Bay Area scientists honored at the ‘Oscars of Science’ for math and physics
By Chase Hunter
Published on April 19, 2026.
The Breakthrough Prize, a non-profit organization founded by Silicon Valley tech giants, awarded three Bay Area scientists with “Oscars of Science” for their efforts to answer questions that have eluded mathematicians and physicists for decades. The prize, which includes $3 million annually for major scientific advancements, aims to elevate researchers to celebrity status and inspire a new generation to tackle the greatest questions in mathematics, physics and life sciences. Alongside Benjamin Safdi, UC Berkeley associate professor Yunqing Tang and Stanford University associate professor Otis Chodosh, were awarded New Horizons in Mathematics awards. The winners hope these awards will raise public awareness and increase support for additional federal funding for science, particularly in light of proposed cuts to the National Science Foundation budget.
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