AWARDEE OF CHEMISTRY PRIZE
BAI CHUNLI
Prof. Bai Chunli received his B. S. in chemistry from Peking University in 1978 and obtained his M. S. and Ph. D. degrees from Institute of Chemistry, CAS，in 1981 and 1985, respectively. During 1985-1987, he worked at California Institute of Technology, U.S.A. as a post-doctorate associate. He joined the Institute of Chemistry in 1987. From 1991 to 1992, he was a visiting professor at the Institute of Materials Research,Tohoku University, Japan. Currently, he is serving as the Director of National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, the Chief Scientist of National Steering Committee for Nanoscience and Technology. He is also an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and an academician of Third World Academy of Sciences.
His research involves areas such as the structure and properties of polymer catalysts, X-ray crystallography of organic compounds, molecular mechanics and EXAFS research on electro-conducting polymers. In the mid-1980s Prof. Chunli Bai became involved in the field of scanning probe microscopy in 1985 when he conducted research at the California Institute of Technology, U. S. A. He continued in this field after he came back to China in 1987,to initiate and promote the development of SPM research in China. He successfully developed the first computer-controlled scanning tunneling microscope (STM) operating at ambient condition, the first Low-temperature STM, the first UHV-STM,the first laser AFM and the first Ballistic Electron Emission Microscopy (BEEM) in China, which are applicable to the studies of various specimen under various environmental conditions. Combining SPM instrumentation and other techniques.Prof. Bai has studied a wide variety of materials with an emphasis on the organic and biomaterial structures on the level of single molecule and nanoscale, and opened new horizons in nanotechnology.
Prof. Bai has over 200 publications and obtained several State-awarded patents for original and applied inventions. He is also the author of 10 books, in particular the book published by Springer-Verlag has been printed in second edition. Prof. Bai won many national and CAS awards and prizes for his outstanding contributions to the scientific community, especially the development of SPMs and their application, and nanoscience and technology in China. He has also won prizes from the “National Awards for Young Chinese Scientists,” “Awards for Outstanding Young Scholars”conferred by Hong Kongs Qiu Shi S&T Foundation, “Awards for Outstanding Chinese Visiting Scholars”by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, “International Medal”by the Society of Chemical Industry (London-based) and the TWAS 2003 Medal Lecture in Chemical Sciences.
Prof. Bai has been very active in Chinas science and technology. As chief scientist of National Steering Committee for Nanoscience and Related Technology,he has been invited to give lectures to the state leaders for launching Chinas nano-science and-technology research. He has initiated and coordinated a number of national key projects such as the founding of the State Research Center for Nano-science and Nanotechnology of China. He has also organized a number of international and national conferences in the field and has been very active in advocating international collaboration.
