Quito, Ecuador — Quito, the capital of Ecuador, hosted the award ceremony at which Yu Huang, Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, received the 2025 Global Energy Prize. The award was presented by Sergey Brilev, President of the Global Energy Association, during the Regional to Global international conference.
Yu Huang made history as the first female laureate of the Global Energy Prize. She was recognized in the Non-Traditional Energy category for her pioneering work on nanomaterials that enhance the efficiency and reliability of fuel cells.
In her acceptance remarks, Professor Huang emphasized that she views the honor not as an individual achievement, but as recognition of the collective efforts of a broad scientific team.
“Thank you to the Global Energy Association and our local hosts for organizing this wonderful event, and my sincere thanks to the selection committee for this meaningful recognition. I accept this award on behalf of a remarkable group of people—students, postdocs, collaborators, and partners—who work together every day with shared curiosity, persistence, and purpose. This recognition reflects a collective effort far more than any individual achievement.
“The award honors our work on catalysts for hydrogen fuel cells—materials that enable hydrogen to be converted into electricity more efficiently, durably, and at lower cost. By improving performance while reducing reliance on scarce resources, these catalysts help make clean energy more affordable and accessible at scale.
“The energy transition is a global challenge, and no single technology, institution, or country can solve it alone. It truly takes a village. I am grateful to be part of this global community and inspired by the work represented here today. I look forward to the discussions ahead and to the many opportunities to learn from one another and work together toward a more sustainable energy future.”
Professor Huang was announced as a Global Energy Prize laureate last summer, alongside Russian scientist Vladislav Khomich and Chinese researcher Jinliang He.
The Global Energy Association has opened nominations for the 2026 Global Energy Prize. The first stage of the nomination cycle closes on April 20, with detailed eligibility criteria and application information available on the award’s official website.
