Danish scientist awarded China’s top scientist prize

On January 18, Professor Flemming Besenbacher from the Nanocentre of Aarhus University Denmark was given the 2012 International Science and Technology Cooperation Award of the People’s Republic of China.

The award was given at a ceremony in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where Chinese president Hu Jintao, premier Wen Jiabao, vice president Xi Jinping and vice president Li Keqiang were in attendance.

Premier Wen praised the achievements foreign scientists had made in China and mentioned the role of science and research in the development of China’s economy.

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Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen (left) and Dr. Flemming Besenbacher (right) engaged in a discussion.

In the afternoon of the same day, Dr. Besenbacher met with the Danish ambassador to China, Mr. Friis Arne Petersen.

During the discussion, Ambassador Petersen congratulated Dr. Besenbacher for his scientific accomplishments in the field of Nano science as well as his efforts in promoting the bilateral cooperation in science and education between Denmark and China.

“Dr. Besenbacher has done a unique and impressive work in the development of Nano science in the world and has taken great efforts to strengthen the scientific cooperation with China,” says Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen.

“The honor from Chinese side is a strong signal that the Chinese government recognizes this impressive scholarly work.”

Dr. Besenbacher has been a driving force behind the Sino Danish Centre for Education and Research and is the principal coordinator in the field of interdisciplinary Nano science at the centre.

The International Science and Technology Cooperation Award is one of the five of awards that the Chinese State Council gives. Accordingly the award is conferred on foreigners who have made an important contribution to China’s science and technology undertaking. Dr. Besenbacher is the first Danish recipient of the award.

Dr. Besenbacher is the director of Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre at Aarhus University of Denmark as well as fellow of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences. He has established productive international cooperation with the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) since 1990 and made significant contributions to Sino-Danish graduate training program and Sino-Danish joint Nano science research activities.

Dr. Besenbacher initiated the Sino-Danish Science and Technology International Project by Danish Science Foundation and National Natural Science Foundation of China. Since Dr. Besenbacher was appointed as the Chairman of Foundation of Danish Royal Carlsberg in 2011, he has played a driving role in setting up joint biology lab with CAS and deepened the collaboration between Chinese and Danish institutions.

[box]Source: http://kina.um.dk/en/about-us/news/newsdisplaypage.aspx?newsID=357DE9CE-834F-4074-847A-8D6A2F54B38F[/box]

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