On November 1st, 2011, Ralph J. Cicerone, President of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, visited the Center for Earth Observation and Digital Earth (CEODE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). CEODE Director-General Guo Huadong and Deputy Director Zhang Bing met with him and his colleagues.
First, the guests watched videos on the Digital Earth Science Platform and “Understanding World Heritage with Space Technology”. Then they visited the satellite ground control hall to see the operation and control system of the station network and real-time operation of the Miyun satellite ground station antenna system. They also visited the three international organizations hosted by CEODE: the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage under the Auspices of UNESCO, the International Society for Digital Earth, and the International Programme Office for Integrated Research on Disaster Risk.
During their meeting, Prof. Cicerone listened with interest to an introduction of CEODE’s mission, tasks, ongoing research, international cooperation and the celebration activities of the 45th anniversary of the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) on October 30th. Prof. Cicerone congratulated the achievements of CEODE and said, "Land planning, disaster monitoring, and remote sensing are important spatial information research areas". He was deeply impressed by the achievements of CEODE in international cooperation. The two sides subsequently communicated with each other concerning the importance of Earth observation, scientific data management, modeling and assimilation, data sharing, disaster emergency response, personnel training and other aspects, and agreed that both sides should promote further bilateral cooperation in data sharing, disaster research, and earth observation.
After the meeting, Director-General Guo presented to the guests the following books CEODE has compiled: Atlas of Remote Sensing of the Wenchuan Earthquake, Natural Disaster Mitigation, and Atlas of Remote Sensing for World Heritage: China, etc.
Finally, Prof. Cicerone wrote an inscription for CEODE: “We admire the exciting and significant research and data handling that you do with finest respect."
President Ralph J. Cicerone visits the CEODE Ground Hall
President Ralph J. Cicerone visits the three international organizations hosted by CEODE
Joint Photo of the Representatives
Director-General Guo Huadong presents books to President Cicerone
President Cicerone writes an inscription for CEODE