The Alumni Association of Tongji University in France organized the first “Qidi” award ceremony on Friday, April 19, 2024, in Shanghai. The event was supported by the Alumni Association of Tsinghua in France and was held at the Consulate Residence in Shanghai. Nearly 80 guests attended the ceremony.

The “Qidi” award was created by the Alumni Association of Tongji in France and honors two female scientists or engineers annually who have contributed to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations member states in 2015. This distinction honors Professor WU Qidi, former president of Tongji University and former vice-minister of Chinese education, recognized for her work in fostering Franco-Chinese cooperation in the field of education. One of the main objectives of the award is to highlight female scientists and engineers and promote examples of female success to inspire young girls.

The 2023 Qidi Award winners were chosen from 11 candidates from 9 countries by a jury chaired by Professor WU Qidi. The award recipients are Professor Xiaoying Zhuang from Leibniz Universität Hannover in Germany and Tongji University in China, and Professor Patricia Crifo from École Polytechnique in Paris, recognized for their exceptional contributions to research and teaching.

At the ceremony, Professor Wu Qidi spoke and personally presented the awards to the two laureates. The Consul General of France in Shanghai, Mr. Joan Valadou, the Vice President of Innovation for Asia at Saint-Gobain, Mr. Alain Zanoli, and the representative of the Fondation de France, Mr. Julien-Loïc Garin, offered their congratulations to the laureates, emphasizing the importance of strengthening Franco-Chinese relations in scientific, technological, and educational fields and providing more opportunities for women in these sectors.

More information: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/W8lbJXF45AJj2UHwJwXoOA