A panel at the fourth annual Chinese Environmental Scholars Forum included EESA postdoctoral fellow Hang Deng (at podium), EESA Energy Geosciences Division director Jens Birkholzer (third from L), and EESA Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division Director Bill Collins (far R). (Photo credit: Katherine Tsen)
Over 100 scholars from more than 50 different universities and institutions recently gathered at UC Berkeley for the fourth annual Chinese Environmental Scholars Forum, an event supported by Berkeley Lab’s Environmental & Earth Sciences Area (EESA) and the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center for Water Energy Technologies (CERC-WET).
With a global perspective and a special focus on China, the Chinese Environmental Scholars Forum is dedicated to providing a space for scholars who work on sustainability-related research to share their work, exchange ideas, network, and explore potential collaborations. During the event held on May 20 and 21, early career researchers gave over 30 oral and poster presentations in four areas: 1) Hydroclimate, Water Resources, and Big Data; 2) Water-Energy/Carbon-Water Nexus; 3) Water Pollution and Remediation; and 4) Environmental and Energy Policy.
The poster session at the fourth annual Chinese Environmental Scholars Forum. (Photo credit: Katherine Tsen)
“This is my second Chinese Environmental Scholars Forum experience and I really enjoyed the friendship, fruitful conversations, and fun in Berkeley,” said Xindi Hu, a doctoral student studying environmental health at Harvard University.
EESA Associate Lab Director Susan Hubbard and CERC-WET Executive Director Carolyn Remick kicked off the event by speaking about EESA and CERC-WET’s research scope, as well as potential opportunities for research collaborations. Jens Birkholzer and Bill Collins (the directors for EESA’s Energy Geosciences and Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Divisions respectively) gave talks at the Forum and spoke on a panel about interdisciplinary research. And professors and scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, East China University of Science & Technology, Nanjing University, Peking University, and Sun Yat-Sen University shared their insights and thoughts regarding the prospects of doing sustainability-related research in China.
The event was organized by a group of young Chinese environmental scholars led by postdocs and students at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley.
“I hope this Forum will continue,” said Cenlin He, a UCLA doctoral student studying atmospheric science. “I’m looking forward to next year.”