Dr. Rainer Sandau (L), director Satellites and Space Applications of IAA, together with Prof. LIU Jiyuan (R), vice president of IAA, presented the IAA corresponding member certificate to Prof. LIU Yongding on Nov. 25.

Prof. LIU Yongding from Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IHB) has been elected as corresponding member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). The new member brings the total number of IAA academy members in Chinese mainland to 92.    

Prof. Liu is among 107 new members and 54 new corresponding members elected in recognition of their research and academic excellence. So far, IAA has 1284 full members from 84 countries, including 277 corresponding members in four sections. 

Prof. Liu has been engaging in the research fields of Astrobiology since 1987, and also of Environmental Biology, Eco-environmental engineering since 1970’s. He set up and developed a series of algal technology in eco-environmental engineering and used in human life support system establishment or improvement, such as desertification control, and fresh-water bodies cleaning and ecosystem remediation. His research work mainly concentrates in: space biology especially on closed biological system for life supporting systems (LSS); biology and biotechnology of terrestrial microalgae, especially those from desert area; lake eutrophication and cyanobacterial and/or micro-algal blooms.    

IAA is an international community of experts committed to expanding the frontier of space. Established by Theodore Von Karman in Stockholm, Sweden on August 16, 1960, it is an independent non-governmental organization aims to bring together the world's foremost experts in the disciplines of astronautics on a regular basis to recognize the accomplishments of their peers, to explore and discuss cutting-edge issues in space research and technology, and to provide direction and guidance in the non-military uses of space and the ongoing exploration of the solar system.