On June 7th, the 2026 Academic Annual Conference and the 12th Symposium on Continental Dynamics of the Joint Center for Earth and Planetary Sciences between Northwestern University and the University of Hong Kong were grandly opened at the Tai Pak Campus of Northwestern University. Academician Xu Zhiqin from Nanjing University, as well as over 150 industry experts and young researchers from multiple universities and research institutes in China, attended the opening ceremony. Academicians Zhang Guowei, Shu Degan, and Zhao Guochun also attended the ceremony. Sun Qingwei, President of Northwest University, and representatives from relevant functional departments and geology departments on campus also attended.

Meeting photo

This conference is divided into three thematic forums: the comparison between early Earth and terrestrial planets, the progress of lunar and planetary science research, and the construction of planetary science disciplines and talent cultivation. In the academic report part, 28 invited experts from Nanjing University, University of Science and Technology of China, Peking University, China University of Geosciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong University, Northwest University and other units at home and abroad gave academic reports in turn, covering the formation mechanism of Archean continental crust, evolution of terrestrial planets, magnetic field generators of solar system planets, evolution of Mars environment and other frontier topics. The attending experts conducted in-depth discussions on hot topics such as the controversy over the theory of tectonic plates, breakthroughs in extraterrestrial sample experimental technology, and the construction of planetary discipline teams, providing suggestions and recommendations for the long-term scientific research layout and discipline construction of the Joint Center.

The conference is hosted by the Earth and Planetary Science Joint Center of Northwest University Hong Kong University and the Continental Crust and Mantle Research Branch of the Geological Society of China. The conference implements the "two conferences in one" mode to promote the deep cross integration of traditional continental dynamics and emerging planetary science. The successful convening of this conference will further consolidate the cooperation foundation between Shaanxi and Hong Kong universities in the forefront field of geology, and help promote the two-way coordinated development of basic research in Earth and planetary science and deep space exploration applications in China.