Panza former Professor of seismology (University of Trieste) and the Head of Structure and Non-Linear Dynamics of the Earth (SAND) group (International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy. His scientific activity deals with integrated analysis of the structure and dynamics of the lithosphere-asthenosphere system; the integrated approach to modelling of seismic waves; and the earthquake-prone lineaments and premonitory seismicity patterns. He received Gutenberg Medal in 2000, doctorate h.c. in physics from University of Bucharest, Romania, in 2002; medal of honour by the Earth Sciences Committee of the Central European Initiative, in 2004; commemorative medal from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in 2009; honour of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2015, International AGU award 2018 among others. Panza is an honorary professor at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and at the Institute of Geophysics of the China Earthquake Administration; and elected member of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei and of the Accademia Nazionale delle Scienze detta dei XL, both in Italy, and of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Thulstrup is professor of chemistry at Roskilde University, Denmark. He graduated from Aarhus University in 1967 with an MSc. in Chemistry and Physics and has held senior positions at 3 Danish universities and visiting positions at 6 foreign universities, interrupted by 5 years in Washington DC where he headed the World Bank Program for Science and Technology. He was President of the Danish UNESCO National Commission and leader of several major evaluations of research capacity building in developing and industrialized countries. He is author of numerous papers and leading monographs within Polarization Spectroscopy of ordered systems. He received the Knighthood of the Dannebrog by the Danish Queen, was a Fulbright Fellow, and received gold medals from Aarhus University, the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Science Society of Panama. He is fellow of the African, Norwegian and Mongolian Academies of Science.

Chu and colleagues were the first to achieve superconductivity above liquid nitrogen temperatures with YBaCuO (90 K). Such and related work has established him as a leader in the field of high temperature superconducting oxides. He is Founding Director and Chief Scientist, Texas Center for Superconductivity; Professor of Physics and T.L.L. Temple Chair of Science, University of Houston; President Emeritus and University Professor Emeritus, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; and Honorary Chancellor, Taiwan Comprehensive University System. He has received the U.S. National Medal of Science and numerous international awards, as well as 10 honorary doctorates and 7 honorary professorships. He is a fellow/member of the American Physical Society, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Academia Sinica, National Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and other organizations.

Bass was educated at Princeton U. (BA, 1955) and U. of Chicago (MS, 1956; PhD, 1959). He is Samuel Eilenberg Dist. U. Prof. of Mathematics and Mathematics Education, U. of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He was Adrain Prof. of Mathematics, Columbia U. (1959-99), and had visiting research and faculty positions at mathematical centres worldwide. He is a founder of the Algebraic K-Theory field and co-founder of the theory of group actions on trees. His awards include: Sloan and Guggenheim Fellowships; Cole Prize in Algebra, American Mathematics Soc.; Yueh-Gin Gung and Dr. Charles Y. Hu Award for Disti. Service to Mathematics, Mathematical Assn. of America; and US Natl. Medal of Science. He is member of the Natl. Acad. of Sciences, USA, American Acad. of Arts and Sciences, and the Natl. Acad. of Education, USA. He is past pres., American Mathematical Soc. and Intl. Commission on Mathematical Instruction.

Azzam is distinguished professor of electrical engineering, University of New Orleans (UNO). After receiving his BSc (Cairo University, 1967) and PhD (University of Nebraska, 1971), he held postdoctoral and faculty positions at the University of Nebraska until 1979 when he joined UNO. He was Fulbright scholar and visiting professor at Université de Provence, France, and professor of physics at the American University in Cairo. He served as topical editor for the Journal of the Optical Society of America (OSA) and Applied Optics, and as member of the OSA Publications Council. His honours include: 2005 GG Stokes Award of SPIE, International Society for Optical Engineering; 1993 Photonics Circle of Excellence Award; 1993 R and D Award; 1988 Outstanding American Inventor; 1985 Fulbright Scholar (France); and fellow of the Optical Society of America and SPIE.