On September 12, Academician Hou Zengqian, deputy director of the committee of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, led an expert team to Central South University to conduct the on-site inspection of the basic science center project of "Resources and Environment Management Theory and Application in the Digital Economy Era" with Academician Chen Xiaohong, the Honorary Dean of our school,   as the project leader. Zhu Zhongming, Vice Governor of People's Government of Hunan Province, and Academician Tian Hongqi, President of Central South University attended the on-site inspection meeting. Members and leaders and supporting units (cooperative units) of the People's Government of Hunan Province, Central South University, project team attended the meeting. Yang Liexun and Liu Zuoyi, deputy directors of the Management Science Department of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, chaired the feedback meeting and on-site inspection meeting respectively.

Academician Tian Hongqi introduced the advantages of Central South University and the project team in the management of digital economy resources and environment. Academician Hou Zengqian introduced the reform and development of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the positioning and implementation principles of the Basic Science Center. Vice Governor Zhu Zhongming pointed out that the basic science center projects are of high level, great effect, and deep influence, with significant strategic leadership, scientific and technological originality, and cutting-edge breakthroughs, and they play an important role in the promotion of our country's innovation-driven strategy. Zhou Kechao, vice president of Central South University, briefly introduced the overall situation of the university. Yang Liexun, deputy director of the Management Science Department of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, introduced the content, format and requirements of the inspection.

The project leader, Academician Chen Xiaohong, gave a detailed introduction of the overall situation of the “Resources and Environmental Management Theory and Application in the Digital Economy Era” project from the five aspects of "research background and significance", "key scientific issues and center construction goals", "research content, technical routes and innovation points", "research team and advantages", and "center construction implementation plan", and indicated that with the guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thought of "Three Directions" for scientific and technological innovation, she will keep in mind the mission of the Basic Science Center, and center on the goal of “three highlands” proposed by the National Natural Science Foundation of China to promote the formation of “original scientific theories”, “breakthrough technological methods”, “national decision-making platforms,” “international top think tanks,” “intersecting new disciplines,” and “world-class talent teams”, construct the top domestic and international leading resource and environmental intelligent management theory and method system, so as to provide a solid scientific foundation for ecological civilization and the construction of a beautiful China, provide a typical demonstration for China's safe, green and high-quality development, and contribute Chinese wisdom to the realization of global sustainable development under the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.

After carefully listening to the project report, the expert group conducted in-depth discussions with the project team members, and put forward constructive opinions on refining key scientific issues and highlighting interdisciplinary integration. Subsequently, the expert team conducted group interviews with key members of the project team, supporting units and management personnel of cooperative units on the status of the team, research work foundation, scientific research conditions and cross-integration, and implementation of relevant conditions of the supporting unit, and went to the Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education of Nonferrous Metallurgy Automation of Central South University and the Big Data Research Center of Hunan University of Technology and Business.

After thorough discussion, the expert group agreed that the project is oriented to the frontiers of world science and technology and major national strategic needs. The research content is innovative, the implementation foundation is good, the plan is highly feasible, the scientific research conditions and the hardware and software environment are good. It is recommended to start the project.

It is reported that the Basic Science Center project is the National Natural Science Foundation of China's highest-positioned science fund project so far, and was piloted by the National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2016. The project aims to concentrate and integrate domestic superior scientific research resources, focus on the frontiers of international science, give full play to the advantages and characteristics of the science fund system, produce a batch of international leading level original achievements, seize the commanding heights of international scientific development, and form several important international influential academic highland. The "Resources and Environmental Management Theory and Application in the Digital Economy Era" project is led by Academician Chen Xiaohong, relies on Central South University, and is jointly applied by the Institute of Mineral Resources of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences and Shanghai Jiaotong University. Hunan University of Technology and Business, China Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research participate as collaborative units. The project successfully passed the on-site inspection and is expected to become the first Basic Science Center project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China in Hunan Province.