Chen Huai

Chen Huai, a scientist on wetland biodiversity with the Chengdu Institute of Biology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been awarded the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education, also known as the ASPIRE Prize, for this year.

"I am honored to receive the ASPIRE award and share more about our work on wetlands. Knowledge knows no borders and I am proud to work with a team of international researchers as we advance our efforts in the Asia-Pacific," Chen said.

He was named the region's top early career researcher, the APEC Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation said in a statement.

"Wetlands conservation contributes to important work in climate change mitigation as one of the most effective carbon sinks. Dr. Chen's findings lead to a better understanding of these wetlands including protecting, developing new generation models for methane emissions and enhancing assessment of carbon storage and ecological value," the statement said.

Chen was selected from 12 finalists, each nominated by an APEC member economy. The nominees, all under 40, were assessed based on their commitment to excellence in scientific research as evidenced by scholarly publication and cooperation with scientists from other APEC economies.