Profile of Prof. Ouyang Ziyuan

Prof. Ouyang Ziyuan is a Chinese cosmochemist, geochemist and space advocate. He is a research professor at the Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Ouyang is now the chief scientist of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), also known as the Chang'e program. He is the most prominent supporter of the Chinese manned lunar exploration program, and also lobbies for the Chinese exploration of Mars.

A Citation for Honorary Fellow Professor OUYANG Ziyuan

Professor Ouyang Ziyuan is member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, fellow of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World and member of the International Academy of Astronautics. Being a pioneer in the fields of meteoritics and astrochemistry in China, he is currently a research fellow at the Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a senior consultant at the National Astronomical Observatories. He is also a visiting professor at Peking University, the University of Science and Technology of China and 10 other universities. In addition, he is honorary president of Tianjin University of Technology, Guizhou University and Nanchang Institute of Technology.

From 1964 to 1978, Professor Ouyang was entrusted by the Commission of Science and Technology for National Defense with the missions of selecting geological sites for China’s underground nuclear tests, simulating explosion processes, as well as researching prevention of groundwater pollution and comprehensive geological effects. He undertook research on geological conditions of the sites before and after underground nuclear tests. Then he defined the geological and geochemical requirements of the sites for these tests and proposed the first site for a real test, which proved an ideal site after two successful explosions. By this, he made significant contributions to the successful underground nuclear tests of China. In 1973, his monograph Nuclear Transportation Energy and Evolution of the Earth was published.

During the past 35 years, Professor Ouyang was engaged in the short and long-term planning for China’s explorations of the moon and the solar system. As the chief scientist of China’s lunar explorations, he designed the scientific goals of the first exploration, and drew the plans and scientific goals for the second and third explorations, as well as scientific problems and goals for the solar system explorations. Currently, he is a senior consultant of China’s lunar exploration programme and is honoured as “The Father of Chang’e.”

Great pioneer Professor Ouyang Ziyuan has dedicated himself to meteoritics, lunar science, and earth and planetary sciences for 60 years. His study has expanded from various extraterrestrial materials like meteorolites, cosmic dust and lunar rocks to comparative planetology. He believes one should “jump” out of the earth to study the earth. Based on the earth and by comparing the “generality” and “specialty” of the earth with other planets in the solar system, one can deeply understand the origins and evolution of the earth, other planets and the solar system in a larger spatial and temporal scale. His monograph Astrochemistry opened up this field of study in China and was awarded the first prize in natural sciences by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Professor Ouyang Ziyuan has published over 550 papers and16 monographs at home and abroad, as well as has edited 20 books. He was presented with the State Natural Science Award, the Chinese Academy of Sciences Natural Science Award and Significant Achievement Award, the Special Class of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, and many other awards. In November 2014, to recognise Professor Ouyang Ziyuan’s academic contributions and scientific spirit, an asteroid, discovered by the National Astronomical Observatories Schmidt CCD Asteroid Programme in 1996 and numbered 8919, was named “Ouyangziyuan”.

There has always been a theme throughout Professor Ouyang Ziyuan’s career in scientific research, which is combining his own research directions and interests with the needs of the country’s developments as well as the prospects and progress in science. Professor Ouyang always makes the best use of his potential and is selfless and wholeheartedly devoted to scientific research.

Mr. Chairman, in honour of Professor Ouyang Ziyuan’s outstanding achievements in meteoritics, lunar science, planetary science, astrochemistry as well as the explorations of the moon and deep space, it is my privilege and honour to present him to you for the award of an Honorary Fellowship.