Chinese scientist awarded one of the most prestigious international awards in physics

(ECNS) -- Chinese radio astronomer Li Di was awarded the Marcel Grossmann Award on Tuesday for his pioneering contributions to the field of fast radio bursts (FRBs).

Li, chief scientist of the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) in China, is the first scientist to receive this prestigious award for achievements made in the country.

Li was awarded for his achievements in precise measurements of interstellar magnetic fields and advancing the study of FRBs to a high statistical significance, according to the committee of the 17th Marcel Grossmann Meeting.

"I am very fortunate to have mentors and pioneers like Mr. Nan Rendong, to have the FAST engineering team fighting side by side, and many colleagues achieving together. I believe this is just a small wave in the rising tide of Chinese astronomy," Li said.

Established in 1985, the Marcel Grossmann Award is considered one of the most prestigious international awards in physics. Named after the Swiss mathematician, it is awarded triennially.

The award has both individual and institutional categories.

Previous Chinese laureates include Nobel Prize winners Chen Ning Yang and Tsung-Dao Lee, as well as world-class mathematician Yau Shing-Tung.

The FAST, known as the "China Sky Eye," is located in Pingtang County, Guizhou Province. It is the world's largest single-aperture radio telescope.