On November 25, Professor Yu Zhongbo, Chairman of UNESCO-IHP Asia and Pacific, Vice Chairman of Chinese National Committee for UNESCO-IHP, and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, was elected as Chairperson of the UNESCO-IHP Council at the IHP Intergovernmental Council Session. It is the first time that a Chinese expert has been elected to the post of this academic group.
Professor Yu has long been engaged in research on the mechanism, theory and method of hydrological cycle under environmental changes, and has presided over more than 50 projects, including the first batch of National Key Research and Development Program and key projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He has won the second-class award of the State Technological Progress Award once, the first-class award of the Natural Science Award by the Ministry of Education once, and the first-class award of the Dayu Water Conservancy Science and Technology Award for three times. He has published more than 300 SCI papers in international authoritative journals, with more than 8,000 citations. In addition, Professor Yu has 30 authorized patents. In 2004, he was selected as Fellow of the Geological Society of America (GSA). In 2015, he won John Hem Award for Excellence in Science & Engineering granted by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA), America. In 2016, he was awarded the title of National Outstanding Scientific and Technological Worker. In 2017, he won the May 1st Labor Medal of Jiangsu Province.
UNESCO-IHP is an international academic group under UNESCO that focuses on water sciences research and education, and aims to organize a series of projects in its member countries to promote international cooperation in hydrology. Its main governing body is the IHP Intergovernmental Council, which is composed of 36 UNESCO Member States elected by the General Conference of UNESCO at its ordinary sessions. China joined UNESCO-IHP in 1974. Under the guidance of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, the Ministry of Water Resources established the permanent Chinese National Committee for UNESCO-IHP in December 1979. Through multi-channel and all-round cooperation with UNESCO-IHP, China's hydrological achievements have been widely recognized by the world. The program has become an important platform for China's foreign exchanges in the water-related field.
