Nan Rendong (February 19, 1945 - September 15, 2017), male, Manchu, from Liaoyuan, Jilin Province, is a famous Chinese astronomer and a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is the chief scientist and chief engineer of the FAST (500-meter aperture spherical radio telescope) project, and is known as the "father of China's Sky Eye".
Nan Rendong's main research areas are radio astrophysics and radio astronomy techniques and methods, and he has played a key role in the site selection, pre-study, project establishment, feasibility study and preliminary design of FAST projects.
Personal Experience:
In 1963, Nan Rendong was admitted to the Radio Department of Tsinghua University with the top results in science in Jilin Province.
In 1978, he studied astrophysics at the Beijing Astronomical Observatory.
In 1984, the International Very Long Baselines Network (VLBI) was used to conduct systematic observational studies of active galactic nuclei.
In 1993, at the Congress of the International Union of Radio Sciences, held in Tokyo, Japan, the idea of building a new generation of radio telescopes was proposed.
In 1994, it was proposed to use the karst depression in Guizhou as the telescope site to start the site selection of Guizhou.
In 2007, the FAST project was officially established.
On September 25, 2016, the FAST project was officially completed and put into use.
On September 15, 2017, Nan Rendong passed away due to illness.
Social Appointments:
Chief Scientist and Chief Engineer of FAST Engineering.
Deputy Director of the Beijing Astronomical Observatory.
President of the Beijing Astronomical Society.
Member of the IAA SETI Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics.
President of the Radio Astronomy Division X of the International Astronomical Society.
Main Achievements:
He led the FAST project and successfully built the world's largest single-aperture radio telescope.
A number of innovations have been made in the field of radio astronomy, such as the method of calibrating the Miyun meter-wave integrated aperture telescope using the radio strong source CYG A.
The scientific objectives of FAST were proposed and improved, and the scientific contents of neutral hydrogen, pulsars, and molecular spectral lines were established.
Awards:
In January 2017, he won the "CCTV 2016 Science and Technology Innovation Figure".
In May 2017, he won the "2017 National Innovation Medal".
On September 17, 2019, he was posthumously awarded the national honorary title of "People's Scientist".
Social Contribution:
The completion of FAST not only enhances China's international status in the field of radio astronomy, but also provides an important platform for global astronomical research.
Nan Rendong's deeds have inspired generations of scientific research workers, and his perseverance and dedication have become a symbol of China's scientific research spirit.
Character evaluation:
Nan Rendong was praised by his peers and the public as a "model of the times", and his life was dedicated to exploring the mysteries of the universe and made great contributions to the cause of Chinese astronomy.
His scientific research spirit and loyalty to the country's scientific and technological undertakings are regarded as a model for Chinese scientists.
Nan Rendong's story and achievements have had a profound impact at home and abroad, and his name has been etched in the history of astronomy along with the "Chinese Sky Eye".