Dr Brent Clothier, a Principal Scientist at Plant & Food Research, has been presented a Chinese Government Friendship Award.

The Chinese Government’s Friendship Award is the People’s Republic of China’s highest award for “foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the country’s economic and social progress”. This year there were 73 awardees from 26 countries who the “… Chinese government recognised as foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to China’s modernization drive, reform, and opening up.”

The awards were presented on 30 September 2024 in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing by Her Excellency Shen Yiqin, State Councillor and President of the All-China Women’s Federation. Following the awards ceremony, the awardees and their guests (including Brent’s wife, Penny) were invited to join 2000 dignitaries for dinner in the Great Hall of the People to celebrate 75 years of the People’s Republic of China, hosted by President Xi Jinping.

Brent has worked with Chinese collaborators for nearly 20 years, having especially close links to Beijing Forestry University (BJFU) and China Agricultural University where he holds Adjunct Distinguished Professor positions.

Brent has published more than 20 papers with Chinese collaborators on soil-water dynamics, plant physiology, plant water-use, climate change, and water resources. Brent was elected an Academician (International) of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2019, the only Academician from Aotearoa New Zealand.

Established in 1991, some 1900 foreign experts have been presented Friendship Awards, including Plant & Food Research’s former Chief Scientist, Dr Ian Ferguson.

Source:  Plant & Food Research