NSFC delegation visiting Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

NSFC Delegation attending US-China Eco-environmental Conference

Vice President Hou Zengqian delivering opening remarks

At the invitation of the University of Tennessee and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, an NSFC delegation led by Prof. Hou Zengqian, Vice President of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), attended China-U.S. Eco-environmental Conference and visited Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle from October 26 to 30, 2019.

The conference, co-hosted by the University of Tennessee and Washington State University, invited researchers from China and the U.S. who are grantees of the NSFC-NSF joint research program. Prof. Hou delivered opening remarks, reviewing the history of cooperation on INFEWS and encouraging scientists from both countries to continue contributing to knowledge development and technological advancement. Ms. Chen Jing, Program Manager at Bureau of International Cooperation gave a presentation on NSFC's ongoing reform and its international funding opportunities to the audience and answered questions. During the conference, Prof. Hou also had an in-depth discussion on research areas for future collaboration with Dr. Brandi Schottel, Program Director at NSF at a side meeting.

While visiting Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Prof. Hou met with Dr. Mark Suzman, Chief Strategy Officer of the Foundation, the Agriculture program management team and Senior Program Officer for Vaccine Development. Both sides introduced their missions and major tasks, and how they work with international partners, and exchanged ideas on the SDGs Research Funding Program that NSFC is about to launch. The NSFC delegation also visited Global Good Lab, a non-profit R&D institute invested by Mr. Bill Gates, and had a brief discussion on how to create an environment conducive to research and innovation.

Dr. Wang Qidong of Department of Earth Sciences, and Ms. Chen Jing of Bureau of International Cooperation accompanied Prof. Hou throughout the visit.