The Third Advanced Training Course on Hydrology and Water Science was officially opened in George Mason University (GMU), Fairfax, USA.
On the morning of Oct. 13, 2010, a Welcoming Reception was held in the Research 1 Showcase of GMU. Dr. Anne Schiller, Interim Vice President for Global Strategies of GMU, Prof. Vikas Chandhoke, Dean of College of Science of GMU, Ms. Madelyn C. Ross, China Coordinator and Director of China Initiatives of GMU, and Prof. John Qu of College of Science delivered opening and welcome speeches respectively, extending warm welcome to all the trainees from Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute (NHRI). Prof. Chen Shengshui, Head of the Training Group and Vice President of NHRI, briefly recalled the exchange and cooperation activities carried out between GMU and NHRI in the past and expressed heartfelt thanks to GMU for its considerate arrangement of the training course. In his address, Prof. Chen added that he strongly believed that through the course, all the trainees would learn the advanced technology and experiences of the American scientists in the fields of climate change, GIS technology, flood control, dam safety management, material and environment sciences, and landslides and earthquake mitigation, etc. He was also convinced that under the framework of the new cooperation agreement jointly signed by Prof. Zhang Jianyun, President of NHRI, and Prof. Peter N. Stearns, Executive Vice President of GMU, in the August of this year, more and more fruitful results of the cooperation between the two sides would be achieved.
All the members of the training group were present at the ceremony, after which they visited the beautiful Fairfax campus under the golden sunshine of the autumn season.