A special article reviewing the development of marine science and education at Xiamen University (XMU) was published in Science Bulletin to mark the 80th anniversary of XMU's Department of Oceanography. A special collection of research papers marking the anniversary is also being published online in the journal.
Titled "Eighty years of China's 'Blue Cradle' at the helm of marine science and education", the article was co-authored by Cai Wenju, an XMU alumnus and academician of the Australian Academy of Science, and academicians Wu Lixin and Li Jiabiao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The article traces the department's growth since its establishment in 1946 and summarizes research on marine biogeochemistry and the carbon cycle, marine ecosystems and global change, multiscale ocean dynamics, and marine technologies. It also outlines future research priorities, including international collaboration, interdisciplinary research, talent development, and the development of research platforms.
Papers marking the 80th anniversary of XMU's Department of Oceanography are also being published online in Science Bulletin. The collection features recent studies by XMU researchers, reflecting the expansion of the university's marine research from coastal waters into the open ocean.
XMU began conducting marine biology research in the 1920s, shortly after its founding in 1921. In 1946, it established China's first university-level department of oceanography, laying the groundwork for decades of marine research and education.
