2021: year in review

As we draw near to the end of Year 2021, the ongoing pandemic continues to pose challenges, yet the crisis has driven deeper partnerships in response and further steps in our commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

ZJU hosted the Global University Presidents’ Online Forum Presidents in March, where a joint statement was announced, reaffirming collective commitment of 61 universities around the world to sustainability. Meanwhile, “A Global ZJU for Social Good (Z4G)”, our sustainability action plan, was launched to enhance our engagement with the SDGs.

The past 12 months have also witnessed new advancements made by ZJU scientists, who respond in innovative ways to society’s most complex challenges. And it is inspiring to see ZJU faculty elected as new fellows of CAS and CAE, earning L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science and other honors.

Below are a few of the highlights from the year.

• Global universities call for concerted efforts for 2030 Agenda

• ZJU scientists develop soft robot for exploration in Mariana Trench

• Scientists crack open the “black box” of heterogeneous catalysis

• ZJU scientists unravel the mystery of anger and aggression

• ZJU scientists report a new type of super-resolution chemical microscopy in Nature

• Zhejiang University seeks to realize UN’s sustainable goals

• Sino-German forum highlights multi-stakeholder approach to 2030 Agenda

• HU Hailan wins L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science

• WLA University Presidents Forum highlights Open Science for a sustainable future

• Two ZJU scientists named “Innovators Under 35 Asia Pacific for 2021”

• Scientists discover more cost-effective way to mitigate PM2.5 air pollution

• 5 ZJU scientists named CAS and CAE members in 2021

• Two ZJU professors named CAS and CAE foreign members respectively in 2021

• ZJU scientists’ research work hailed as one of China’s Top 10 Sci-tech Breakthroughs of the Year

• Global youth showcase digital solutions to challenges of poverty and hunger