On October 9th and 10th, sponsored by the Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environment (MOE, Lanzhou University), the Research School of Arid Environment & Climate Change of Lanzhou University, the School of Resources and Environment of Lanzhou University, the School of Geography Science of Nanjing Normal University, the State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Cold and Arid Regions Environment and Engineering Research Institute of CAS, the Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes of CAS, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes of CAS, the Geographical Society of China, the Quaternary Geological Research Association of China, and the China Society on Tibet Plateau, and organized by the Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environment (MOE, Lanzhou University), the Research School of Arid Environment & Climate Change of Lanzhou University, the School of Resources and Environment of Lanzhou University, the School of Geography Science of Nanjing Normal University, the symposium on "The Uplift of Tibetan Plateau & Climate Change, and the Relation between Human & the Earth" and academician Li Jijun’s 80th Birthday Celebration was grandly held at the lecture room in Yifu Science Hall of Lanzhou University. The LZU CPC secretary-general Wang Hansong presided over the opening ceremony, attended academician Li Jijun’s eightieth birthday party and delivered a speech. Presented the symposium were academician Li Jijun’s 78 students such as academician Mr. Qin Dahe, and academician Yao Tandong, and over 300 geographers at home and abroad and students from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of CAS, the Institute of Earth Environment of CAS, the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of CAS, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology of CAS, the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research of CAS, Cold and Arid Regions Environment and Engineering Research Institute of CAS, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes of CAS, Peking University, Nanjing University, Beijing Normal University, Nanjing Normal University, Northwest Normal University, the University of Washington, Texas State University, the University of Liverpool, the Geographical Society of China, the China Society on Tibet Plateau, and research institutes on Geography in Lanzhou City, etc. The main themes of the symposium are “the uplift of Tibetan Plateau and climate change” and “the onset of Asian interior aridificaton”, advocated by Prof. Li for decades.
Secretary-geography Wang Hansong and President Zhou Xuhong delivered their speeches respectively to congratulate Li Jijun on his 80th birthday at the opening ceremony. They pointed out that Li Jijun, as a famous geomorphologist and glaciologist, adheres to do scientific research for decades, whether field or indoor research, and has made great contributions in 10 aspects, namely alpine tundra and continental glacier and marine glacier research, the Tibetan Plateau modern glacier and quaternary glacial research, the Tibetan Plateau uplift research, the Theory of "monsoon triangle", his academic achievement and thoughts has been widely quoted by the domestic and international counterparts to scholars, enjoying a a good academic reputation; as a honorary dean, at present the Research School of Arid Environment & Climate Change of Lanzhou University under his guidance is undertaking 17 items of state-level large-size projects such as Support Plan of the Ministry of Science and Technology, "973" project, key projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China, the innovation group project and so on, and has formed an innovative research team with reasonable structure and vigorous power; as a teacher, he has taught more than 50 years, working at the first line in teaching and research for a long term, and cultivating a number of outstanding talents among whom Qin Dahe and Yao Tandong are outstanding representatives. Finally, they called on all the teachers and students at Lanzhou University should take academician Li for an example to make new greater contributions for the university.
Researcher Xie Ming, the secretary-general of CPC committee and deputy director of Lanzhou branch of CAS, read the letter of congratulation from academician Bai Chunli, director of CAS at the opening ceremony; prof. Wang Jian, deputy secretary of CPC committee of Nanjing Normal University congratulated Li Jijun on his eightieth birthday as well and expressed his lofty respect to him for his contributions to the outstanding development of geology in China and of geography at Nanjing Normal University. Student representatives and Mr. Qin Dahe, the former director of the National Weather Service and academician of CAS, recalled in their speeches academician Li Jijun’s personality of integrity and tolerance, rigorous academic style, unity in sciences and arts in the all-round guidance and enlightenment to his students, which have set up a good example for his students in life, work and research, etc.
Prof. Li Jijun said modestly what he has done for the country is still too little to be praised. He quoted "indigo blue is extracted from the indigo plant but is bluer than the plant it comes from”, etc. to encourage everyone to work hard and do concentration for the development of geology. Then Vice president Chen Fahu made a summing-up speech in the end.
Later, Prof. Li Jijun and more than 70 representatives went to Jingtai stone forest for a one-day field research. Some papers collected at the symposium will be published on “Quaternary Research”, and some Chinese papers on the domestic publications.
