WACBE Awards 2026                                  MEMBERSHIP FORM

The World Association for Chinese Biomedical Engineers (WACBE) is dedicated to recognizing excellence, innovation, and leadership in biomedical engineering. To celebrate contributions across the career spectrum, WACBE 2026 provides recognition for individuals at different stages of their professional journey. The major awards are:

1. WACBE Yuan-Cheng Fung Lifetime Achievement Award

2. WACBE Savio L-Y. Woo Distinguished Lecture Award

3. WACBE Wangyi Wu Mid-Career Award

4. WACBE Rising Star Awards

1. Description for Yuan-Cheng Fung Lifetime Achievement Award

Purpose

Yuan-Cheng Fung Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor of WACBE, recognizing extraordinary lifetime achievements with transformative impact on biomedical engineering and society.

Eligibility

· Open to individuals with sustained, exceptional contributions

· WACBE Life Member by February 1, 2026

Criteria

· Groundbreaking, long-term contributions

· Global impact through research, education, leadership, or translation

· Legacy of shaping the field and inspiring future generations

2. Description for Savio L-Y. Woo Distinguished Lecture Award

Purpose

WACBE Savio L-Y. Woo Distinguished Lecture Award is to recognize distinguished scientists whose outstanding contributions have significantly advanced biomedical engineering and inspired future generations.

Eligibility

· Senior faculty or professionals with established international reputations

· WACBE Life Member by February 1, 2026

Criteria

· Pioneering scientific or translational contributions

· Distinguished record of mentorship and leadership

· Advancement of biomedical engineering globally

3. Description for Wangyi Wu Mid-Career Award

Purpose

WACBE Wangyi Wu Mid-Career Award is to honor mid-career investigators who have established themselves as independent leaders with significant research and mentorship contributions.

Eligibility

· 10–20 years post terminal degree from July 28, 2026

· WACBE Life Member by February 1, 2026

Criteria

· Sustained contributions to research and innovation

· Leadership in mentoring, education, or professional societies

· Impact on biomedical engineering regionally, nationally, or internationally

4. Description for Rising Star Awards

Purpose

WACBE Rising Star Awards are to recognize early-career investigators who demonstrate outstanding potential through innovative research and leadership promise.

Eligibility

· Within 10 years of terminal degree from July 28, 2026

· WACBE Life Member by February 1, 2026

Criteria

· Innovation and creativity

· Research excellence appropriate to career stage

· Leadership potential and promise for impact

5. Recognition

· Lecture delivered at the Congress

· Plaque and/or certificate conferred at the Congress

· Award ceremony

6. Number of Awards

· Fung Lifetime Achievement: 1 recipient

· Woo Distinguished Lecture: 1 recipient

· Wu Mid-Career: 1 recipient

· Rising Star: Multiple recipients depending on quality of applicants

7. Career-Stage Continuum

The continuum ensures recognition and encouragement of excellence at all stages of professional development.

· Lifetime – Fung Lifetime Achievement Award

· Senior Career – Woo Distinguished Lecture Award

· Mid-Career – Wu Mid-Career Award

· Early Career – Rising Star Award

8. Implementation

· Overseen by WACBE Award Committee

· Policy applicable for 2026 WACBE World Congress

· Future awards beyond 2026 decided by the WACBE Council

9. Nomination for Fung Lifetime Achievement Award

· A nomination letter by a WACBE Life Member 

· CV of nominee

· Letters of support (up to two) can be optionally included but not required.

· Both nominee and nominator are required to be WACBE Life Members before February 1, 2026.

10. Nomination for Woo Distinguished Lecture Award

· A nomination letter by a WACBE Life Member 

· CV of nominee

· Letters of support (up to two) can be optionally included but not required.

· Both nominee and nominator are required to be WACBE Life Members before February 1, 2026.

11. Nomination for Wu Mid-Career Award

· A nomination letter by a WACBE Life Member 

· CV of nominee

· Five (5) sample publications in biomedical engineering.

· Letters of support (up to two) can be optionally included but not required.

· Both nominee and nominator are required to be WACBE Life Members before February 1, 2026.

12. Nomination Rising Star Awards

· A nomination letter (may be self-nominated or nominated by a WACBE Life Member),

· CV of nominee

· One-page statement summarizing accomplishment and potential in biomedical engineering

· Three (3) sample publications in biomedical engineering, where the nominee is the single senior author on at least one paper

· Letters of support (up to two) can be optionally included but not required.

· Both nominee and nominator are required to be WACBE Life Members before February 1, 2026.

13. Submission of Nomination

· Contact Ms. Diann DeCenzo regarding WACBE Life Membership (ddecenzo14@hotmail.com).

· All materials must be in English and combined as a single pdf file for submission.

· Deadline of submission is February 1, 2026.

· Submit the nomination (single pdf file) to info@wacbe2026.cn.

14. Selection Process

· Reviewed and selected by WACBE Award Committee

· Committee composed of Chair and senior members representing different regions and disciplines

· Decisions upon majority approval and ratified by the WACBE Council

· Awards announced when available, but no later than April 15, 2026

15. Financial Support

· For a Rising Star Award, each recipient receives an honorarium of RMB 2000. No other financial assistance is available.

· For Fung, Woo, and Wu Awards, financial support is currently under discussion with several potential sponsors.

16. Inquires

· Direct inquiries to WACBE Award Committee at email info@wacbe2026.cn.

Note: WACBE Award Policy drafted by Zong-Ming Li

********************************

Past WACBE Savio L-Y. Woo Distinguished Lecturers

********************************

2024

Joyce Y. WONG

Engineering the Biointerface for Maternal and Child Health

2022

Jeff Tza‑Huei WANG

Droplet Microfluidics Enables Rapid Diagnostics and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing

2019

Abraham “Abe” LEE

Precision Medicine – Microfluidic Processing the Minimal Representative Unit of Life

2017

Zhi‑Pei LIANG

Ultrahigh-Resolution MRSI: A Marriage of Spin Physics with Machine Learning to Advance Healthcare

2015

Kam W. LEONG

Bioengineering of Direct Cellular Reprogramming