Golden Science Spotlight in the Bay Area

The Breakthrough Prize, launched by Silicon Valley leaders in 2012, awarded three Bay Area scientists for pioneering contributions to mathematics and physics.

The ceremony, dubbed the “Oscars of Science,” highlighted researchers who tackled long‑standing mysteries in their fields.

Winners

• Benjamin Safdi – UC Berkeley Physicist
  Awarded the New Horizons Prize for his quest to find axions, hypothetical particles that could explain dark matter. Safdi described the search as a fundamental challenge that could reshape our understanding of the universe.

• Yunqing Tang – UC Berkeley Associate Professor
  Won the New Horizons in Mathematics prize for resolving the unbounded denominators conjecture, a key problem in number theory and modular forms. Tang praised the collaborative environment at Berkeley that fuels her discoveries.

• Otis Chodosh – Stanford Associate Professor
  Earned the mathematics award for solving several deep questions in differential geometry, including a central conjecture about scalar curvature and a problem concerning minimal surfaces. He noted how modern mathematics thrives on teamwork rather than solitary work.

A Call for Support

All recipients emphasized the need for public support and funding, especially as federal budgets face cuts. Safdi argued that without adequate resources, even the brightest minds cannot pursue questions about axions and other fundamental particles.

The Prize

The Breakthrough Prize’s $3 million award aims to bring scientific achievements into the spotlight, encouraging a new generation to pursue bold questions.