Kavli Physics Institute in Beijing Inaugurated During Ceremony at China

June 07, 2007

In a ceremony held at China's Great Hall of the People, an audience of approximately 200 people attended the inauguration of the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics China at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.

The celebration on May 26th occurred only one day after a groundbreaking ceremony for the Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University. With the inauguration and groundbreaking, there are now fourteen Kavli institutes at universities or research institutions widely regarded as among the most prestigious in the world.

"As we establish the Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics in China, we are building on an ancient tradition of excellence, on the Chinese ingenuity, energy and entrepreneurship," said Fred Kavli, founder of The Kavli Foundation, in his opening speech at the inauguration ceremony. He said the new institute is dedicated "to explore the leading edge of science and to take us to a ride among the stars to answer some of our most fundamental questions."

The Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics China at the Chinese Academy of Sciences will coordinate basic research on theoretical physics in China and facilitate interaction between theory and practice, as well as promote research in interdisciplinary areas among physics and other branches of science. This is in addition to facilitating the interaction of Chinese scientists with researchers in other countries. Directed by theoretical physicist Yue-liang Wu, the Chinese Academy of Sciences will oversee the new institute.

When completed in 2008, the Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University will conduct fundamental research on the origin and evolution of astrophysical structures, from planetary systems to the universe as a whole. The institute will be led by Douglas C. Lin, who will retain his professorship in astronomy and astrophysics at the University of California Santa while serving as director.

With the new institutes, there are fourteen Kavli institutes worldwide. Other institutes are based at the California Institute of Technology; Columbia University; Cornell University; Delft University of Technology in Holland; Harvard University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Stanford University; University of California, Santa Barbara; University of California, San Diego; University of Cambridge in Britain; University of Chicago; and Yale University.

About The Kavli Foundation

Established in 2000, the Kavli Foundation is dedicated to the advancement of science for the benefit of humanity. The Kavli Foundation supports scientific research, honors scientific achievement, and promotes public understanding of scientists and their work through an international program of research institutes, professorships and symposia in the fields of astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience. The Foundation also supports the Kavli Prize, which beginning in 2008 will recognize the world's outstanding leaders in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience. The Kavli Prize is presented in partnership with the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Nominations will be reviewed by leading international experts recommended by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society, the Max Planck Society, the French Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Each Kavli Prize includes an award of one million dollars. More information can be found on this Web site and www.kavliprize.org.

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James Cohen, Director of Communications
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