| Citation | President, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor of Chemistry, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Beijing
Dr. Chunli Bai is one of the pioneers in the field of nanoscience . In the mid-1980s, he successfully designed and developed China's first atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning tunneling microscope (STM), low-temperature STM, ultrahigh vacuum-STM, and ballistic electron emission microscope. These led to the earliest technological tools in the country for manipulating single atoms and molecules, and characterizing surfaces and interfaces. He successfully established a methodology for the study of molecular assembly on solid substrate surfaces, such as the imaging of functional molecules on graphite surfaces. His use of alkane-assisted adsorption and assembly in this context is particularly noteworthy. Beyond his outstanding scientific achievements, Dr. Bai's leadership role in Chinese science includes service as the President of the Chinese Chemical Society (1998-2010), and Vice-President (1996-2004), Executive Vice-President (2004-2011) and President (2011-present) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). In 2012 he became the first Chinese President of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS).
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