Seven foreign scientists were named the newest members of the
Chinese Academy of
Engineering (CAE), China's top consulting institute for
engineering science, the academy announced yesterday in Beijing.
The new members are: Gunter Spur, a mechanical manufacturing expert
from Germany; Thomas Bell, a mechanical engineer from Britain;
Adolf Lohmann, a scientist of applied optics from Germany; Thomas
Huang, an information technology expert from the United States;
K.S.E. Forsberg, a scientist specializing in minerals and
metallurgical industry from Sweden; Jacques Caen, an immunity and
blood science expert from France; and Ray Wu, a microbiologist from
the United States.
CAE, set up in 1994 under the State Council, began inviting foreign
scientists and engineers as members in 1995.
To
date, the academy has extended membership to 24 foreign experts
from the United States, Britain, Germany, Russia, France, Sweden
and Japan.
"These foreign scientists have played a vital role in promoting
academic exchanges between China and other countries," said CAE
Vice-President Zhu Gaofeng.
This year, for the first time, membership offers are being extended
to foreign academicians from January to November of every other
year.
Previously, membership was extended only in June of every other
year, Zhu said.
On
the home front, 81 domestic scientists were granted CAE membership
this year. They excelled in such fields as engineering, medicine
and health, agriculture, textiles and light industry, environment,
construction, water conservancy, energy and minerals industries,
chemical, metallurgical and materials industries, information and
electronics sciences and machinery.
And for the first time, CAE invited a Taiwanese scientist to join:
Zhang Xinshi, 59, a urology expert who has made great contributions
to the treatment of urological system diseases. The effort to
include Taiwan will help expand scientific collaborations between
the mainland and Taiwan, Zhu said.
To
date, the academy has 616 domestic members.
(China
Daily December 13, 2001)