Sony Women in Technology Award Shortlist Announced

NEW YORK, LONDON, BERLIN, TOKYO – Sony Group Corporation and Nature have revealed the shortlisted candidates for the prestigious Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature. Three awardees from this shortlist will be selected to receive this honor, with winners to be announced on February 5, 2025, during a ceremony in Tokyo.

A Celebratory Initiative for Women in Research

Initiated in March 2024, the Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature serves to highlight remarkable early to mid-career women researchers in the technology field. Each awardee will receive a grant of $250,000 USD to support their innovative research aimed at creating a positive impact on the world. The inaugural year of this award attracted an impressive array of applications from diverse disciplines, showcasing researchers pushing the boundaries of technology for societal advancement. An independent judging panel evaluated submissions based on ambition, innovation, conceptual excellence, impact, and social significance, resulting in the selection of the following seven exceptional candidates.

2025 Shortlist of Finalists

• Kiana Aran, University of California at San Diego, USA – Dr. Aran is at the forefront of integrating modern electronics with biology to create precision medicine technologies. She has received numerous accolades for her engineering achievements and promotes diversity in the engineering field through her mentorship programs and non-profit initiatives.
• Hatice Gunes, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom – As a Full Professor and director of the AFAR Lab, Dr. Gunes leads groundbreaking research in affective intelligence and robotics, focusing on enhancing AI systems’ understanding of human emotions through interdisciplinary approaches.
• Jiawen Li, University of Adelaide, Australia – An Associate Professor and leader of the intravascular imaging program, Dr. Li is recognized for her innovative contributions to biomedical engineering, gaining prestigious fellowships and awards for her work.
• Xiaona Li, Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, China – Dr. Li specializes in solid-state batteries and leads research that explores halide solid electrolytes, aiming to enhance battery technology for electricity storage and usage.
• Amanda Randles, Duke University, USA – Holding the title of Associate Professor, Dr. Randles utilizes high-performance computing and machine learning to advance biomedical research and diagnostics, earning multiple distinguished awards for her contributions.
• Yating Wan, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia – Dr. Wan focuses on Silicon Photonics and the integration of on-chip light sources, significantly advancing the efficiency of photonic technologies in communication and computing.
• Ying Wu, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia – With a deep background in physics and materials science, Dr. Wu’s research is dedicated to creating artificial materials capable of manipulating wave behaviors across various applications.

Judges’ Remarks

Co-chair Dame Stephanie Shirley CH

“True technological advancement thrives on diverse contributions. Although the representation of women in tech has improved since my early career in the 1960s, there is still much work to be done. As a co-chair of the judging panel, I am impressed by the caliber of applicants and congratulate our remarkable finalists.”

Hiroaki Kitano, CTO of Sony Group Corporation

“We initiated this award in collaboration with Nature to celebrate and uplift women in research who are at the helm of transformative technologies. Witnessing numerous innovative, multidisciplinary solutions presented by researchers worldwide during the first year is incredibly inspiring, and we look forward to supporting the winners as they continue to achieve great milestones.”

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