At the invitation of Prof. Z.P. Lai, Prof. Zhaodong Feng of Lanzhou University, who is a Cheung Kong scholar appointed by Ministry of Education, lectured in ISL on July 26 and 27th.

　　Prof. Feng graduated from Department of Geology and Geography, Lanzhou University and won a Ph.D degree from Department of Geography, University of Kansas. He undertook a postdoctoral study in Columbia University in the years 1992-1994. He had been an assistant professor in Department of Geography Utah University from 1994 to 1996, and assistant and associate professor in Department of Earth & Environmental Studies Montclair University from 1996 to 1999. Later, he was appointed as a professor of Baylor University. In 2000, Prof. Feng was appointed as a chair professor of the Cheung Kong Scholars Program. He won the Fund for Talented Professionals in the same year.  Prof. Feng has been engaged in research and teaching in earth and environment systems, basin systems, GIS and simulation of landscape ecology for many years. Since 2000, he has been in charge of a number of research programs from various sources including MOE and NSFC of China, and NSF and NGS of USA.

　　On the July 26th afternoon, Prof. Feng gave a report of Holocene Records of Biological and Climatical Variations of Asian Arid Zones and Miscellaneous. In his report, Prof. Feng elaborated on various subjects including past basic theories of global changes, climatical changes of Asian arid zones in a millennium scale, the last glaciation of western Loess Plateau, Holocene climatical changes of Mongolian Plateau, as well as high-resolution reconstruction of Holocene biological and climatical changes in arid regions of central Asia. The report was very interesting and informative and lasted more than 3 hours. ISL students and teachers were greatly impressed by the Prof. Feng's passionate address. During the visit, Prof. Lai discussed with Prof. Feng on future exchanges and cooperation.