2 Nobel winners elected foreign academicians at top Chinese think tank

Nobel laureates Andre K. Geim and James Fraser Stoddart, together with other 14 scientists, have been elected as new foreign academicians at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), one of China's top think tanks.

Nobel laureates Andre K. Geim (left) and James Fraser Stoddart. [File Photo: IC/VCG]

CAS published the list of 77 newly-elected academicians, 61 Chinese and 16 foreigners, on its website Tuesday.

The 16 foreign scientists come from eight countries. It is the first time CAS has awarded the title to scientists from Poland, Netherlands and Uzbekistan.

There are now 800 Chinese academicians and 92 foreign academicians at CAS.

Of the newly-elected 61 Chinese members a total of 58 were men, and all are leading figures from various fields, including Yang Wei, chief designer of fighter jet J-20, and Yang Mengfei, chief designer of the Chang'e-5 lunar probe.

The average age is 54, with the eldest being 67 and the youngest 46.

CAS membership is China's highest title in the field of science, and a lifelong honor. New members are recruited every two years.

CAS and the Chinese Academy of Engineering are the country's top two think tanks to advise government and industry on key scientific and technological issues.

The Chinese Academy of Engineering also announced its list of newly-elected academicians Monday, which included Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft.