On August 26, the recipients of the 6^th Xplorer Prize were announced, with two faculty members from the College of Science at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) recognized for their achievements in their respective fields.

Bin TAN, Associate Dean of the College of Science and Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry, was awarded the Xplorer Prize in the field of new chemical materials. He was recognized for his significant contributions in the exploration of the asymmetric transformation of non-activated unsaturated hydrocarbons in organic catalysis.

Hai-Zhou LU, Head and Chair Professor of the Department of Physics, received the Xplorer Prize in the field of mathematical physics in recognition for his groundbreaking research on the topological properties of quantum space-time geometry.

A recipient of the Excellent Young Scientists Fund from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Professor Bin TAN has been instrumental in advancing the development and application of axonal chiral frameworks. Since beginning his independent research in 2012, he has produced a series of highly influential studies.

As the corresponding author, he has published over 110 academic papers in leading international journals such as Science, Nature Chemistry, and Nature Catalysis, amassing more than 10,000 citations. His work has earned him numerous accolades, including the International Symposium for Chinese Organic Chemists and the First Prize of the Natural Science Award in Guangdong Province.

Professor Hai-Zhou LU is widely recognized for his contributions to condensed matter physics, where his research has expanded the understanding of quantum field theory and its applications to new states of matter, like topological materials.

His work has led to significant theoretical advancements, including the prediction of a new mechanism for the three-dimensional quantum Hall effect. He has published over 100 papers in prestigious journals such as Physical Review Letters.

Professor LU’s work has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, the Shenzhen Natural Science Award, and the Achievement in Asia Award (AAA Robert T. Poe Prize) from the International Organization of Chinese Physicists and Astronomers (OCPA). He is also the Chief Scientist for the National Key R&D Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology from 2022 to 2027.

The Xplorer Prize is a scientist-led award funded by the New Cornerstone Science Foundation, encouraging young scientists to engage in research in key science and technology fields. Each year, 50 scientists are honored across ten categories of basic science and frontier technologies. Since the prize’s inception in 2019, six SUSTech faculty members have received this award.