Peking University, November 3, 2018: On the afternoon of October 21, at the invitation of Professor Zhu Tong, dean of School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering of Peking University, Professor Mario Molina, a famous international atmospheric chemist, Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, and a member of National Academy of Sciences, visited Peking University.
Mario Molina won the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research on the mechanism of stratospheric ozone depletion. He has successively served as a member of the United States President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and as a climate policy adviser to President of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto. In recent years, he has vigorously promoted scientific and policy research on air pollution control and climate change in megacities. Mario Molin has visited Peking University many times. In view of his outstanding contributions and academic attainments in the field of atmospheric chemistry, Peking University awarded him the honorary professor title in 2004, and School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, hired him as an international consultant.
During the visit, Mario Molina met with many faculty members from the environmental field of Peking University, including Professor Zhu Tong, Professor Liu Yong, Professor Hu Jianxin. During the discussion, Zhu Tong introduced the history, research direction and major achievements of the School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering. Mario Molina spoke highly of the international level of Peking University's atmospheric chemistry team and the impact of its research results, and made many constructive suggestions for plans of future development and key academic problems in the research areas. Zhu Tong hopes to achieve in-depth cooperation between the two sides through visiting professors, exchange visits, and scientific research cooperation.
A group photo
After the symposium, Lin Jianhua, the then-president of Peking University, met with Mario Molina in the office building. Professor Lin Jianhua was also a chemist. He highly praised Mario Molina for his outstanding contribution to the field of atmospheric chemistry. In the past decade or so, the air pollution problem in Mexico City has been substantially improved. Lin Jianhua hoped that Mario Molina could share the experience of pollution control in Mexico City to help China effectively control air pollution. Mario Molina mentioned that the Chinese government had taken many measures to improve urban air quality and had achieved remarkable results , but it also needed to be emphasized that air pollution is related to many factors, and that the balance between environment and urban development should be sought.
The visit helps Mario Molina have a deeper understanding of the research work and achievements of the atmospheric chemistry team of Peking University in recent years, and this visit will also help to promote academic exchanges and cooperation between the two sides.
Written by: Dong Fuyao
Edited by: Hu Rong
Source: PKU News (Chinese)
