China honours Bradford professor
A University of Bradford professor has been recognised with China's highest award for a foreign scientist.
Phil Coates, Professor of Polymer Engineering, received the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award from President Xi Jinping in a ceremony held in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing.
The award is one of China’s State Science and Technology Prizes, first introduced in 1984, and represents the highest honour in the People's Republic of China for science and technology. They recognise citizens and organisations that have made significant contributions to scientific and technological progress, and promoted the development of science and technology.
The award, for which Professor Coates was nominated by the Chinese Embassy in London, is based on more than a decade of strategic collaborations with leading Chinese researchers in the area of advanced materials, particularly applied to healthcare technologies.
This work is part of the Science Bridges China programme, an international research platform in advanced materials for healthcare. It brings together scientists, companies and hospitals from the UK and China to develop areas in drug discovery, drug delivery and medical technology.
Professor Coates said: “It is a tremendous honour to receive this award. This is really an award for our research community, including our great team in Bradford and our partners in China.
“I am very impressed by China’s clear vision, great passion and drive in investing in science and technology. They value science and technology and innovation, and see it as vital to their economic progress.
“This award encourages me to continue to drive the growth of our research collaboration, encourage UK-China cooperation and funding alignment, and continue to promote UK-China early career researcher exchanges.”