The 24th National Conference on the Theoretical Study of Science Popularization and the 9th Forum on Science Education Concerning Museum-School Cooperation（it was jointly hosted by CRISP and Guangdong Association for Science and Technology and undertaken by Zhuhai Association for Science and Technology）was held in Zhuhai city, Guangdong province from 14th to 15th in October,2017.The conference took "Cultivate the Needs for Science Popularization, Bolster Scientific Literacy" as its theme, whose overriding aims were to satisfy and prioritize the people's needs for science popularization, to embrace a global vision on science popularization, and to help to strut the world stage by building a powerful nation based on science and technology. Statistics showed that over 200 participants from Universities, Research Institutes, and Local Associations for Science and Technology were present. 

A bird's eye view of the conference

Wang Kangyou (the general director of CRISP) chaired the opening ceremony in the afternoon of 14th, where Zhao Jianguo (the deputy secretary of the municipal Zhuhai city) and Xu Yanhao (vice president and executive secretary of CAST) respectively delivered the key-note plenary reports.

Xu Yanhao addressed the opening ceremony

Xu Yanhao stressed that immense efforts shall be made in the following aspects : 1. we shall embrace a global vision on the development of science popularization, quicken the pace of the building of science popularization informatization, and give full play to the science popularization's role in the innovation and social development;2. We shall focus on and fully cultivate the public's needs for science popularization to help them gain a profound knowledge about science popularization, so that they can obtain a sense of fruitfulness and happiness by gaining access to science popularization; 3. We shall build " the two-way interactive" supply mechanism for the public service of science popularization to regulate the basic and public supply of science popularization accordingly both at national and local level; 4.We shall create a number of outstanding science popularization activities brands, pool resources to delve into the theoretical and practical studies models for science popularization, expand the in-depth analysis of international cooperation on science popularization and its impacts, and contribute to the continuing and innovative development of science popularization, etc.   

After the conclusion of the opening ceremony, several experts made the key-note academic reports in sequence. Wu Xiangping (the senior research fellow of National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences) made the report " Science Popularization: the Scientists' Responsibilities and Missions", Liu Enshan(the professor from Beijing Normal University) delivered the report "To Delve into Science Education Reform in China from Science Education Curriculum Standards for the Primary School", Ren Dingchen (the professor from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences) made the report "the New Phase for Civic Scientific Literacy Construction" , Zhou Jianqiang (the senior research fellow of University of Science and Technology of China ) made the report "To Popularize Science on the Major Scientific and Technological Innovations", Meng Qingjin (the curator of Beijing Museum of Natural History) delivered the report "On Science Resources Planning and Curriculum Designing for Science Popularization Museums under the New Era", and Gao Hongbin (the deputy head for the Division for the Theoretical Study of Science Popularization , CRISP) made the report " On the Long and Middle-Term Strategy for National Scientific Literacy in China".
 In the afternoon of 14th, 3 thematic sessions involving "the Forum on Science Education Concerning Museum-School Cooperation", "Studies on Science Popularization Capability and Science Popularization Policy", and "Science Writing" were held. The paramount aim of holding the afore-mentioned sessions was to gather wisdom and suggestions for comprehensively increasing scientific literacy in China around the public's ever-growing needs for science popularization.   

In the morning of 15th, the summarizing reports of the 3 sessions were held successively. A number of reports were followed, Yao Haijun( the deputy editor-in-chief of Science Fiction World) made the report "the Current Situation of Science Fiction in China", Zhu Jianmin (the President of Beijing No.35 High School) made the report " My Thoughts on Good Education", Jiang Houquan (the chief planning engineer of South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences) made the report " On Cultivating the Needs for Science Popularization: Focus on Interaction", and Zhang Chao( the deputy head for the Division for Scientific Literacy Studies, CRISP) made the report " On the Innovation of the Theoretical and Practical Studies of Scientific Literacy Monitoring and Evaluation: To Contribute to the Enhancement of Scientific Literacy".

The conference successfully combined 2 major renowned academic events initiated by CRISP. "The National Conference on Theoretical Study of Science Popularization " was the 24th one this year since it came into shape in 1991, which provides a fine exchange platform for an overwhelming majority of science theorists and practitioners, and plays a significant part in exploring a combination of theoretical and practical studies in science popularization and in the development of science popularization. "The Forum on Science Education Concerning Museum-School Cooperation" was the 9th one this year since it was held for the 1st time in 2009, which guides science education practice for science and technology museums by adopting theoretical and empirical studies to contribute immensely to enhancing scientific literacy for the teenagers.