By Li Han

Staff Writer of the Tsinghua News Center

Twenty-one Tsinghua research achievements recently were recognized at the 2009 State Science and Technology Awards. Tsinghua professors accepted the awards on January 11 at the annual National Science-Technology Award Ceremony in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Member Li Changchun, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, and Vice Premier Li Keqiang attended the ceremony. State Council Member Liu Yandong announced the State Council's decisions on the 2008 State Science and Technology Awards.

Tsinghua’s research achievements rank first in total acivements among Chinese universities. Of Tsinghua’s 21 awards, two were State Natural Science Awards, three were State Technological Invention Awards, and sixteen were State Scientific and Technological Progress Awards. Altogether eight research achievements were completed by Tsinghua as the lead research institution in collaboration with others.

The prize-winning research achievements as lead research institution were:, primarily achieved by Professor He Kebin and his colleagues (State Natural Science Award second prize);

The characteristics of emission and complex pollution of atmospheric particulate matter and its precursors

High Temperature Superconducting Receiver Front-ends for Microwave Communications, primarily achieved by Professor Cao Bisong and his colleagues (State Technological Invention Award second prize);

Pervaporation dehydration membranes, modules and their applications, primarily achieved by Professor Chen Cuixian and her colleagues (State Technological Invention Award second prize);

The indirect evaporative chiller used for dry regions, primarily achieved by Professor Jiang Yi and his colleagues (State Technological Invention Award second prize);

Rare earth catalytic materials and their applications in vehicle exhaust purification, primarily achieved by Professor Weng Duan and his colleagues (State Scientific and Technological Progress Award second prize);

Key Technology and Application of Stability Design of New Type of Steel Structures, primarily achieved by Professor Guo Yanlin and his colleagues (State Scientific and Technological Progress Award second prize);

New Design and Practice of RCC Arch Dam, primarily achieved by Professor Liu Guangting and his colleagues (State Scientific and Technological Progress Award second prize);

Novel Low Energy-consuming Membrane Bioreactors for Wastewater Reuse and Their Application, primarily achieved by Professor Huang Xia and her colleagues (State Scientific and Technological Progress Award second prize);

By the end of 2009, Tsinghua had won a total of 400 National Science and Technology Awards, including 43 National Natural Science Awards, 114 National Technological Invention Awards, and 243 National Scientific and Technological Progress Awards.