UCAS Vice President Wang Yanfen Elected OWSD Vice President

From November 3 to 7, 2025, the 7th General Assembly of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) was held in Bogotá, capital of Colombia. During the assembly, Prof. Wang Yanfen, Executive Vice Chair of University Council and Vice President of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), was elected Vice President for the Asia-Pacific region. This important appointment signifies a further rise in the influence of Chinese scientists in international scientific organizations, and also reflects the international community’s full recognition of China’s contributions to advancing global scientific and technological development as well as gender equality.

A distinguished scholar in the fields of ecology and geography, Prof. Wang has long been engaged in research on grassland ecology and global change, boasting extensive influence in academic circles both domestically and internationally. Meanwhile, during her leadership at UCAS, she has actively promoted international scientific and technological cooperation and talent cultivation, particularly making significant contributions to supporting the development of woman researchers.

Prof. Wang also plays an active role in international communication and cooperation, serving as a vice-president of the International Scientific Center of Fertilizers; as a committee member of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology; and as an independent board member of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). She also co-initiated the Global Dryland Ecosystem Programme and chaired the Sino-German research and training program Tree Diversity Interaction.

Since becoming Chair of OWSD China National Chapter in 2023, Prof. Wang has actively leveraged the OWSD platform to organize forums for woman scientists and various training programs. She has facilitated cooperation and exchanges between Chinese women in science and their international counterparts, continuously elevating the visibility of Chinese women scientists on the global stage.

Founded in 1989 and affiliated with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), OWSD was formerly known as the Third World Organization for Women in Science (TWOWS). China is one of the founding members of the organization. Prof. Wang Yanfen is the third Chinese scientist to hold leading positions at the organization, following Hu Qiheng, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Automation, and Fang Xin, a member of the Third World Academy of Sciences and a professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

( By HE Yi )