December 19, 2023

Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation Award Ceremony

Held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing

Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering

Professor at the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University

Zhang Yuanhang

has been awarded the "Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation Scientific and Technological Progress Prize."

This achievement marks him as the second faculty member in our college to receive this prestigious award, following Academician Tang Xiaoyan.

A photo of Professor Zhang Yuanhang during an intervie【w with China Central Television (CCTV)

Professor Zhang Yuanhang's primary research focus lies in atmospheric environmental chemistry. He has long been dedicated to studying the formation mechanisms, environmental impacts, and control strategies for complex air pollution in urban and regional areas. Centering on atmospheric oxidation capacity, his work integrates monitoring technologies, theoretical exploration, decision-making support, and regional implementation. He has achieved a series of breakthroughs in the theoretical innovation of radical chemistry and the quantification of ozone and PM₂.₅ formation mechanisms. He has published over 400 academic papers in prestigious journals including Science, Nature series journals, National Science Revie, and Environmental Science & Technology. He led the compilation of the Chinese Blue Book on Ozone Pollution Prevention and Control (2020, 2023).

Professor Zhang has established a regional air pollution prevention and control technology system, which has supported long-term pollution control practices and rapid air quality improvement in the Pearl River Delta, Chengdu-Chongqing region, and other areas. His contributions aided in achieving full compliance with PM₂.₅ and O₃ standards during the 2023 Chengdu World University Games, providing a key case study for national air pollution mitigation efforts. He led the establishment of the largest and most comprehensive integrated space-air-ground air pollution scientific regional monitoring network to date in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, clarifying the causes and sources of heavy air pollution and addressing national concerns regarding pollution control in this area.

He has participated in and contributed to the top-level design of national scientific and technological planning for air pollution prevention and control. Professor Zhang led the compilation of the Ministry of Science and Technology's key special project "Blue Sky Engineering" since the 12th Five-Year Plan period and the implementation plans for the national key research and development program on atmospheric pollution. He is committed to driving innovation and breakthroughs in atmospheric pollution prevention and control technologies under the dual-carbon goals. Professor Zhang initiated the China Atmosphere Superstation Alliance and led the establishment of the Ozone Pollution Control Professional Committee of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, promoting the transformation of urban and regional ozone pollution prevention and control in China from scientific research to practical application.

About the Ho Leung Ho Lee Award

The Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation was established in 1994 through donations from Hong Kong patriotic financiers and industrialists Ho Sin Hang, Leung Kau Kui, Ho Tim, and Lee Quo Wei. It aims to recognize outstanding Chinese scientists and technologists for their exceptional achievements and significant innovations, thereby promoting the advancement of science and technology in China. The Foundation presents three awards: the "Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation Prize for Scientific and Technological Achievement," the "Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress," and the "Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation Prize for Scientific and Technological Innovation." These awards are further categorized by fields such as physics, medicine, pharmacy, among others.