The 19th International Conference on Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics was held in Xichang, Sichuan, from August 25 to 29. Co-hosted by leading Chinese institutions such as Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, this marks the first time that the conference has been hosted in China since its inception in 1989.
Cheng Jianping, director of the China Jinping Underground Laboratory, a dual-appointed professor at Tsinghua University, as well as the secretary of the CPC Beijing Normal University Committee; Tsinghua University Vice-President Wu Huaqiang; Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences including Zou Bingsong, Gao Yuanning, Luo Minxing, and Liu Ming; Lu Songming, director of the Science & Technology Department of Sichuan Province; Zhang Wenwang, governor of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture; Ma Hui, deputy secretary of the CPC Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture Committee; and Sun Wenliang, chairman of the Yalong River Hydropower Development Company, Ltd., participated in the opening ceremony and Zeng Zhi, secretary of the CPC Department of Engineering Physics Committee at Tsinghua University, presided over the event.
The opening ceremony
In his speech, Wu Huaqiang highlighted Tsinghua University’s longstanding commitment to scientific and technological progress, noting recent landmark achievements in condensed matter physics, quantum materials, dark matter, and neutrino research.
He stressed the crucial role of large-scale scientific platforms, like the China Jinping Underground Laboratory, which provides exceptional conditions for rare-event detection and precision experiments.
Wu also underscored the importance of international collaboration in unraveling the universe's mysteries, affirming Tsinghua’s commitment to partnering with global scientists to explore new scientific frontiers.
The conference centered on key frontiers in fundamental physics, including neutrinos, dark matter, gravitational waves, and cosmic rays, featuring over 30 plenary lectures and more than 300 parallel sessions. Experts and scholars also toured the Jinping Hydropower Station and the China Jinping Underground Laboratory during the conference.
On-site visit and research
The conference brought together over 500 scientists from more than 30 countries, including Nobel Laureates in Physics Takaaki Kajita, from the University of Tokyo, and Arthur Bruce McDonald, from Queen’s University, Canada.
Editor: Li Han
