E. Velikhov Wins China S&T Cooperation Award

Academician Evgeny Velikhov, director of Kurchatov Institute, one of ITER godfathers, was conferred the 2015 International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Award of the People’s Republic of China, for his long-term contribution to CN-RU fusion cooperation. He became the third ASIPP collaborator receiving this honor, after Dr Kenneth Gentle from University of Texas at Austin (2004) and Dr Vincent Chan from General Atomics (2009). 

The International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Award is the most prestigious honor, established by China central government for "foreign people or organizations who make outstanding contribution to science and technology development of China".  The laureates of the award were officially announced at the National Science and Technology Award Assembly on 8th January in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, which China President Xi Jinping and other top state leaders attended.  

Velikhov started bilateral cooperation between KI and ASIPP, helping China realize a leap-forward development in superconducting tokamak device in 1990s. He visited China multiple times in recent years as an international advisor to evaluate CFETR conceptual design and make valuable suggestions. As a science advisor of Russian president, for more than 20 years, Velikhov has continuously facilitated CN-RU fusion cooperation. On October 23, 2013, he accompanied Prime Minister Medvedev’s visit to ASIPP.  

There are five categories of China National Science and Technology Award: State Supreme Science and Technology Award, State Natural Science Award, State Technological Invention Award, National Science and Technology Progress Award and International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Award of the People's Republic of China. For the year of 2015, altogether 7 foreign experts won this laurel. （XI Yingkun Reports）

Academician Evgeny Velikhov