists.
