Roger Kornberg, president of the WLA and 2006 Nobel Prize laureate in chemistry, speaks at the opening ceremony of the fifth WLF on November 6 in Shanghai. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

By WANG Xiaoxia

The world is facing new challenges, and science can meet and solve them, said Roger Kornberg, president of the World Laureates Association (WLA) and 2006 Nobel Prize laureate in chemistry.

Kornberg made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the fifth World Laureates Forum (WLF) on November 6 in Shanghai, where 60 decorated scientists, including 27 Nobel Prize winners gathered to discuss the future of science and its role in tackling development issues.

Five years on, the WLF has been playing an active role in promoting basic science, advocating for international cooperation, and is committed to the development of youth.

Kornberg stressed that basic science is fundamental to the solution of practical issues, and the WLA hopes to enhance people's awareness of this field through the establishment of the WLA Prize. The two inaugural laureates were unveiled this year and awarded with 10 million RMB (about 1.38 million USD) each.

The prize went to Michael I. Jordan, professor at UC Berkeley, "For fundamental contributions to the foundations of machine learning and its application," and German biochemist Dirk Görlich "For key discoveries elucidating the mechanism and selectivity of protein transport between the cytoplasm and nucleus."

International cooperation is essential for machine learning and artificial intelligence to prosper and realize their vision, said Jordan, who along with many participants at the forum called for open and inclusive science.

Wan Gang, chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, called on scientists around the world to accelerate integrated innovation in basic sciences, strengthen inclusive governance and enhance open cooperation in science and technology.

Over the past five years, the WLA has grown to 162 members, including 68 Nobel laureates, covering 80 leading laboratories and research institutions in 25 countries.

On November 4, the permanent venue of the WLA Forum was unveiled in Shanghai's Lin'gang Special Area, along with an international R&D community. In the community, international joint laboratories are also under construction, which will provide a platform for young scientists to flourish.