The Sino-French Workshop “LIA-ORIGINS” in 2018 is held at Yunnan University from Jan 1 to 5. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

The Sino-French Workshop “LIA-ORIGINS” in 2018 opened at Yunnan University (YNU), on Nov 1. 

Chaired by Liu Xiaowei, professor at the Southwestern Institute for Astronomy Research and Tao Jialing, professor at the French National Center for Scientific Research, the workshop was hosted by YNU, the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Yunnan Astronomical Observatory. 

Around 80 academics from the French National Center for Scientific Research, Paris Observatory, Paris Institute for Astrophysics, the Center for Astrophysics at Aix-Marseille University, the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Purple Hills Observatory, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Yunnan Astronomical Observatory, the Institute for High Energy Physics, and various other universities and institutes, attended the workshop. 

Jing Yipeng, president of China Astronomical Society; Sylvie Tourpin, scientific attaché of the French consulate in Chengdu City, Sichuan province; Francois Hammer, French-side director of LIA-ORIGINS, and Liang Chunyan, director of the department of international cooperation at the National Astronomical Observatories, delivered welcome speeches at the opening ceremony. 

Themed “From First Epochs of Matter and Galaxy Formation to Extraterrestrial Life", the workshop presented recent developments in different aspects, from the very early universe to the present milky way, and from cosmic structures to extrasolar planets. 

Opportunities and challenges from future large surveys and instruments were also discussed. 

LIA-ORIGINS is a joint laboratory between China and France established on Jan 1, 2009, under a partnership agreement between the astronomical communities of both countries.