On 26-27th of April, Prof. Gan and Shizhen attended the 5th National Symposium on Ecotoxicology (第五届生态毒理学研讨会）hold in Dalian. It’s always a great pleasure to meet old friends. 
From left to right: Shizhen Zhao, Chang’er Chen, Gan Zhang, Jianhui Tang and Yan Wang.
Professor Örjan Gustafsson (Prof Örjan), Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and Professor of Stockholm University, was invited to visit GIG from April 16th-22nd. During the one week visit, Prof Örjan was showed around various advanced equipment of “State Key Laboratory of Geochemistry (SKLOG)” and “State Key Laboratory of Isotope Geochemistry (SKLOIG)”, gave two academic reports entitled “Large model-observation offsets in aerosol light absorption over Asia, why?” and “Cryosphere-carbon on top of the earth: organic geochemical investigation of thawing permafrost and collapsing methane hydrates in the Arctic”, and talked to colleagues and graduate students of SKLOG individually. The communications between Prof Örjan and members of SKLOG were focused on three research tracks: 1) radio carbon isotope technology and application, 2) environmental processes of black/brown carbon substances in Asian atmosphere, and 3) environmental effects of thawing permafrost and collapsing methane hydrates. Multiple collaborative plans have been consequently established.
On the 20th to 22nd, Örjan, Gan, Guangcai and Junwen went to Guilin where they visited the Longji Terraced Paddy Field (龙脊梯田）and River Li（漓江）, respectively. Against the picturesque scenery the group were able to talk extensively detail about ongoing and future collaborations. The trip finished with a farewell in Yangshou (阳朔）, and Örjan continued his trip to Beijing to visit Professors Tao Shu (陶澍）and Zheng Mei (郑玫）of Peking University and Professor Kang Shichang (康世昌）of Institute of Tibetan Plateau, CAS.
“This is absolutely my best trip to Asia, so far,” Örjan said. The visit is supported by “Southern Contaminants Programme (SCP)”, an International Partnership Program of CAS under the framework of Belt and Road Scientific Collaboration Initiatives.
With AMS senior engineer Dr Zhu Sanyuan (mid).
14C graphite target lines, with Drs Wang Ning (left) , Ding Ping (right) and Cheng Zhineng (far mid, the Ionplus engineer).
With PhD students Xu Buqing (Oxalic CSRA), Tang Tiangang (IVOC-Naphth CSRA) and Zhang Bolong (methane sampling apparatus development).
With Prof Jin Biao (mid, stable isotopes), and postdoctors Ms Liu Xin (secretary of B&R Program, left) and Miss Zhao Shizhen (secretary of China Air Toxic Programme, right).
Longji terraced paddy fields. ‘Longji’ means ‘the dragon backbones’.
On April 7th, the kick-off meeting of Project 2 under the National Key R&D Program of China “Towards an Air Toxic Management SYstem in China (ATMSYC, 阿特姆赛克: http://www.atmsyc.cn/) took place in Lanzhou University. The event was dedicated to Project 2 (我国有毒有害大气污染物的环境健康风险评估模式构建). Around 15 people in total participated this meeting, including the project director, principal investigators, core research members and invited guests. The advisory board is consisted of Prof. Gong Shanling (龚山陵) of Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (中国气象科学研究院), Prof. Niu Wujiang (牛武江) of Gansu Province Environmental Monitoring Center (甘肃省环境监测中心站) and associate Prof. Tian Chongguo (田崇国) of Yantai Institute of Costal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院烟台海岸带研究所). The project members enjoyed a field trip to Yinchuan after this event.
The project director, Prof. Gan introduced the general view of ATMSYC.
Prof. Gao Hong (高宏) presented the Project 2 of ATMSYC.
Time of Q&A.
Group photo in the meeting room, room 1009 of Guanyun Building. 
Group photo in front of Guanyun Building.
The Yellow River Iron Bridge is in the rear. 
In front of the Yellow River Mother Sculpture.
Prof. Gan and his fan girl at Shapotou (沙坡头).
Walking in the Imperial Tombs of Western Xia (西夏王陵).