Earlier this month the final evaluation and award ceremony series of the 19th Soong Ching Ling Children's Invention Award, jointly organized by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF) and the China Invention Association, was held in Beijing. Nearly a thousand people including students, teachers, and representatives from local invention organizations from various provinces, regions, cities and Malaysia participated in the event from Aug 14-17.
A total of over 39,000 entries were submitted for this year's award, marking a historical high in terms of participation. On Aug 15, the final evaluation and defense for the awards took place at the China Soong Ching Ling Youth Science and Culture Exchange Center. Participating students presented their works to expert judges, showcasing their creativity, design concepts, research methods, and practical applications. After rigorous evaluation by experts, 525 winning entries were selected, demonstrating their innovative problem-solving abilities and scientific exploration spirit of young children in the new era.
Professor Dai Zhitao from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, an expert in artificial intelligence (programming), said that the entries for this year's award demonstrated clever ideas, intricate designs, and practical relevance to daily life. Particularly noteworthy was the significant improvement in the technical standards of artificial intelligence works, with students showing a deeper understanding and higher application level of AI technology, indicating gradual progress in AI education at primary and secondary school levels.
From Aug 14 to 17, the final evaluation and award ceremony series of the 19th Soong Ching Ling Children's Invention Award, jointly organized by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF) and the China Invention Association is held in Beijing.
During the event, various organizations integrated high-quality resources to conduct activities such as Invention Award Open Day events, academicians' popular science lectures, and youth science education and technology innovation exchange meetings aimed at enhancing the scientific literacy of young people and fostering a society that values science through experiential, immersive, and interactive scientific activities.
Invention Award Open Day Event
The Invention Award Open Day event showcased winning entries from various regions, where like-minded "young inventors" engaged in discussions, mutual learning, and peer review, while expert judges and teachers interacted deeply with the students, providing feedback for improvements. Students like Ou Zhaoxuan and Huang Qijun from Macau Baptist College expressed their excitement of the event, stating that they've seen many interesting works and have gained inspiration and insights through exchanges with their peers. Yang Fan, a representative from an organization in Shaanxi province, highlighted how the event provided a platform for young science enthusiasts nationwide to exchange ideas, fostering innovative thinking and enhancing understanding and interest in science, planting the seed of becoming scientists in their hearts.
Scene of the Academicians' Popular Science Lectures
At the academicians' popular science lectures, astrophysicist Academician Wu Xiangping and paleontologist Academician Xu Xing delivered talks titled "Understanding Our Universe" and "Searching for Dinosaurs Flying to the Sky," respectively. The lectures, filled with knowledge and entertainment, not only imparted scientific knowledge to the students but also sparked a strong interest in science. Questions like "Does a fifth dimension exist?" and "Is it possible to resurrect dinosaurs?" were raised by students, showing their curiosity. Wu Xiangping expressed his hope that children will maintain their curiosity about the unknown and face challenges with an enterprising spirit, exploring the boundaries of science bravely and experiencing the eternal charm of the vast universe. Xu Xing emphasized that the significance of youth popular science lies not only in imparting knowledge but also in attracting attention to science and creating opportunities to cultivate scientific thinking.
At the China Soong Ching Ling Youth Science and Culture Exchange Center, youth popular science education expert and professor at Tsinghua University, Gao Yunfeng, shared insights on topics such as fostering and inspiring student creativity, discussing teaching philosophies and methods. Science teacher Zhang Zhiwei from Beijing Second Experimental Primary School expressed how Professor Gao's insights inspired him greatly, and he plans to incorporate new ideas into his teaching, design more inquiry-based courses, encourage students to observe, think, and experiment, and making the science classroom a cradle for creativity and innovation.
Scene of Youth Science Education and Technology Innovation Exchange Conference
Academician Cai Ronggen, a theoretical physicist, while visiting the exhibition of outstanding award-winning works, noted the imaginative and creative nature of many of the entries, with numerous works highlight excellent application scenarios. This trend indicates the expanding breadth and depth of knowledge among young people in recent years, along with an increasing practical ability. Aerospace technology expert Academician Yang Mengfei stated that contemporary youth possess innovative consciousness and creative capabilities, expressing his hope that they will nurture the seeds of their dreams, dare to challenge the unknown, and continuously surpass themselves.
Exhibition of Outstanding Works at the Invention Awards
During the award ceremony, octogenarian aerospace engineering expert Academician Zhang Yanzhong encouraged young people to embrace scientific dreams, cultivate innovative aspirations, strive to learn, acquire knowledge, enhance scientific literacy, and bravely shoulder the responsibility of building a scientifically strong nation. Witnessing an increasing number of young people passionate about invention and innovation, Academician Zhang composed a poem to inspire them, "In my mature years, what do I seek, to carve a monument for all to speak. China's dream of strength in a hundred years, joy to see calves surpassing old steers."
Message from Academician Zhang Yanzhong at the Scene
This event received strong support from the Qifu Group, iFlytek Co., Ltd., and the Tencent Public Welfare Charity Foundation.
