—The 60th Anniversary of the First Institute of Oceanography

On May 18, the First Institute of Oceanography (the FIO for short) held the conference for the retrospective summary of its 60th anniversary of the founding. Lin Shanqing, Member of the Leading Party Committee of the Ministry of Natural Resources of China, leaders, and representatives from the departments and units under the Ministry, units related to the sea, and cooperating organizations attended the event. The conference was presided by Sun Yongfu, Secretary of the Committee for Discipline Inspection, FIO.

Li Tiegang, Director of the FIO, summarized and reviewed the struggling course of the FIO in the 60 years since its foundation for the mission of “making a thorough investigation of seas in China, exploring the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Indian Ocean, and setting foot in Antarctica”. According to him, the FIO people have worked hard in the coastal waters of China and led the survey on China’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, the comprehensive research and evaluation of China’s coastal waters, the comprehensive reasearch on China’s coastal zones and tidal flat resources, research on national sea island resources, national marine boundary delimitation, and other key special projects, contributed to national ocean management, ocean economic development, ocean security assurance, and marine programs for public good, and promoted the advance of marine science and technology and related issues. In the early of the 1970s, the FIO people traveled to the ocean, expanded the scientific investigation of the oceans and started the journey to the three Oceans. They played a leading role in the scientific research of the deep sea, research techniques, guarantee capabilities, and other issues, with many achievements reaching the advancing level across the world. With the enhancing exploration ability and research level, the FIO people set foot on Antarctica and reached the Arctic Ocean. They also participated in the construction and scientific investigation projects of all the scientific surveying stations in regions near the North and South poles and thus obtained a series of key scientific discoveries.

The 60 years has witnessed fruitful achievements in international cooperation and exchanges, and the FIO has already built the well-connected partnership with over 50 marine research institutes in more than 30 countries and regions and formed the network covering all primary marine states and international marine organizations. Regarding satisfying the demands of China and boosting the economic and social development of the coastal regions, the FIO has provided science support and technical services for the exploitation of marine resources, protection of marine environment, and marine engineering construction. Regarding the popularization of marine science, the FIO has acted as the pioneer to actively advance related work and has built China’s first school of marine knowledge for children.

On behalf of the leading team, Director Li Tiegang expressed that in the past 60 years, under the support and sincere concern of all sectors of society, leaders of all levels, and the counterparts, and with the persistent exploration and practices of all the institute staff, the FIO has become the organization with strong abilities, distinctive characteristics, and integrated disciplines by forging ahead and pursuing innovation. Currently, the FIO has nearly 600 staff members conducting the basic researches on marine theories and applications, technological research and development, and business support, covering eight disciplines and 32 primary research directions. It also boasts two international leading comprehensive research ships for marine science, five ministerial key laboratories, two functional laboratories of the Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, and nine international science and technology cooperation agencies. The FIO has undertaken and completed various key national S&T tasks and won a lot of remarkable results and awards, thus contributing a lot to the marine science and technology development and economic construction.

Adhering to the idea of staying true to the original mission despite the vicissitude of time, Director Li Tiegang represented the leading team to express that in the new historical starting point, the FIO people need to carry on to implement the national strategies of “accelerating to build China into the marine power” and “innovation-driven development”, strengthen the sense of historical responsibility, adhere to “exploring the oceans and the regions near the north and south poles, and focusing on innovation”, thus building the FIO into a world-leading marine institute. With the global vision and taking strengthening China as the mission, the FIO is on the journey of the scientific and technological research of seas and oceans. We should devote to protect and exploit the seas and oceans, and open a new bright chapter of the future.

In the event, the awards of the “Top 10 Scientific and Technological Achievements” and the “Top 10 Development Achievements” of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the FIO have been presented. It also selected 12 scientists with outstanding contributions and awarded them certificates of honor and prize cups. After the review, the FIO held the staff art performance.

Participants of the ceremony