Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of China's Membership in SCOR Held in Qingdao

On October 15, 2024, the celebration of the 40th Anniversary of China’s Membership in the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) was held in Qingdao. WU Jun, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Natural Resources of China, SU Jilan, the first Secretary of SCOR-China, ZHANG Liang, Project Director of Discipline of Marine Science, Department of Earth Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China, members of Steering Committee of SCOR, representatives from various countries, members of Committee of SCOR-China, members of Early-career Scientist (ECS) Committee of SCOR-China, representatives from research institutes, universities and major international marine cooperation programmes attended the celebration.

Officially established in the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in 1957, SCOR is the first interdisciplinary body formed by the International Council of Science Unions (ICSU). SCOR, boasting a long history, stands out as the world’s largest and most influential non-governmental academic organization in the field of oceanography and serves as the scientific advisory body to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC). Through the organization of large-scale international ocean cooperation programmes, working groups and capacity-building activities, SCOR promotes and coordinates international marine scientific research, solves the problems of scientific methods and innovative concepts in marine research, with special emphasis on leading the international scientific frontiers and multi- and cross-disciplinary research, enjoying a high reputation in the field of international oceanography.

Established in 1984, SCOR-China embodies China’s engagement in SCOR whose purpose is to enhance mutual understanding, exchange and cooperation between China's marine science community and SCOR, to unite marine science and technology workers across the country, and to prosper the marine science in China. The current Committee of SCOR-China (the 15th Committee) consists of 35 experts from major marine research institutes and universities in China. The President of SCOR-China is Researcher QIAO Fangli of the First Institute of Oceanography (FIO), the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) of China and the vice-presidents include Academician DAI Minhan of Xiamen University, Academician BAO Zhenmin of the Ocean University of China, and Researcher WANG Fan of the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The Secretary-General is Researcher DAI Dejun of FIO.

At the beginning of the celebration, all participants paid tribute to people who have contributed to SCOR-China. Then, WU Jun, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, MNR, Prof. Sinjae Yoo, President of SCOR, Prof. SU Jilan, first Secretary-General of SCOR-China, and Prof. LI Tiegang, Director General of FIO, gave congratulation and welcome remarks.  

Following the opening remarks, Ms. Emily Twigg, Executive Director of SCOR, introduced the development of SCOR and the contributions from China. Prof. QIAO Fangli, President of SCOR-China, reviewed the history of SCOR-China over the past forty years, summarized the achievements of China in marine science and technology, and described further prospects for SCOR-China. Prof. ZHOU Lei, President of ECS Committee of SCOR-China, introduced the development and activities of ECS Committee. Prof. DAI Minhan, Vice-president of SCOR-China, reviewed China’s engagement and contributions to large-scale ocean research projects sponsored by SCOR. Prof. WANG Fang, Vice-president of SCOR-China, reviewed China’s participation in SCOR working groups.

The ceremony was hosted by SCOR-China and organized by FIO. Researcher SUN Song, Former President of SCOR-China moderated the ceremony.