Famous physical chemist Academician Tian Zhaowu has passed away

Comrade Tian Zhaowu, an academician of the CAS Member, a famous physical chemist and educator, one of the founders of modern electrochemistry in China, a winner of the National May Day Labor Medal, a national outstanding educator, and the former president of Xiamen University, died in Xiamen on October 1, 2024 at the age of 98

Tian Zhaowu, born in Fuzhou on June 28, 1927, was recommended to the Department of Chemistry of Xiamen University to study in 1945, stayed in the university to teach in 1949, was employed as a professor of the Department of Chemistry of Xiamen University in 1978, was elected as a member (academician) of the Academic Department of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1980, received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Wales in 1984, and was elected as an academician of the Third World Academy of Sciences in 1996. He used to be the vice chairman of the International Electrochemical Society, the first chairman of the Chemical Teaching Steering Committee of the National Education Commission, the chairman of the Chinese Chemical Society, the chairman of the Fujian Association for Science and Technology, the president of Xiamen University, the first director of the State Key Laboratory of Solid Surface Physical Chemistry, the first director of the Electrochemical Professional Committee of the Chinese Chemical Society, the founding editor of Electrochemistry, the deputy editor in chief of Electrochimica Acta, the sixth CPPCC member, and the seventh, eighth, and ninth CPPCC Standing Committee members

Tian Zhaowu devoted his entire life to the research and practice of physical chemistry. He is an advocate and practitioner of scientific innovation and interdisciplinary research, and has achieved a series of original and significant achievements in electrode process kinetics, electrochemical research methods, spectroscopic electrochemistry, energy electrochemistry, and other fields. He has won the third prize of the the State Natural Science Award, the third prize of the National Invention Award and nearly 20 provincial and ministerial level awards. In 2017, the International Electrochemical Society set up the only Tian Zhaowu Energy Electrochemistry Award named after the Chinese