Newswise — University of Saskatchewan toxicologist John Giesy has been named an Einstein Professor by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), a distinction reserved for research leaders with the potential to win Nobel and other international science awards.
The distinction is awarded annually to up to 20 distinguished international professors who are leaders in their respective fields. The Einstein Professor Program aims to enhance the training of strategic science and technology experts and talented senior scientific leaders and to strengthen Chinese scientists' contacts and exchanges with top scientists throughout the world.
Giesy, Canada Research Chair in Environmental Toxicology, is a world-renowned eco-toxicologist who specializes in "green chemistry" —the field of identifying man-made pollutants that are harmful to the environment and then designing safer alternatives.
Giesy and his team created a fast and inexpensive method to test for endocrine disruptors in the environment, a test put forward for adoption as an international standard by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. As of 2007, Giesy was the second most frequently cited author worldwide over the previous 10 years in the combined fields of ecology and environment. He is widely published with more than 650 peer-reviewed articles and seven authored books on his resume. His research has attracted more than $75 million from local, national and international agencies and organizations.
Giesy has worked closely with colleagues in China for more than 15 years and is currently a senior advisor to the Chinese State Environmental Protection Agency.He will conduct a CAS-organized lecture tour in China, sharing his expertise with top scientists, researchers and graduate students in China. The tour will include stops at City University of Hong Kong and Peking University, among others.
The knowledge transfer goes both ways, says Giesy, professor with the veterinary biomedical sciences department and the Toxicology Centre. "We have been sending our post-doctoral fellows and graduate students to China to participate in these programs for international experience and they are sending students, faculty and post-docs to the U of S. Both Chinese and Canadian scientists are getting a great deal out of it."
Giesy was the U.S. co-chair of a U.S.-Sino bilateral agreement between the U.S. National Academy of Science and CAS to address environmental issues, and he's starting to see the impact of this work in China. "One of the outcomes of those meetings was the development of a lot of trust, and now environmental NGOs (non-governmental organizations) are allowed in China. Before 2005, they were not."
Because of China's size, its environment has a significant global impact and Giesy says he can make more of a difference on Canada's environment by working in China. "When I came to the U of S, it was decided that part of my effort would be directed at China. So goes China, so goes the world in many ways, including the environment."
About U of S: Located in the heart of Saskatoon, the University of Saskatchewan is one of the leading medical doctoral universities in Canada. With 58 degrees, diplomas and certificates in over 100 areas of study, the University is uniquely positioned in the areas of human, animal, and plant studies. World-class research facilities, renowned faculty and award winning students make the U of S a leader in post-secondary education.
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