Brief Introduction

Dr Jianping ZHANG is professor at the School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China. He graduated with a bachelor degree from the Department of Geology, Nanjing University, China in 1982, and completed his MS and PhD degrees in the present University from 1982 to 1989. He was a visiting scientist in the University of Alberta, Canada in 1999.

His research interests range from invertebrate paleontology, paleoecology and ichnology (trace fossils) to geoheritage investigation, assessment, protection and conservation, as well as geopark application, building, promotion and international cooperation. He published more than 100 scientific monographs and papers.

He has deeply involved in the geopark issue since the year 2000. As the director, he has chaired the Research Center for Geopark (Geoheritage) Investigation and Evaluation in his university since 2002 (Geoheritage Research Center since 2016). This Center is one of major technical support units to the former Ministry of Land and Resources People’s Republic of China (now the Ministry of Natural Resources). By now, Dr. Zhang has made great contribution to the establishment of the Chinese Geoparks Network, notably, the formulation of a series of regulations and guidelines for investigation, planning, application and building for national geoparks in China. He also chaired and participated in many UNESCO Global Geoparks applications, building and other activities.

He also has actively taken part in the international work of the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) and the UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) and participated almost all international conferences. As one of major organizers, he was involved in the First International Congress on Global Geoparks in Beijing, 2004, and was chair of the scientific committee of the 5th APGN Symposium on UNESCO Global Geoparks in Zhijindong Cave UGGp, China, 2017. He was elected as a member of the GGN Executive Board in 2016, and as member of the APGN Advisory Committee in 2017. As an evaluator of the UNESCO Global Geoparks, he has undertaken 8 evaluation and revalidation missions and many advisory missions around the world since 2014, and became a senior evaluator in 2018. In 2018, Dr. Zhang was appointed as a member of UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, and elected as its vice chairperson from 2018-2022. In 2020, he was selected as one of vice chairs of IUGS International Commission on Geoheritage for the term from 2020 to 2024. As an evaluation and voting member, he has actively participated in the coordination and selection of the first 100 IUGS Heritage Sites in 2021-2022.

Dr. Zhang also actively participated as a lecturer in many global geopark capacity-building events (Lesvos, Langkawi, Hong Kong and Beijing). As a co-coordinator, he has successfully organized six international Training Courses on Global Geoparks Management and Development in Beijing, China since 2016.