Professor Zhang Guangdou's Contributions Honored

Professor Zhang Guangdou's Contributions Honored

By Li Han

Staff Writer of the Tsinghua News Center

Tsinghua Professor Zhang Guangdou, renowned water resources and hydroelectric engineering expert, was honored on April 28 in the Main Building for his dedication to water resources and hydroelectric engineering education and development in China over the past 70 years.

Academician Qian Zhengying, Former Vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Academician Zhou Ji, Minister of Education, Mr. Wang Shucheng, Former Minister of Water Resources, and Academician Pan Jiazheng, Former Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, all attended the ceremony honoring Professor Zhang. Tsinghua President Gu Binglin and Professor Chen Xi, Chairman of the University Council, were also on hand for the event. Tsinghua Vice President Hu Heping hosted the celebration.

Tsinghua President Gu briefly reviewed Professor Zhang s contributions and achievements. He encouraged faculty members to learn from Professor Zhang s example.

Professor Zhou Ji extended best wishes to Professor Zhang on behalf of the Ministry of Education.

As it happens, 2007 is also Professor Zhang s 95th birthday. Tsinghua President Gu, University Council Chairman Chen Xi, and Tsinghua Vice President Hu Heping, visited Professor Zhang at his home and extended their best wishes on behalf of the University.

Zhang Guangdou, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, is well known as a water resources and hydroelectric engineering expert. Born in 1912, Zhang received master's degrees from Harvard and the University of California. Since 1949, Zhang has spent his career as a professor at Tsinghua University.

He supervised the design of Miyun Reservoir. He also participated in the planning and design of various water conservancy projects on the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, such as the Gezhouba Project and the Sanmenxia projects. Zhang has received a number of awards including the HLHL (Ho Leung Ho Lee) Prize for Science and Technology Progress in 1994 and the Guanghua Engineering Award in 2002.

(Photo by Guo Haijun)