The 3rd International Symposium on Soil Microbiome and Soil Health

From October 20 to 23, with the joint support of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology, our university successfully hosted the Third International Symposium on Soil Microbiome and Soil Health. The symposium was attended by 15 foreign experts from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and other countries, as well as experts from domestic universities and over 200 teachers and students from our university. Vice President Wei Gehong, Party Secretary of the College of Resources and Environment Professor Tian Hongxiao, U.S. National Academy of Sciences member James M. Tiedje (online), and Kornelia Smalla from the German Federal Research Center for Cultivated Plants delivered opening remarks, with Professor Smalla representing the experts in speaking.

Vice President Wei Gehong extended a warm welcome to the participants on behalf of the university, introducing the university's strengths in the fields of agricultural technology, environmental science, and microbiology, and its important role in serving national strategies. He pointed out that in the face of global challenges such as soil degradation, excessive use of chemical fertilizers, and climate change, microbial technology is providing new pathways for the green transformation of agriculture. The university has always adhered to openness and cooperation, actively promoting exchanges with international universities and research institutions. It is hoped that the symposium will become an important platform for global agricultural and environmental microbiological research, promoting the integration of theory and technology, and advancing sustainable agricultural development.

Tian Xiaohong reviewed the fruitful achievements since the establishment of the "111 Base for Introducing Talents," highlighting the key role of international cooperation in promoting disciplinary innovation and enhancing global academic competitiveness. He introduced the college's research results and international cooperation in soil science, environmental science, and agricultural sustainable development. He emphasized that soil microbiome research is crucial for achieving agricultural sustainability and global food security. The college places great importance on international academic exchanges and actively builds a global research cooperation network. It is hoped that the symposium will promote the collision of ideas and cooperation, and jointly advance soil health and sustainable development.

Academician James M. Tiedje encouraged more overseas scholars to join the research work of the base for introducing talents. Professor Smalla expressed that she had participated in the symposium for three consecutive years, witnessing its continuous improvement and development, and looked forward to the successful conclusion of the forum.

During the two-day academic presentations, Pedro J. Alvarez, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering from Rice University, Lisa Y. Stein, editor-in-chief of the ISME Journal from the University of Alberta in Canada, Konstantinos T. Konstantinidis from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Kornelia Smalla from the German Federal Research Center for Cultivated Plants, Bruce A. Hungate from Northern Arizona University, Ramon Rosselló-Móra from the Spanish National Research Council, Steven Djordjevic from the University of Technology Sydney, Tom Williams from the University of Bath in the UK, Uli Klümper from Technische Universität Dresden in Germany, Ahmed Abdelfattah from the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy, Gabriele Berg from Graz University of Technology, Ferran Romero from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Gergely J. Szöllősi from Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary, Karen G. Lloyd from the University of Southern California, Peng Yu from Technical University of Munich, and Wang Miaoxiao from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China delivered 22 academic presentations on research topics such as soil microbiome, climate change, and pollutant responses. They explored the cutting-edge issues in the field of soil microbiome and soil health, sharing the latest research results and insights.

The symposium also featured an academic poster presentation session, highlighting the research progress of 22 graduate students. Participants discussed and evaluated these posters, with five students, including Jiang Lan from the College of Resources and Environment, winning first prize.

The symposium not only promoted international academic exchanges but also laid a solid foundation for future multilateral scientific research cooperation. It called on global scientists to join hands to meet the challenges of soil health in arid areas and jointly advance the development of soil microbiome and soil health research, contributing to sustainable agricultural development and ecosystem protection.