On Jan. 18th, 2014, ESPRE organized the 2013 Academic Committee meeting at the classroom 180 of the BNU School of Geography. The meeting was chaired by Academician Qin Dahe. More than 50 people participated in the meeting, including Academician Fu Bojie, Prof. Liu Baoyuan, Prof. Zhang Dayong, researcher Li Xiubin, Prof. Shi Peijun, Fu Xiaofeng, director of MOST, Leng Shuying, director of NSFC, and Lou Anru, director of BNU S&T Department.

Prof. Shi Peijun, Director of ESPRE, first presented the 2013 Work Report, summing up the work from 4 aspects, including research output, faculty building and education,, academic cooperation and exchanges as well as the preparation for the evaluation by MOST .

The key research experts in earth surface process, resource ecology, earth surface system model and simulation and regional sustainable development mode reported the work progress in 2013, including “Understandings on Soil-plantation System and Humidity at Half-draught Region” by Prof. Li Xiaoyan, “Carbon Cycling Model in Land Ecosystem” by Associate Prof. Yuan Wenping, “Multi-level Landscape Model and Urban Sustainability Study” by Prof. He Chunyang, and “Natural Disaster Risk Integrated Assessment - Multi-factor Assessment in Complex Disaster System” by Prof. Li Ning. The committee carefully listened to these reports and offered suggestions.

After reviewing the reports, the committee believed that ESPRE has made great progress in research, faculty building as well as, academic exchange, especially on innovated team building and international program initiation. Meanwhile, the committee offered more comprehensive and specific guidance for ESPRE to receive the 2015 evaluation, such as how to consolidate research achievement, how to make more contribution based on national strategy, how to enlarge global influence and take the lead in programs, and how to setup indoor analysis and testing platform.

In the afternoon, ESPRE had internal discussion based on the suggestions by the committee, and had some in-depth sum-ups from science questions, research leading, equipment assurance, team building and research output. Academician Liu Congqiang, Deputy Director of NSFC, was invited to present “the Earth Surface Process and Earth Chemistry Process and Material Cycling”. The report discussed the earth chemistry process and material cycling at water basin from the earth surface key process and material cycling, river structure, hydrodynamic change and material transport, river outlet and coastline process, and river throughput change. It also talked about carbon organism, earth chemistry cycling and its source/sink relation with GHG. The report is well accepted by Prof. Shi Peijun, Director of ESPRE, noted that they have to further improve chemical study on earth surface process from space and time scale, and they look forward to receiving more guidance and support form Academician Liu.