Backgrounder: China´s State Science and Technology Awards

Source: CCTV.com | 02-28-2007 09:03

China's State Science and Technology Awards have five categories. They are the State Supreme Science and Technology Award, the State Natural Science Award, the State Technological Innovation Award, the State Science and Technology Advancement Award, and finally, the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award.

The State Supreme Science and Technology Award is China's highest and most esteemed national science honor. Winners receive a cash prize of 5 million yuan, or over 600,000 US dollars. The award honors important breakthroughs in basic scientific research, with far-reaching influence. It is also awarded to prominent scientists who have generated enormous economic returns or facilitated social progress.

The Natural Science Award, the Technology Innovation Award, and the Science and Technology Advancement Award are the three major science awards given out at the state level.

The Natural Science Award honors achievements in basic research and its applications. This includes math, physics, chemistry, astronomy, geology, biology and other disciplines.

The Technology Innovation Award honors important inventions related to manufacturing, processing, and material and systems research.

The Science and Technology Advancement Award focuses on projects crucial to social progress, state security, and social well-being.

The International Science and Technology Cooperation Award honors foreigners or international organizations that have contributed to the advancement of China's science and technology fields.

The first State Supreme Science and Technology Award was given in 2000. Mathematician Wu Wenjun and hybrid-rice expert Yuan Longping were the winners that year.

Two academicians won the award the following year. They were computer scientist Wang Xuan from Peking University and semi-conductor expert Huang Kun from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In 2002, China became known for its achievements in super computer research. And the nation's leading scientist in this field Jin Yilian received that year's State Supreme Science and Technology Award.

The winners of the 2003 State Supreme Science and Technology Award were environmental scientist Liu Dongsheng and the chief designer of China's manned space flight project, Wang Yongzhi. The manned space flight project also won the special prize in the State Science and Technology Advancement category that year.

No winner was announced for the State Supreme Science and Technology Award in 2004. But after 6 years without a winner, the State Technology Innovation Award declared first place winners in 2004. Two research teams from Central South University and Northwest Polytechnical University received the prize for their achievements in synthesized materials research.

The winners of the 2005 State Supreme Science and Technology Award were meteorologist Ye Duzheng and medical scientist Wu Mengchao. And for the first time, seven public science education projects were honored with the State Science and Technology Advancement award.

Editor:Du Xiaodan