Beijing Women's Federation

Lu Jing, a researcher of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), gave a lecture, titled "You Are a Fish: An Evolution from Fish to Mankind in a History of 400 Million Years," to over 200 students at Hongying Primary School, in Haidian district of Beijing on October 13. Lu spoke with teens about the evolution of ancient fish species in an easily understandable language in a drive to get them interested in paleontology and human evolution.

The lecture was an integral component of "Her Exploration Tour," which is a part of the 2023 Beijing Action of Science and Technology Empower Girls campaign. The target population of the activity is mainly girls, and it invites outstanding women sci-tech workers to motivate children’s curiosity as well as eagerness in the exploration of science and technology.

Collage photo shows teenage attendees in a lecture given by Lu Jing, a researcher of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, at Hongying Primary School in Haidian district of Beijing.

Meanwhile, under the guidance of Ge Xu, vice-curator of the Paleozoological Museum of China (PMC), a delegation of teachers and students from Beifang Middle School, in Huairou district of Beijing, visited the PMC, Asia's largest paleozoological museum, to learn about the evolution of life. Ge gave a vivid introduction to the mystery behind rare specimens of human and non-human fossils from the pre-historical period. Students engaged in heated discussions over life on the earth during the pre-historical period.

Collage photo shows teachers and students from Beifang Middle School in Huairou district of Beijing touring the Paleozoological Museum of China.

Lei Junqing, a professor from the School of Civil Engineering at Beijing Jiaotong University, on October 18 held a lecture on the glorious achievements made by China in the building of bridges in a move to meet the demand of teachers and students of Beifang Middle School involved in the 2023 Beijing Action of Science and Technology Empower Girls campaign. Lei related many bridge design and building cases to explain to participants about the scientific principles and construction process of bridges nationwide. Attendees asked many questions about bridge construction. The event provided them with lots of inspiration toward sci-tech innovations.

Collage photo shows students attending a lecture given by Lei Junqing, a professor from the School of Civil Engineering at Beijing Jiaotong University.

The Beijing Action of Science and Technology Empower Girls campaign is one of the series activities, titled "Women's Action for Scientific and Technological Innovation: Beijing Action," which is designed to promote the growth of women sci-tech talents under the guidance of Beijing Women's Federation. It has received the support of the following organizations: the Beijing Science Popularization Development and Research Center, Beijing Youth Academy of Sci-tech Innovation, Beijing Women Scientists Association, and International Business Machines Corporation's China Office. In the next step, it will continuously advance the building of service platforms for girls to raise their sci-tech literacy through sci-tech courses, women scientists and engineers’ lectures, and exhibitions of girls’ sci-tech innovation practices.