Chinese Scientist First to Win Mendeleev Basic Science Prize
Professor Pan Jianwei, a leading quantum physicist at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has become the first Chinese scientist to receive the UNESCO-Russia Mendeleev International Prize in the Basic Sciences. The award ceremony was held on July 17, 2026, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, marking a historic milestone for China’s fundamental scientific research.
A Prestigious International Honor
The UNESCO-Russia Mendeleev International Prize in the Basic Sciences was established in 2019 by a decision of UNESCO’s Executive Board, commemorating the 150th anniversary of Dmitri Mendeleev’s periodic table of elements. Awarded annually to two individuals, the prize recognizes breakthrough discoveries or outstanding innovations with transformative socio-economic impact, as UNESCO announced.
Pan Jianwei shares this year’s honor with Professor Sergei S. Sheiko, George A. Bush Jr. Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who was recognized for his outstanding contributions to fundamental polymer physics and materials science.
Recognition for Quantum Pioneering
UNESCO recognized Pan “for his seminal contributions to large-scale secure quantum communications and scalable quantum computation.” According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Pan’s team developed the “Micius” (Mozi) quantum science experimental satellite — the world’s first — enabling quantum key distribution and quantum teleportation over thousands of kilometers. The team has also demonstrated quantum computational advantage using superconducting quantum processors.
These achievements mark the transition of global quantum networks from theoretical concept to practical reality, laying the foundation for secure, efficient quantum information infrastructure.
A Milestone for Chinese Basic Science
Pan was nominated by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and recommended by the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO. As CAST confirmed, the award underscores China’s emergence as a global leader in quantum information science — a field of strategic importance for future communications, computing, and cybersecurity.
In his video acceptance speech at the ceremony, Pan emphasized that the honor belongs not only to himself but to his entire research team, describing it as “the collective achievement of the Chinese government’s long-term support for technological innovation and international scientific cooperation,” as reported by Xinhua News. He also pledged to continue upholding open cooperation with the global scientific community to advance quantum information technology for human well-being.
Previous Editions and Growing Prestige
The prize has quickly established itself as a major international scientific accolade. The first edition in 2021 was awarded to Russian physicist Yuri Oganessian and Italian chemist Vincenzo Balzani. The second edition in 2023 honored Russian chemist Irina Beletskaya and German chemist Klaus Alexander Müllen, as detailed by the Russian UNESCO Commission. Pan’s selection as the first Chinese laureate places him among an elite group of internationally recognized scientists.
Science as a Unifying Force
Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO, congratulated the laureates at the ceremony, stating: “Basic sciences are the bedrock of everything we know, they are a common language, enabling international research cooperation and dialogue across disciplines and countries. At a time of division or turbulence, they provide a sense of unity, and help create further opportunities for new discoveries for the people.”
The ceremony was also attended by Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov and Chinese Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Ambassador Yang Xinyu, highlighting the prize’s role in fostering international scientific cooperation despite geopolitical tensions.
Broader Implications
Pan Jianwei’s award comes at a time of heightened global competition in quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors. It validates China’s long-term investment in basic research under national strategies such as the “Innovation-Driven Development Strategy” and its ambition to become a global science and technology power.
Pan, born in 1970, earned his PhD from the University of Vienna under Anton Zeilinger before returning to China in 2001 to establish a quantum research group at USTC. His work on the Micius satellite — launched in August 2016 and named after the ancient Chinese philosopher Mozi — achieved quantum key distribution over 1,200 kilometers and intercontinental quantum communications between China and Europe. In 2020-2021, his team established the world’s first integrated quantum communication network, combining the satellite with a 2,000-kilometer terrestrial fiber optic backbone.
What’s Next
The award is expected to further boost China’s investments in the National Laboratory for Quantum Information Sciences and could pave the way for increased international collaboration in quantum research. As Pan’s work on quantum networks has practical implications for secure communications, the recognition from UNESCO signals growing global acknowledgment that quantum technologies will play a transformative role in cybersecurity, financial systems, and defense sectors worldwide.