Twelve researchers from NIGPAS took part in the Palaeo Down Under 2 Conference in Adelaide, Australia during 10-15 July, 2016. It’s the second time for the Palaeontological Association of Oceania to hold an academic conference since the year 2000. 

GBDB leader visited the British Geological Survey 

The British Geological Survey (BGS) is a world-leading geoscience centre based in Nottingham. It is the first national geological survey in the world and has a long history of 200 years. Prof. FAN Junxuan, the leader of the Geobiodiversity Database (GBDB) was invited to visit BGS in July, 2016. Both leaders of BGS and GBDB reached an agreement that BGS would use GBDB as their platform to digitalize the stratigraphical and paleontological files, and GBDB group would set up an open access for BGS and help get this goal. 

NIGPAS Scientists Attended the 35th International Geological Congress 

The 35th International Geological Congress (IGC) took place in Cape Town, South Africa on August 27th. About 10 scientists from NIGPAS attended the conference and reported their recent academic achievements at the session “Geoscience for society, Fundamental geoscience and Geoscience in the economy”. 

14th International Palynological Congress (IPC) and 10th International Organization of Paleobotany Conference (IOPC) was held in Brazil 

NIGPAS researchers and PhD students took part in the 14th IPC and 10th IOPC in Salvador, Brazil in October, 2016. The joint meeting is held every 4 years. This time, the theme of the Conference was “Paleobotany and Palynology: towards new frontiers”. NIGPAS researchers gave 15 oral and 2 poster presentations throughout 11 sessions, disclosing the latest discoveries and the highest-level research in paleobotany and palynology in China. 

Dr. YIN Zongjun was awarded the 2016 Academic Praise for Biology by the Gӧttingen Academy of Sciences. 

In the annual ceremony of the Gӧttingen Academy of Sciences on 25th November, 2016, Dr. YIN Zongjun from NIGPAS was awarded the 2016 Academic Praise for Biology. It was the first time for the Gӧttingen Academy of Sciences to have an awardee majoring in paleontology. Dr. Yin was also invited to give a report on the Ediacaran Weng’an Biota in Guizhou and its significance on the early evolution of animals. 

.....CONTENTS OF PALAEONEWS NO.4.....