Aaron Ciechanover and Avram Hershko, both winners of 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and the other four Nobel laureates earned Friday the Einstein Professorship of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The group of 15 prominent scientists, including 1997 Nobel winner in physics Claude Cohen-Tannoudji,2002 Nobel winner in physics Koshiba Masatoshi, 2002 Nobel winner in physiology or medicine John Sulston, 2002 Nobel winner in economics Daniel Kahneman and 1980 Turing laureate Tony Hoare, are scheduled in 2006 to carry out academic exchanges with Chinese scientists.

The CAS launched the program in 2004 for financing about 20 global leading scientists to deliver speeches and hold discussions for about two weeks in China.

Candidates might be among Nobel laureates and other top science prize winners in maths, computing science and environment.

The CAS will also arrange visiting scholarship, ranging from three to six months, of leading Chinese scientists to world-famous research bodies.

The CAS invited 13 scientists for the Einstein Professorship in 2005. German scientist Erwin Neher, who earned 1991 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, unveiled the program in March with an insightful speech and several discussions with Chinese scientists.

Dr. Chen Liangyi, a researcher working at the CAS Institute of Biophysics who attended a discussion with Prof. Neher, said, those big names such as Prof. Neher might give Chinese scientists good research advice and strategic guidance.

The CAS sources said the academy will pay those Einstein Professors in accordance with international standards.

(Xinhua News Agency September 9, 2005)