Established in 1992, PICES aims to promote marine scientific research in the North Pacific and adjacent waters. PICES, whose member states include China, the United States, Canada, Russia, South Korea, and Japan, is committed to promoting multi-field and inter-disciplinary exchanges and cooperation in marine ecology, climate change, environmental protection and forecasting analysis in the North Pacific. Bringing together many of the world's top marine scientists, it is one of the most influential international scientific organizations in the region and even in the world. Over the years, Chinese marine scientists have been actively participating in various scientific activities launched by PICES, effectively improved the innovation, scientific research and international exchange abilities of Chinese marine talent.

Graduated from the College of Marine Life Sciences of Shandong College of Oceanology (now Ocean University of China) in 1965, Zhu Mingyuan, a researcher at the First Institute of Oceanography (FIO) under the State Oceanic Administration (now under the Ministry of Natural Resources), was a visiting scholar of the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI). Zhu Mingyuan was the Vice-Chair of the Harmful Algal Bloom Programme of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/HAB), Director of China-Korea Joint Ocean Research Center (CKJORC), Chief Scientist of the 973 Program, and winner of "Outstanding Returned Chinese Scholars" and "Young and Middle-aged Experts with Outstanding Contributions" titles. He passed away due to illness while attending the PICES meeting in 2013. Over the years, researcher Zhu Mingyuan had trained a number of scientific researchers and young scientists with his sincerity and enthusiasm and led many domestic and international programs in marine environmental capacity, control of eutrophication and harmful algal blooms (HABs), sustainable mariculture and other research fields. Dr. Bill Peterson, a famous marine expert from the Northwest Fisheries Science Center of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), was affectionately described by his students, fellow technicians and PICES young scientists as "an excellent teacher and an interesting, humble and inspiring mentor".

Researcher Zhu Mingyuan and Dr. Bill Peterson had devoted much to the development of marine science and the cultivation of young talent. Through setting up an award named after them, PICES hopes to commemorate their outstanding contributions. The Zhu-Peterson Early Career Scientist Award will go to early career scientists who have performed innovative research at the frontiers of science related to the PICES mission every year. Special reports of the award winners will be published in PICES's publication and website. The winners will also obtain financial assistance to attend the PICES annual meeting and the awards ceremony. Nominees for the award must be at the beginning of their independent research career, must conduct innovative research on marine science in the North Pacific, and must have outstanding achievements.