Zhou Youyuan

Zhou was born in Shanghai, on July 30, 1938, while his ancestral home was in Nanjing, Jiangsu.^[1] In 1960, he graduated from Peking University, where he majored in physics.^[1] He joined the faculty of the University of Science and Technology of China in 1960 and was promoted to professor in 1985.^[1] He served as director of its Center for Astrophysics from 1991 to 1995.^[1] In 1997, he became deputy director of the Academic Committee of the Open Laboratory for Cosmic Rays and High Energy Astrophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.^[1] On April 19, 2019, asteroid 120730 was named after him for his contribution to astronomy.^[2][3] On March 12, 2021, he died of illness in Beijing, at the age of 82.^[1]

• 1980 State Natural Science Award (Second Class)
• 1990 State Natural Science Award (Second Class)
• 2001 Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)