Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, became the venue for the presentation ceremony during which Yu Huang, Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Los Angeles, California, received the Global Energy Prize awarded to her in 2025. Sergey Brilev, President of the Global Energy Association, personally presented the award to the laureate at the Regional to Global international conference.
Yu Huang became the first female laureate in the history of the Global Energy Prize. She came out the winner in the category Non-Traditional Energy category – for the creation of nanomaterials that improve efficiency and reliability of fuel cells.
Receiving the award, Yu Huang emphasized that she viewed this distinction not as a personal achievement, but as the recognition of the collaborative work of a large team of scientists, including undergraduates, graduates, postdocs, and other colleagues.
“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 make it possible to convert hydrogen into electricity more efficiently, durably, and at lower cost. By improving performance while reducing the 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. Thank you.” said Yu Huang.
Ms. Huang was announced as a laureate last summer, alongside Russian scientist Vladislav Khomich and Chinese researcher Jinliang He.
The Global Energy Association is currently accepting applications for the 2026 Global Energy Prize. The first stage of the nomination cycle will end on April 20. Detailed information and participation requirements are available on the award’s official website.
