Xu Guangxian Received China's 2008 State Top Scientific and Technological Awards

Xu Guangxian (Source: ScienceNet.cn)

Xu Guangxian, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and former president of the Chinese Chemical Society was presented China's 2008 State Top Scientific and Technological Awards last Friday for his outstanding contribution to science and technological innovation.
The theory and technique of Rare-earth Cascade Extraction Xu founded reduced the cost of high purity rare earth production by 75%. The achievements enable China to output more than 90 per cent of world's total high purity rare earth.
Born in 1920, Xu received his bachelor's degree in 1944 from the Department of Chemistry at Jiaotong University. After earning his doctor's degree in physical chemistry from Columbia University, USA, Xu came back to China and since working as a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Beijing University. Xu has high achievements in many branches of chemistry such as quantum chemistry, radiochemistry, coordination chemistry and extraction chemistry.