The Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems, Ministry of Education (MOE), was founded in Lanzhou University by MOE in August 2000 and was officially opened internationally in September 2001. It passed the first assessment by MOE at national level in 2004. The current research director is Professor Chen Fahu and Professor Li Jijun (Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences) is the chairman of the Scientific Committee. Professor Qin Dahe and Professor Ding Zhongli (both Academicians, CAS) are the vice-chairs of the committee.
The academic disciplines that involved in the laboratory include 3 Ph.D. programs and 4 M.S. programs. Among these programs, Physical Geography was competitively selected to be one of such National Key programs in 2001. In addition, the NSFC-funded Sino-German Joint Research Center for Arid Environment and Paleoclimate (CAEP) and the MOE-funded Web-based Multi-institutional Collaboration Center for Resources and Environments in Western China are also parts of the Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental System.
With the existing national investments on university constructions (“211 project” and “985 project”), the laboratory has grown into a well established and an internationally recognized institution. With continuing national investments, the laboratory will continue to grow both in hardware (i.e., more advanced equipments) and personnel (scientists) quality so that the laboratory will be an influential international research camp and academic exchange center in the near future.
