Nation honors top scientists

Veteran expert recognized for global nuclear contributions

Wang Dazhong, a renowned nuclear energy scientist, was awarded the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award for 60 years dedicated to the development of nuclear energy, and for helping advance China's scientific, economic and national defense strengths.

Wang, who is an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led the research, design and operation of China's first 5MW Low Temperature Nuclear Heating Reactor (NHR-5) and later of its 10MW High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTR-10). Both bolstered the inherent safety of nuclear energy, as well as the application of clean energy.

Wang said that his award belongs to all hardworking science and technology workers and that "scientific research is a noble cause, worthy of a lifetime of pursuit".

"Our nation is in its best period of development. Scientific self-reliance is a strategic support for national development. All SciTech workers should dedicate themselves to self-reliance and innovation in science and technology, which is an important way to show love for our motherland," he added.

Wang's engagement in nuclear energy began in the 1950s. In 1955, the Chinese government outlined a strategic plan to develop nuclear energy. Consequently, Tsinghua University set up its Department of Engineering Physics in 1956. Wang was one of the first batch of students to specialize in nuclear reactor studies.

Following accidents in Three Mile Island in the United States in 1979 and Chernobyl in the Soviet Union in 1986, scientists all over the world have worked hard to ensure that reactors are made "inherently safe", meaning that they do not rely on countermeasures powered by external (and hence potentially fallible) resources to remain stable.

Despite theoretical research on the subject, achieving inherent safety was a major engineering difficulty. Wang had his team focus on the subject, as he believed safety was the key to the future development of nuclear energy.