Two alumni of Ocean university of China (OUC), Zhang Cai and Li Yang have become members of Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) according to the announcement released on the official website of CAE on December 19th.
Dr. Zhang Cai, director of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanography (SCSIO), CAS, fulfilled his undergraduate study in the Department of Marine Biology at OUC (previously known as Shandong College of Oceanography) from September 1981 to July 1985. He obtained his master’s and doctoral degrees at SCSIO and has been working there since then. Prof. Zhang has done research in marine biology, marine pharmaceuticals, marine biochemistry and ecology.
In recent years, he has conducted 29 projects at the national, provincial and ministerial levels, including preliminary research projects under the “Program 973”, projects funded by “Program 863”, projects under the Major Program of Knowledge Innovation of CAS as well as projects funded by the Guangdong Outstanding Teams Foundation. He has been engaging in research and development of marine bioactive compounds and has isolated and identified more than 900 marine bioactive compounds. He has also discovered 119 new compounds and screened 21 which have shown bioactivities including anti-Alzheimer, anti-tumor, anti-bacteria, and anti-atherosclerosis compounds. Dr. Zhang has developed the “Haizhu Oral Liquid”, a new drug approved by China Food and Drug Administration, and two kinds of health foods.
Dr. Zhang has won seven science and technology awards at provincial or ministerial level. His publications include over 90 papers in core journals， among them more than 40 were included in SCI and was co-author of four other research papers. He has applied for more than 20 national invention patents， among them seven have been approved. His research on the utilization of tropical marine bioactive compounds was recognized by the CAS experts as one that has met advanced international standards, with part of it meeting leading international standards.
Li Yang, the deputy chief engineer of the China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation is elected as the academician of the Energy and Mineral Engineering Academic Division of CAE. He studied at OUC (formally known as Ocean University of Qingdao) from 1995 to 1998 and obtained the Master degree of Science in marine geology. Working in the fields of development of oil and gas, geological research and technological promotion for a long time, he made great achievements among which were the exploration and development of terrestrial rift-subsidence lacustrine basin, the development of offshore oilfield and old oil field in high water-cut stage and the technological development of horizontal well. He has made outstanding contributions to China’s petroleum exploration as well as national energy security.
In this round of elections, a total of 51 Chinese scientists were elected the members of the CAE. The youngest of the new Chinese members is 47 years old, while the oldest is 77. The average age is 56.9. Forty-two, or about 82.4 percent, of the new academicians were 60 years of age or under. Seven members are between 61 to 70 (inclusive) years old, accounting for 13.7 percent. Among the newly elected members, 21 are from institutions of higher learning, accounting for 41.2 percent, 14 from research institutes, taking up 27.5 percent, 11 from enterprises, accounting for 21.5 percent, and five from government departments, about 9.8 percent.
