Chen Jining | |
---|---|
陈吉宁 | |
Minister of Environmental Protection | |
Assumed office February 2015 |
|
Premier | Li Keqiang |
Preceded by | Zhou Shengxian |
President of Tsinghua University | |
In office February 2012 – January 2015 |
|
Preceded by | Gu Binglin |
Succeeded by | Qiu Yong |
Personal details | |
Born | February 1964 (age 52–53) Gaizhou, Liaoning, China |
Political party | Communist Party of China |
Alma mater |
Tsinghua University Brunel University London Imperial College London |
Occupation | Politician, educator |
Chen Jining (simplified Chinese: 陈吉宁; traditional Chinese: 陳吉寧; pinyin: Chén Jíníng; born February 1964) is the current Minister of Environmental Protection, People's Republic of China. Previously he served as the President of Tsinghua University from February 2012 to January 2015.
Chen was elected as a member of the 12th National People's Congress in 2013.
Chen was born and raised in Gaizhou, Liaoning, with his ancestral home in Lishu County, Jilin. He attended Tsinghua University from September 1981 to September 1986, graduating with a master's degree in civil and environmental engineering. Then he was educated in Brunel University London and Imperial College London, he earned a doctorate in civil engineering from Imperial College London in 1993, where he worked as a research assistant after graduation.
In March 1998 he became the Deputy Director of the Environmental Engineering Department of Tsinghua University, rising to Director the next year. In February 2006 he was Vice-President of Tsinghua University, a year later, he was promoted to become the Executive Vice-President. He concurrently served as Dean of the Graduate School of Tsinghua University from January 2010 to February 2012, Dean of the Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University between January 2010 to July 2011. In February 2012, he was appointed the President of Tsinghua University, he remained in that position until January 2015, when he was appointed Minister of Environmental Protection, People's Republic of China. At the time of his appointment, he was the youngest member of Li Keqiang's cabinet.