Recently, the Geological Society of America (GSA) announced the recipients of the 2026 Honorary Fellow Award. Shen Shuzhong, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor at the School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, was successfully selected in recognition of his outstanding achievements and significant international influence in the fields of Permian stratigraphy, systematic palaeontology and research into major biological events. This year, the award was conferred on only two scholars worldwide.

Glenn Thackray (right), President of the GSA, presented Shen Shuzhong (left) with his award certificate.

Shen Shuzhong delivered his acceptance speech.

Shen Shuzhong,  an internationally renowned stratigrapher and palaeontologist, is an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a professor and PhD supervisor at the School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, and Director of the Centre for the Integration of Education and Research in Biological Evolution and the Environment at NJU. His primary research focuses on the deep-time evolution of life and environment, particularly in the context of mass extinctions. He has published over 380 papers and books in renowned international journals such as Science, Science Advances, EPSL, and Geology. Among these, he has edited or authored 20 volumes of collected papers and monographs.

Prof. Shen has received numerous accolades and grants, including the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars, with his outstanding innovative research group receiving continuous priority funding for nine years. He has also led significant projects such as the Ministry of Science and Technology's 973 Basic Research Program (2006) and the National Science Foundation's Major Projects (2017, 2023). His achievements have been recognized with the International Commission on Stratigraphy's Individual Gold Medal (2019), the Second Prize of the National Natural Science Award (2010, ranked second), the Outstanding Returned Scholars Achievement Award (2002), the Li Siguang Geological Science Award (2015), and the Ho Leung Ho Lee Prize (2022).

Founded in 1888, the Geological Society of America is one of the world's oldest and most influential international academic organisations in the field of earth sciences. Its Honorary Fellowship, established in 1909, is intended to recognise scientists from outside North America who have long been engaged in outstanding scientific research, achieved original results, and made exceptional contributions to the development of international earth sciences. This honour places particular emphasis on candidates' original scientific discoveries and their role in advancing the discipline, and is one of the highest honours bestowed by the Geological Society of America upon international earth scientists.