DRI NEWS RELEASE
Dr. Judith Chow receives Sanqin Friendship Award
Dr. Judith Chow of the Desert Research Institute received the 2011 Sanqin Friendship Award, one of the highest recognitions by the Chinese government, for her scientific contributions to the Shaanxi Province. The award certificate and plaque were presented to Dr. Chow on March 1, 2012 by Mr. Yaotang Lei, Chair of the Shaanxi Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs, during a ceremony in Xi’an, capitol of Shaanxi Province, at the Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IEECAS).
Chow’s work contributing to this honor includes her study of the effects of pollution on the famed Terracotta Warriors and Horses that date back 2,200 years. In addition to this work, Chow has helped with the development of strategies to reduce air pollution in Shaanxi since 1997. Dr. Chow has more than 320 peer-reviewed articles of which she is the author or co-author. She is also a mentor to young scientists in the field of atmospheric sciences.
Dr. Chow was nominated by Dr. Junji Cao, incoming President of IEECAS, who said, “We are extremely privileged to have worked with Professor Chow and her DRI colleagues for the past 15 years. The IEECAS/DRI collaboration has been a great benefit to Shaanxi Province and China as a whole.” Dr. Cao spent seven months at DRI in 1999 as part of his graduate studies.
Since its inception in 1999, the Sanqin Friendship Award has honored 49 foreign experts from 16 countries. The award is presented to honor foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to economic and social development of Shaanxi Province. Those honored have helped the Shaanxi provincial government to strengthen its international recognition and cooperation in the fields of economy, science, culture, education, and public health.
