CAS president Bai Chunli (2L) presents the Award for International Scientific Cooperation for 2017 to Prof. David Neely (1L), Prof. Yimei Zhu (2R), and Prof. Peter G. Brewer (1R) on Jan 23. (Image from CAS)

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) unveiled the results of the Award for International Scientific Cooperation for 2017 on Jan 23.

The winners were Prof. David Neely of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the United Kingdom, Prof. Peter G. Brewer of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute of the United States, and Prof. Yimei Zhu of the Brookhaven National Laboratory of the United States.

Meanwhile, the respective institutes the experts worked with – the Institute of Physics, the Institute of Oceanology, and the Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering – were also honored for their achievements. CAS vice-president Zhang Jie announced the results, and CAS President Bai Chunli awarded certificates and medals to the three foreign experts.

The Award for International Scientific Cooperation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, launched in 2007, honors top foreign talents who have been in long-term collaboration with CAS and have made major achievements including outstanding contributions to key technological breakthroughs, construction of large science facilities and the cultivation of talents for CAS. It also encourages more science and technology talents from across the world to join CAS’ innovative environment. So far, 31 foreign experts have won the award. Through recommendations, 22 of them have also won the China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award, and 18 have won the Friendship Award.

David Neely, (UK)

Recommended by the Institute of Physics

David Neely has been honored as a Science & Technology Facilities Council fellow. (Image from CAS)

David Neely is the principal investigator and head of the experimental science division of the Central Laser Facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the United Kingdom. He is one of the world’s best known experimental physicists, and has made many outstanding and original contributions to the field of intense laser-matter interaction.

In nearly 20-years’ collaboration with Prof. Neely, CAS has made a series of important world-class advances in hot electron transport, proton acceleration and terahertz generation. His team has provided the Chinese side free of charge with advanced technologies and design drawings for a broadband proton spectrometer, a portable soft X-ray spectrometer, a real-time ion detector and a dual plasma mirror, all of which have greatly improved China’s capability to develop advanced experimental diagnostic equipment in high energy density physics and laser fusion, and promoted the country’s standing in those fields.

The two sides have collaborated on the design and development of the world's first saturated soft X-ray laser, which has had a profound impact on the energy enhancement and stability studies of X-ray lasers, the generation of intense terahertz radiation with world records for pulse energy and laser-ion conversion efficiency, and, using Professor Neely’s new approach, a three to four orders of magnitude enhancement in laser contrast. The achievements have boosted China’s capabilities in conducting experiments in laser physics to a world-leading level.

Prof. Neely has long cultivated science and technology talents for CAS. By providing them with opportunities to conduct research in world-class laboratories, he has made key contributions to CAS research teams taking world-leading positions in relevant fields.

Dr. Peter G. Brewer, (US)

Recommended by the Institute of Oceanology

Photo taken at Luxun Park on Sept 5, 2012, during Professor Dr. Peter G. Brewer’s visit to the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Image from CAS)

Dr. Peter G. Brewer is a world-famous marine chemist, the former president of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), a senior scientist of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI), an honored professor of Stanford University, and the Einstein Visiting Professor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He was awarded the AGU Maurice Ewing Medal in 2016. Dr. Brewer is an advocate and pioneer of studies in oceanic carbon cycles and ocean acidification. In addition, he is one of the proposers of CO₂ deep-sea sequestration and discoverers of the deep-sea hydrothermal system. He led the research, development, and application of the first deep-sea Raman spectrometer in the world, and continues to steer the world’s marine scientific cruises.

Dr. Brewer has worked closely with CAS for more than 10 years, providing critical support to the customization, design, testing, and scientific application of R/V “Kexue” and ROV “Faxian”, and has led the academy’s research in the application of deep-sea sciences. In addition, Dr. Brewer participated in Project WPOS, providing valuable guidance and assistance to core tasks including exploratory research of deep-sea hydrothermal vents, cold seeps, and seamounts, as well as independent R&D of large facilities for deep-sea detection and sampling. In addition to his contributions to the cultivation of doctoral students for China he has created many opportunities for young CAS scientists to join different US deep-sea detection cruises, helping them grow rapidly on world-class research platforms. The cooperation between Dr. Brewer and CAS has greatly boosted the development of China’s deep-sea sciences and equipment systems, a milestone contribution to the development of China’s marine sciences.

Yimei Zhu, (US)

Recommended by Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering

Prof. Yimei Zhu, at the celebration reception of the Distinguished Asian American Awards (issued by Suffolk County Executive S. Bellone and New York Governor A. Cuomo), in May 2015 (Image from CAS)

Yimei Zhu, a tenured scientist at the Brookhaven National Laboratory of the United States, world-renowned condensed matter physicist and top expert in electron microscopy, has led the research and development of the world’s first megavolt ultrafast electron microscopy, and made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of electron microscopy and outstanding achievements in the field of strongly correlated electron systems.

Zhu has long worked to promote bilateral science and technology cooperation between China and the US, and made key contributions to boosting exchanges and establishing mutual trust between Chinese and US scientists. He has facilitated the establishment of intergovernmental bilateral cooperation mechanisms in superconductivity and quantum materials, and opened brand new fields of cooperation between CAS and the US Department of Energy.

Under Zhu’s mediation and assistance, CAS succeeded in breaking technological blockage and acquiring China’s first custom-made Lorentz electron microscopy. Zhu also played an active part in the construction of China’s self-developed large-scale advanced electron microscopy platform. Thanks to his direct support and guidance, CAS independently built China’s first world-leading 200-kiloelectron-volt four-dimensional ultrafast electron microscopy, which significantly boosted CAS’ technological capability in this field and marked China’s rapid leapfrog progress in upgrading electron microscopy technology to international advanced levels.

Zhu, one of the backbone members of the Lu Jiaxi international innovation team at CAS, was involved in the research of lithium battery materials with major breakthroughs at the Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, and provided important support for deepening the understanding of related basic science issues. As an “overseas talent ambassador”, he has also actively facilitated CAS’ overseas talent recruitment and made outstanding contributions in this regard. In addition, he has played a key role in the cultivation of Chinese talents in electron microscopy.

Source: Bureau of International Cooperation, CAS