Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security of Yunnan University Welcomes Applications for the Research Fund of International Young Scientists​

1. Program Introduction

Starting from 2021, the National Natural Science Foundation of China has established the Research Fund of International Young Scientists. Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security (IRES), Yunnan University sincerely invites outstanding young talents from overseas to apply. Click here for more information: http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/publish/portal0/tab434/info79819.htm

1. Professional Direction

Focusing on the discipline construction and talent training needs of geography, ecology, resources and environmental engineering, we sincerely invite: teaching and research personnel in the field of water cycle and hydrology and water resources, cross-border water resources management, soil geography and water and soil conservation, biogeography, border/ethnic geography, mountain resources and environmental remote sensing and geographic big data, as well as outstanding young overseas talents in the fields of ecological safety engineering, environmental planning and environmental impact assessment.

1. Salary, Welfare and Job Security

All those who apply for and are selected into the Research Fund of International Young Scientists through IRES will be hired as “Yunnan University Donglu Principal Professor” and enjoy the corresponding support conditions for this position.

For outstanding young talents who have not obtained the Research Fund of International Young Scientists, those who meet the requirements can be hired to the corresponding positions in the "Donglu Talent Program" of Yunnan University. Regarding the "Donglu Talent Plan" and its salary and benefits, please follow the follow-up information released on the Yunnan University website.

• Salary and Welfare

Salary and welfare include but are not limited to:

(1). Competitive monetized salary. A salary system of “basic annual salary + talent allowance + performance reward” is implemented. The university provides a basic annual salary and talent allowance not less than 600,000 yuan /year, as well as yearly performance rewards according to performance of duties.

(2). Housing subsidy of 2 million yuan. (The housing price around the Chenggong campus of Yunnan University is about 12,000 yuan/square meter.)

(3). Institution-related social insurance, medical insurance and provident fund.

(4). High-quality educational resources are available, such as access to the affiliated kindergarten, affiliated elementary school and affiliated secondary school. Spouses will be provided with work at the university, depending on the situation.

(5). Eligible candidates will be recommended to apply for various National and Yunnan Provincial Talent Programs.

• Job Security

(1). Sufficient work start-up funds. In addition to the State’s funding, the university will provide no less than 5 million yuan for experimental science and engineering candidates and no less than 1.5 million yuan for non-experimental science candidates.

(2). The university will provide corresponding laboratory space and office facilities according to work needs.

(3). Recruit doctoral and master candidates. Candidates can independently form an academic team including doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows and full-time researchers.

1. Application Materials and Contact Information

Application materials include an application letter, resume and a portfolio of representative works.

Contact: Prof. Xingwu Duan

Tel: 0871-65034577

Mailbox: xwduan@ynu.edu.cn

1. Related links

Introduction of Yunnan University: http://english.ynu.edu.cn/2020-04/20/c_567981.htm

Introduction to Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security

Yunnan University

The Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security (IRES) of Yunnan University was founded in 2000, qualified to grant master degrees in geography in 2006, qualified to grant master degrees in resource and environmental engineering in 2014, qualified to grant doctoral degrees in geography in 2018, and obtained a postdoctoral research station in geography in 2019. It is the main teaching and research unit of geography and environmental engineering in Yunnan University. Based in Yunnan province, the institute radiates South Asia and Southeast Asia, focusing on the international academic frontiers of geography and environmental engineering, the construction of the southwest ecological security barriers, and the major needs of regional development to carry out scientific research. We aim to cultivate compound high-level talents with solid theoretical foundation, outstanding professional skills, good sense of innovation and practical ability, strong family and country feelings and international visions; The Institute has 7 provincial and above scientific research and teaching platforms, and 1 provincial innovation team. In the past 5 years, we have presided over 50 key and general, youth, and regional projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and won 4 first and second prizes of Yunnan Science and Technology Award.

Faculty

There are currently 34 on-the-job faculty members, including 10 professors, 15 associate professors, 5 assistant researchers, and 4 full-time management staff; in addition, there also have 14 post-doctoral fellows and 40 cooperating tutors for degree programs inside and outside the school. 16 people in total of the faculty have won different honors or awards, including 1 Chief Scientist of 973, 1 who has won the project of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, 1 Young Top Talent of the Organization Department of the Central Committee, 1 Scientific and Technological Leading Talent of Yunnan Province, 3 Visiting Scholars of Western Light of the Organization Department of the Central Committee, and other 9 people who have won the Talents Program of Yunnan province and young academic and technical leaders respectively. Moreover, the institute has established an Asian International Rivers Innovation Team in Yunnan Province.

