The 2025 International Congress of Basic Science Opens in Beijing

BEIJING, July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2025 International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS) officially kicked off on July 13 at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, gathering the world's brightest scientific minds for a landmark two-week conference. The event brings together four Fields Medalists, three Nobel Laureates, and two Turing Award winners, including Shing-Tung Yau and Andrew Chi-Chih Yao, alongside more than 80 academicians and nearly 1,000 researchers from leading global institutions.

President of Tsinghua University Li Luming warmly welcomed scientists from around the world. He emphasized that the ICBS has evolved into a premier platform for global scientists to engage in dialogue and deepen collaboration. Tsinghua University will continue to support Professor Shing-Tung Yau's efforts to advance basic science, and will work together with scientists from all countries to strengthen fundamental research, drive scientific and technological innovation, promote socio-economic development, and jointly create a better future for humanity.

Shing-Tung Yau — ICBS President, Fields Medalist, and Chair Professor at Tsinghua University — highlighted recent breakthroughs in mathematics, physics, and information science. He believes a new era driven by theoretical breakthroughs and technological innovations may be dawning.

Six trailblazing scientists—Samuel C.C. Ting, Steven Chu, David Gross, Robert Tarjan, Shigefumi Mori, and George Lusztig—were honored with the 2025 Basic Science Lifetime Award, the most prestigious award honoring scientists' contributions to fundamental science.

The Congress also awarded 118 Frontiers of Science Awards (FSA) across mathematics, physics, and information science, with winners from over 20 countries. Global AI leaders OpenAI and Meta's FAIR team were also among the recipients.

The ICBS was initiated by Shing-Tung Yau in 2023 and is held annually with the theme "Advancing Science for Humanity". Over the next two weeks, nearly 1,000 scholars and students—including over 400 world-leading scientists—will gather at the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications. Over 500 sessions will cover mathematics, physics, and information science and engineering, with a focus on cutting-edge AI research, interdisciplinary innovation, and frontier theoretical breakthroughs. Beyond academic exchange, ICBS emphasized youth engagement through a diverse range of activities, including the "Tsinghua Day" special event on July 19th.

ICBS 2025 celebrates international collaboration and academic exchange in global scientific advancement. "Science thrives on collaboration," said Yau. "This is where the next era of discovery begins."