On October 19, 2024, the third meeting of the fifth academic committee and the academic annual conference of the Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems, Ministry of Education, was held in Room 502 of Qilian Hall, Lanzhou University Chengguan Campus. Attendees included Academicians Chen Fahua and Fang Xiaomin from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Academician Fu Bojie from the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Researcher Fang Chuanglin from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Researcher Kang Shichang from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Researcher Li Xin from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Liu Hongyan from Peking University, and Professor Lu Huayu from Nanjing University, among others. Also attending were Researcher Lü Houyuan from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Yang Dawen from Tsinghua University, and Professors Pan Baotian and Gou Xiaohua from Lanzhou University. Additionally, Academician Xiao Wenjiao from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Researcher Fu Qiaomei from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Professor Cheng Hai from Xi'an Jiaotong University participated online. Over 80 participants attended the meeting, including Professor Chen Ximeng, Vice President of Lanzhou University, Li Xingye, Director of the Office of Discipline Construction and Development Planning, Shen Zhenghu, Minister of the Human Resources Department, Wang Zhaoping, Dean of the Institute of Scientific and Technological Development, Deputy Dean An Xian, Shizhao Jun, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Dean Li Yu, Deputy Dean Wang Xin, and laboratory faculty and students.
Figure 1: Group Photo of Meeting Representatives
Vice President Chen Ximeng opened the meeting by extending a warm welcome and sincere gratitude to the members of the fifth academic committee. He briefly introduced the progress made by the university in applying for special projects from the Ministry of Education and establishing national key laboratories over the past year. He expressed hope that the attending experts would continue to support the university’s development and guide the laboratory toward higher platforms. Subsequently, Professor Gou Xiaohua, the laboratory director, delivered the annual work report, highlighting the laboratory's advancements in scientific research, team building, talent cultivation, social service, open communication, and operation. Academician Chen Fahua announced the winners of the laboratory's "Western Environment Award," and Professor Gou Xiaohua presented awards to the recipients.
Figure 2: Committee Discussion
Young faculty members Professor Wang Xin, Professor Li Yu, Dr. Xia Huan, and Professor Liu Lei presented research progress reports representing their respective research directions, while Professor Dong Guanghui reported on the laboratory's social service efforts.
Figure 3: Laboratory Members Delivering Academic Reports
Finally, Academician Chen Fahua chaired the third meeting of the fifth academic committee. The attending members engaged in in-depth discussions on the director’s work report and the research progress reports, fully recognizing the annual achievements of the laboratory. They offered constructive opinions and suggestions regarding the laboratory's development direction, talent team building, disciplinary development, local service needs, and platform construction. They emphasized the importance of defining the laboratory's positioning to enhance its capability to meet major national needs and promote regional ecological environment protection and local sustainable development. They suggested integrating existing resources and adjusting or reorganizing research directions to clarify future development paths, maintaining a focus on natural geography while attracting talent to address deficiencies in human geography and information geography. Furthermore, they recommended leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and model simulation to promote innovation in the field of geography and undertaking national key R&D projects like ecological environment protection and sustainable development in the upper reaches of the Yellow River to further enhance the laboratory's influence.
