On May 28, 2024, the occasion of the eighth National Science and Technology Workers' Day, Jiangsu Science and Technology Workers' Activity Center held a grand home event to celebrate the outstanding contributions of science and technology workers. In this event, the research achievement of "The origin of early continents and the initiation of Plate tectonics" collaborated by Prof. Ge Rongfeng, Prof. Zhu Wenbin and Prof. Wang Xiaolei from Nanjing University and Prof. Simon Wilde from Curtin University in Australia was selected as one of the top ten scientific and technological advances in the fields (basic research) of Jiangsu Province in 2023.
Prof. Ge Rongfeng's team had a systematical study on the magmatic oxygen fugacity (fO2) and H2O content of Archaean granitoid by creating a zircon oxygen fugacity hygrometer. The study found that the oxygen fugacity (fO2) and H2O content of Archean magmas were similar to that of modern arc magmas, which had profound implications for understanding the origin of early continents, the initiation of plate tectonics, and the formation of key metal mineral resources. The result of the study was published in the international top academic journal “Nature” in 2023. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06552-0).
In the event, Xu Ying, Minister of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and also Minster of the Publicity Department of the Provincial Party Committee, delivered a speech to emphasize the important role of science and technology workers in the process of national modernization. Prof. Chen Jun, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Provincial Association for Science and Technology, and also Professor of Nanjing University, read out “Proposal to science and technology workers of Jiangsu Province” in order to call on science and technology workers in the province to keep the motherland and the people in mind; adhere to the "four aspects"; establish in independent innovation; abide by the integrity of scientific research as well as make new and greater contributions to Chinese modernization.
Prof. Ge Rongfeng said that this achievement was due to the hard work and sincere cooperation of the team members, and was funded by the Youth Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, General Project, Outstanding Youth Fund Project, etc as well. The selection of Prof. Ge Rongfeng's team’s research result was not only a recognition of their individual and team efforts, but also an affirmation of Nanjing University's research strength in the field of Earth sciences.
