Opening Ceremony for CAS Public Science Days Held in Beijing

On May 14, a grand opening ceremony for CAS Public Science Days was held solemnly at the Institute of Biophysics, CAS in Beijing.

	Activities for CAS Public Science Days took place in the first week after the May Day Holidays, paralleling with the activities for the National Science and Technology Week. The theme of the activities for this year is Innovation of Science & Technology for the People and full Construction of a Harmonious Society. Nearly 60 institutions of CAS scattered throughout China were opened to the public during the one-week event, including some national and CAS key laboratories,
national observatories (stations), botanical gardens and museums. Meanwhile, science popularization activities for the CAS Botanical Garden Day with the theme of human beings, plants, earth and harmony were launched in the 12 gardens attached to CAS. The National Astronomical Observatory and 6 other observatories held the science and technology activities with the theme of Getting into Science and Approaching the Universe.

Young Scholars Meet Nobel Prize Laureates

On the afternoon of May 30, two special guests were invited to the Youth Forum held by the Institute of Microbiology of CAS. One was Dr. John Deisonhofer, professor from the Howard Huges Medical Center, the U. S., and he was laureate of the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1988, who discovered the three-dimension structure in photoreaction center; and the other was Dr. Avram Hershko, professor from the Israeli Institute of Technology, and he was laureate of the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2004 for discovering the protein mark of the molecular “kiss of death”, which revealed human immune system.

More than 40 young scholars from the Institute of Microbiology and the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, CAS, had face-to-face exchanges with the two laureates about experiences, methods and processes for scientific research. The atmosphere was warm and relaxing. Coincidentally, although the two laureates received prizes in chemistry, they are both interested in biotechnology. The two scientists also warmly greeted the young scholars by writing inscriptions.