Sony Group Corporation and the journal Nature have announced the 2026 recipients of the Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature. The award recognizes exceptional early- to mid-career women researchers in technology (including science, engineering, and mathematics), who through their research are driving a positive impact on society and the planet.
“We are honored to celebrate this year’s Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature winners. Their pioneering contributions reflect the progress and impact this award was created to champion,” says Hiroaki Kitano, chief technology fellow of Sony Group Corporation. “These exceptional researchers are pushing the frontiers of science and technology, while inspiring the next generation of women.
Each of the three winners will receive a $250,000 prize.
Xiwen Gong, an assistant professor of chemical engineering at the University of Michigan, was awarded this year’s early-career prize for her research on the molecular and interfacial design of solution-processed semiconductors enabling continuous health monitoring and therapeutic interventions, advancing precision, and personalized healthcare. Dr. Gong is a graduate of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. She holds a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Toronto.
Ellen Roche is a professor at the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and the department of mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She also directs the Therapeutic Technology Design and Development Lab. Dr. Roche was selected for her interdisciplinary research in applying innovative technologies to the development of implantable and wearable medical devices, as well as building robotic and computational simulators for enhanced testing of device/tissue interaction with the goal of improving cardiac care. Dr. Roche received her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from what is now the University of Galway in Ireland. She holds a master’s degree in bioengineering from Trinity College Dublin and a Ph.D. from Harvard University.
Zhen Xu is the Li Ka Shing Endowed Professor of Biomedical Engineering and professor of radiology and neurosurgery at the University of Michigan. She was selected for her pioneering work as a co-inventor of the field of histotripsy, to allow non-invasive surgery using ultrasound without incision or injury. A native of Nanjing, China, Dr. Xu is a graduate of Southeast University in Nanjing, where she studied biomedical engineering. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.