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| Press Release GKSS Research Centre Geesthacht

China and Germany: working together for the good of the coasts

During his trip to Europe, Prof. Dr. LU Yongxiang, Deputy President of the National People’s Congress of China and President of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), visited the GKSS research centre in Geesthacht on 11th December with a delegation. The activities of the Geesthacht coastal researchers drew particular attention during his visit. In future there should be suitable scientific cooperation invested in this

During his trip to Europe, Prof. Dr. LU Yongxiang, Deputy President of the National People’s Congress of China and President of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), visited the GKSS research centre in Geesthacht on 11th December with a delegation. The activities of the Geesthacht coastal researchers drew particular attention during his visit. In future there should be suitable scientific cooperation invested in this.

A look at the coasts with technology

Prof. LU Yongxiang and Prof. Wolfgang Kaysser

Prof. Dr. LU Yongxiang (President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences) and Prof. Wolfgang Kaysser, Scientific and Technical Director of the GKSS Research Centre Geesthacht (from left) Photo: HZG/Torsten Fischer

In 2008 the Institute Director Prof. Dr. SHI Ping of the Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research for Sustainable Development (YIC), CAS and Prof. Dr. Franciscus Colijn GKSS Institute Director of Coastal Research signed an agreement to strengthen their collaborative work.

The scientists from Geesthacht are developing devices and scenarios for the monitoring and management of sensitive coastal landscapes.
“The Ferry-Box could soon also be used in the Yellow Sea” explains Professor Colijn to the Chinese guests.

The Ferry-Box is an autonomous, low-maintenance measuring system which was specially developed for long-term use on ships, measuring platforms and river measuring points. It is possible through this to compile permanent and cost-effective parameters like salt content, temperature or chlorophyll concentration and to be able to draw scientific conclusions about algae blooms, water pollution or climate change.

Coastal researchers think globally

Waverider buoy and GKSS research vessel "Ludwig Prandtl"

Measuring systems from the Geesthacht coastal researchers are not only used in the North Sea. Photo: HZG/ Christian Schmid

The influence of people on the ecosystem is increasing: marine aquaculture, fishing but also tourism and industrial and agricultural items are tampering worldwide with the coastal zones. “With the GKSS research centre we could gain a partner with whom we can jointly competently research coastal problems”, states Prof. Dr. LU Yongxiang during his visit in Geesthacht.

To enhance coastal researcher exchanges from Asia and Europe YIC is since 2007 the location of the LOICZ regional office (LOICZ Node East Asia). The worldwide active project "Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone", in short LOICZ, deals with the processes of global change. Headquarters of the LOICZ project is at the GKSS research centre in Geesthacht. Amongst other things LOICZ should clarify the influence of people on the coastal zones. The office in Yantai complements regional offices in Singapore and Colombo – thus allowing the newest scientific approaches in one of the strongest growth regions of Asia to be researched even more effectively.

Material research second focal point

Casting a magnesium alloy at the Geesthacht Magnesium Innovations Centre (MagIC)

In the field of materials research, cooperation is to be intensified in the future. Photo: HZG/ Christian Schmid

Having spent several hours in Geesthacht, the notable chinese delegation of scientists visited the institute for coastal research and the Geesthachter Innovations Center: MagIC.

There has already been a close cooperation between China and Geesthacht for many years. Developing new alloys as well as optimizing present and new processing methods is a focal point of the magnesium experts in Geesthacht.
In order to obtain an optimal spectrum of the material characteristics of magnesium, basic work and custom-designed analysis is necessary.
The chinese and german scientists have agreed to cooperate more closely on this field of research in future.

Information available for download


Projects of the department "In-situ Messsysteme" -- Institute for Coastal Research at the GKSS Research Centre

Link to the projects of the department "In-situ Messsysteme"

MagIC - Magnesium Innovations Centre

Link to MagIC

Contact person:


Heidrun Hillen

Phone: +49 (0)4152 87-1648

Fax: +49 (0)4152 87-1640

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