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Young researcher from the SIO advanced to the Final of 2025 Natural Resources Science Communication Competition and won third prize.
Date：2025-09-01
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On August 30, the final of the 2025 Natural Resources Science Communication Competition was held in Shenzhen. Associate Researcher Zhang Haifeng from the SIO won third prize for his presentation titled “An ‘Oasis of Life’ on the Antarctic Ice Sheet - Polynyas”.
Organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources, the competition attracted nearly a hundred participants from across the national natural resources system. Zhang Haifeng’s preliminary round entry, which recounted his encounter with “soy sauce-colored” seawater in the Amundsen Sea polynya during China’s 38th Antarctic expedition, introduced the formation principles, ecological value, and scientific significance of Antarctic polynyas, successfully advancing him to the final. He was also the only participant among the 39 finalists who has been long working on the frontline of marine scientific research.
In the final, Zhang Haifeng began with a story about emperor penguin chicks searching for food, and focused on three core questions: “What is a polynya?”, “How do polynyas form?” and “What is the significance of polynyas?”. With multimedia tools, he translated specialized polar marine science knowledge into accessible language, and his rich polar expedition experience greatly intrigued the on-site audience.