Subject & Degree Construction

The institute has established a provincial post-doctoral research station in geography (led), a doctoral degree authorization point in a first-level discipline in geography (led), a master degree authorization point in a first-level discipline in geography (co-built with the School of Earth Sciences), and a master degree authorization point in resources and environmental engineering (professional) (lead). The doctoral degree authorization point in geography has three secondary disciplines: physical geography, human geography, cartography and geographic information system. The master degree authorization point in resources and environmental engineering (professional) currently has five training directions: water conservancy engineering environmental impact and risk prevention, environmental politics and ecological restoration, water environmental pollution treatment and control engineering, environmental planning and management, and environmental geology and geological disasters.

Talent Cultivation

As of September 2020, the total number of graduate students enrolled in the institute has reached 349, including 44 doctoral students; 73 postgraduates in geography and 232 postgraduates in resource and environmental engineering.

Scientific research

Research platform: 1 Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Ecological Safety, 1 Yunnan Province Field Research Observation and Research Station for Soil and Water Conservation in Yuanjiang Dry-hot Valley, 1 Field Monitoring Research Base under Construction (Lancang River Cascade Hydropower, Kaiyuan Karst). Besides, the institute has one standard indoor laboratory for water, soil, gas, and hygiene. The total area of the laboratory exceeds 800 m² and it has large-scale equipment more than 50 sets.

Research direction: the institute mainly includes 5 research directions: 1) Cross-border water and ecological security of plateau and mountain; 2) Water cycle and dynamic changes of ice and snow in monsoon area; 3) Water ecology and river health; 4) Protection of biogeography and ecosystem Conservation; 5) Soil and water processes and ecological restoration in plateau and mountainous areas.

Scientific research projects: successively won the first cross-border water security research NSFC key project (1996), the first cross-border ecological security research "973 plan" project (2003), the first cross-border water security research national key research and development project (2016), and a series of major projects/topics supported and planned by national science and technology. At present, there are 37 national-level vertical projects including national key research and development projects, and more than 30 million yuan in research funding. Participate in 5 sub-special tasks of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau scientific investigation in 2020, with a total funding of more than 10 million yuan.

Research results: the Institute has created a theoretical system for the study of international rivers and cross-border water resources, a key technology and experimental demonstration system for cross-border water safety and ecological safety of international rivers, and a theoretical system for ecological system changes and ecological safety maintenance in the longitudinal ridge-valley area. It has published more than 20 academic works and more than 500 papers in important journals such as Nature and Science. About 80 SCI papers are published every year, of which more than half are high-quality papers from District 2 and above of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the number and quality of published papers show a rapid increase trend.

Science and technology services: 39 reports submitted, 19 times were published in the internal references, and were adopted by the State Council and its 9 ministries and commissions. The series of R&D reports were adopted by the State Council, relevant ministries and commissions, state-owned enterprises and local governments, which are important for safeguarding national sovereignty and security, development of rights and interests, and the overall situation of diplomacy. The institute has provided core technical support for ecological protection for more than 50 major projects, advanced the national hydropower planning and environmental assessment legislation, and overall improved the country’s ability to control international river changes, cross-border impacts, and boundary river management technology support. It has scientifically supported the construction of national hydropower energy bases, ecological-environmental protection legislation and environmental diplomacy.

Scientific research awards: we have successively taken the lead in winning 1 second prize of National Science and Technology Progress Award, 1 first prize of Yunnan Natural Science Award, 4 first prizes of Yunnan Science and Technology Progress Award, 3 second prizes of Yunnan Science and Technology Progress Award, and 1 third prize of Yunnan Provincial Natural Science Award. Among them, in 2020, the institute won the first prize of Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award (Yunnan International River Research Innovation Team).

Our institute adopts the concept of combining guidance and education, adheres to the main purpose of subject construction, takes talent training as the core, and regards innovative research as the driving force. It is committed to building a comprehensive institute integrating teaching, scientific research and social services. We now sincerely invite academic talents from all walks of life around the world to join us.