Academician Qian Qihu from the Jiangsu-based Army Engineering University of the People's Liberation Army won the country’s top science and technology award at the 2018 National Science and Technology Awards Conference held Tuesday morning in Beijing. Last year, Wang Zeshan, an academician from Jiangsu, won the top award.
Qian Qihu, an internationally renowned protection engineering expert, the first academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, is a professor of the Army Engineering University of the People's Liberation Army. He is the founder of China's modern protective engineering theory and the founder and leader of the protective engineering discipline.
Engaged in protective engineering research for more than 60 years, he has led his research team to solve some key technical problems of nuclear engineering, such as nuclear weapons, grounding, ground-explosion and new type of ground-penetrating bomb and make outstanding contribution to the construction and development of various periods of protection engineering in China.
He also provided key technical decisions for major projects such as the Nanjing Yangtze River Tunnel, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the West-East Gas Transmission, and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and actively promoted a series of major national strategies including the development and utilization of urban underground space.
50 projects from Jiangsu won the awards, with 5 winning the State Natural Science Award, 8 the State Technological Invention Award, and 37 the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award.
President Xi Jinping presented China's top science award to Qian Qihu and Liu Yongtan Tuesday for their outstanding contributions to scientific and technological innovation.
Tuesday's ceremony honored 278 projects, with 38 winning the State Natural Science Award, 67 the State Technological Invention Award, and 173 the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award.
Five foreign experts won the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award.
On behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, Premier Li Keqiang extended congratulations to the award winners and thanked foreign experts for their support to China's science and technology development.
Li said China has achieved remarkable progress in science and technology since the country's reform and opening-up four decades ago, and the past year again witnessed excellent performance in science and technology innovation.
Basic research should be given more priority, and receive more long-term and stable support, Li said, adding that the development of basic research, applied research, and industrialization should be integrated to build an open, coordinated and efficient research platform.
He stressed the need to strengthen the role of enterprises as the main players of innovation and the integration of industries, universities and research institutes, noting that more market-driven means should be applied to encourage entrepreneurship.
(Source：ourjiangsu.com)
