Klaus Toepfer
Germany
Prof. Dr. Klaus Toepfer (born July 1938) is an eminent environment-planning specialist, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). In recent twenty years, he has actively promoted China-Germany cooperation, China-Africa cooperation and the cooperation between UNEP and the Chinese Government. He introduced new technologies of water treatment, water resources management and environmental management to China and provided important suggestions to the Beijing Olympic Games, Shanghai Expo and the construction of Chongming Eco Island. He also actively propagandized to the international community about the great efforts and achievements that the Chinese Government has made in the field of environment protection and sustainable development. He contributed to the establishment of the UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development, which has cultivated many talents in the field of environment and sustainable development for China and other developing countries. Presently he is the chief professor of the UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development.
Zhongxue Gan
USA
Prof. Dr. Zhongxue Gan (born August 1951) is a renowned expert in energy systems engineering and intelligent control. As an academic leader and a technology management expert, he has devoted himself to the development of clean energy system, especially of the research and demonstration on coal-based clean energy, thin-film PV cell on silicon and intelligent equipment. He contributed significantly to these technologies followed with commercialization. He recruited scores of international talents to form a multidisciplinary team with a focus on clean energy system innovation. He established a coal-based-carbon energy laboratory, which has been approved “State Key Laboratory”. He has trained a great number of researchers, meeting China’s urgent needs in clean energy innovation. As an active member on the US National Coal Council, he played an important role in the founding of the “China-US Clean Energy Research Center”.
Roger M. Bonnet
France
Prof. Dr. Roger M. Bonnet (born December 1937) is an eminent scientist in space science and current Executive Director of the International Space Science Institute (ISSI). He used to be the president of Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and the director of Space Science Directorate, European Space Agency (ESA). Since 1990, Prof. Bonnet has been deeply involved in the promotion of international cooperation with China in space science. He actively supported Chinese scientists in joining the ESA’ s Cluster Programs, and played a leading role in identifying and implementing the program Chinese Double Star Program between China and Europe. He has also helped to facilitate China’s increased involvement in COSPAR and other international space science organizations. Through his effort, many young Chinese researchers have continually benefited from COSPAR and ISSI on the enhancement of their capabilities, which lays a concomitant impact to the development of space science in China.
Albert Hermann Gerhard Boerner
Germany
Prof. Dr. Albert Hermann Gerhard Boerner (born April 1941) is a renowned astrophysicist and a pioneer in promoting the cooperation between China and Germany on astrophysics. Since 1979, he has provided a strong impetus for the rapid development of modern astronomy and cultivated many talents for China by holding lectures and bilateral seminar series, as well as accepting Chinese scholars to the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (MPA) for research works. He creatively suggested establishing Young Partner Groups of the Max Planck Institute in Chinese Academy of Science (CAS). Up until now, more than 20 partner groups have been set up in the major basic research areas such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology and so on. This project has introduced more talents and new academic subjects to CAS. As the head of the German side, he successfully founded a Young Partner Group of MPA in Shanghai Astronomical Observatory of CAS. The Group has become an influential one on the international stage, and its achievements were awarded the second prize of the State Natural Science Award.
Folker Helfrid Wittmann
Germany
Prof. Dr. Folker Helfrid Wittmann (born April 1936) is an eminent expert in building materials. As an academician of the National Academy of Science of Russia, he is well known in maintenance of buildings, protection of heritage buildings, investigation on building materials, and research on durability of concrete structures. After being engaged by Qingdao Technological University from 2002, he has supervised more than 40 Master and PhD students, and contributed a lot to the University in the academic research of concrete materials, the construction of relevant laboratories, personnel training, and international cooperation. At the same time, he gave advice for the planning and execution of urgent repair measures of important reinforced concrete structures in the region and he played an active role in assuring the required service life of certain essential components of the infrastructure such as tunnels and bridges.
