Introduction of Invited Speakers

1、 Yan Chunhua, From Peking University, China B.Sc.(1982), M.Sc.(1985), Ph.D.(1988), Peking University; Lecturer (1988-89), Associate Professor (1989-91), Professor (1991-present), State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Materials Chemistry and Applications, Peking University; Senior Visiting Fellow (1992, RS of UK); Visiting Professor (1993, JSPS of Japan; Visiting Professor (1995, KIST of Korea). Research Fields and Interests： Based on the separation chemistry of rare earth and chemical fabrications, our research is focused on the control of the structure and microstructure, particle size and its distribution, morphology, and surface and interface of rare earth functional materials, so as to modify and enhance the behaviors. At present, our topics of research are as follows： (1) Optimized design and automation of rare earth separation processes； (2) Self-assembly of the rare earth molecular materials； (3) Fabrication and characterization of the nanosized rare earth functional materials.

2、 Prof. Bunzli, Secretary-General of the European Rare Earth and Actinide Society, Switzerland. From Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Laboratory of Lanthanide Supramolecular Chemistry Jean-Claude G. Bünzli, is a physical ionorganic chemist. His main reserach interests lie in the coordination and supramolecular chemistry of lanthanide ions and in the basics and applications of lanthanide luminescence. He has been developing highly luminescent complexes for potential electroluminescent and photovoltaic applications, inorganic-organic hybrid materials for displays and lighting. Lately he has also concentrated on designing luminescent bioprobes for time-resolved cancerous cell and tissue analysis as well as on the engineering of imprinted ion-exchange resins for radionuclide analysis. He is also an lively actor in bringing together the worldwide rare-earth community, having, for instance, founded the European Rare Earth and Actinide society in 1989 and participating actively in all major f-element conferences around the world.

3、 Prof. Nobuhito Imanaka, Chairman of the Japanese Rare Earth Society, from Osaka University, Japan Nobuhito Imanaka earned his B.E.(1981) and M.E.(1983) degrees in Applied Chemistry from Osaka University. He then obtained a Ph.D. degree from Osaka University in 1986. He has joined the faculty at Osaka University since 1988 and at present he is Full Professor. He also contributes as the President of The Rare Earth Society of Japan. His main research fields include rare earths and functional materials such as solid electrolytes and chemical sensors. He has received various awards. For example, Ichimura Science Award in 2005, Inoue Science Award in 2008, Yazaki Science Award in 2009.

4、 Prof. William J. Evans, from University of California, USA William Evans received a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin, where he did research on pentaboranes with Professor Donald Gaines, and a Ph.D. from UCLA with Professor Fred Hawthorne studying metallocarboranes. He was a postdoc with the late Professor Earl Muetterties at Cornell University. He began studying f elements in 1975 at the University of Chicago. After receiving tenure at Chicago in 1982, he moved to the University of California, Irvine. He has received the American Chemical Society Award in Inorganic Chemistry, the Sir Edward Franklin Award of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Frank Spedding Award for Excellence in the Science and Technology of Rare Earths.

5、 Prof. Mikio Takano, from Kyoto University, Japan Mikio Takano was born in 1944 and got a Ph.D. at Kyoto University, Japan in 1973 in the field of Solid State Chemistry. He became a full professor of the “Institute for Chemical Research (ICR), Kyoto University” in 1993 and served as the director of this institute for three years of 2002- 2004. The high-Tc superconductivity of cupric oxides was the hottest world-wide topic in his ICR time. He is now at the “Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), Kyoto University” which is a brand-new international research center established three years ago based on a governmental program to produce superb research advances. He is now collaborating with cell biologists also.

6、 Prof. Gschneidner, From Iowa State University, USA Gschneidner, who received his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Iowa State in 1957, is acknowledged as one of the world’s foremost authorities in the physical metallurgy and thermal and electrical behaviors of rare earth materials, a group of chemically similar metals naturally occurring in the earth’s crust. His work lately has taken him into the field of magnetic refrigeration, developing technologies that have the potential for significant energy savings with fewer environmental problems than existing refrigeration systems. A member of the Iowa State faculty since 1963, Gschneidner has hundreds of refereed journal publications and presentations to leading scientific gatherings worldwide to his credit. Holder of more than a dozen patents either singly or with collaborators, he has been honored with numerous awards by governmental, professional, and industrial bodies, including recognition for his Ames Lab team’s research in magnetic refrigeration by the U.S. Department of Energy in 1997 and with an Innovative Housing Technology Award in 2003. In addition to the National Academy of Engineering, Gschneidner is also a Fellow of the American Society for Materials, The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, and the American Physical Society. In 2005, he was honored for 53 years of outstanding contributions to his field with a symposium at Iowa State that was attended by some of the world’s leading experts in rare earth materials, many of them his former students or collaborators. He maintains an active research program with Ames Laboratory.

7、 Dudley Kingsnorth has over 40 years experience in the international mining industry through positions that he has held in operations, project development, marketing, technical consultancies and business development. Dudley is recognised as a world authority on the rare earths market through his 20 year association with the industry, initially as Project Manager of the Mt Weld Rare Earths Project and over the past 10 years as an independent marketing consultant to the industry. He is the author of the last three editions of the Roskill report on rare earths and has made many presentations to international audiences on the rare earths industry, including participation in the 2009 OECD Workshop in Paris on ‘The Impact of Export Restrictions on Trade’.

8、 Jack Lifton is the Co-founder and Director of Technology Metals Research since June 2010. Mr. Lifton is also an Independent consultant, focusing on the sourcing of nonferrous strategic metals. His work includes exploration and mining, and the recovery of metal values by the recycling of not only metals and their alloys but also of metal-based chemicals used as raw materials for component manufacturing. Mr. Lifton has more than 45 years of experience in the global OEM automotive, heavy equipment, electrical and electronic, mining, smelting, and refining industries. His background includes the sourcing, manufacturing, and sales of platinum group metal products, rare earth compounds, and ceramic specialties used to make catalytic converters, oxygen sensors, batteries, and fuel cells. Mr. Lifton is knowledgeable in locating and analyzing new and recycled supplies of 'minor metals' including tellurium, selenium, indium, gallium, silicon, germanium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, chromium.

9、 Judith has more than 30 years experience of analysing minerals and metals markets. As Managing Director of Roskill Consulting Group Ltd, Judith is responsible for directing major consultancy assignments. Recent projects have involved due diligence on the market for a filler mineral, preparation of an industry report for a listing on SEHK, a strategic review of titanium sponge supply, a feasibility study for a borate deposit in Central Asia, a global overview of the vanadium pentoxide market with particular reference to new markets, an evaluation of the viability of a rare earth and rare metal plant for a development bank, an in-depth review of Chinese rare earth production, a review of markets for low cost titanium for a major mining company and a project to identify the US market for the by-products of flue gas desulphurisation.