People’s Republic Of China Minister Of Education To Visit Penn State
Nov. 14, 2000
University Park, Pa. --- Chen Zhili, the Minister of Education for the People's Republic of China, will be visiting Penn State's University Park campus Nov. 16-17.

As the highest-ranking education official, she is visiting several universities in the United States along with a delegation. While at Penn State, they are scheduled to meet with students, faculty, administrators and University trustees, as well as tour the World Campus and the Materials Research Laboratory.

Minister Chen also will give a lecture on "China's Higher Education in the 21st Century" on Thursday, Nov. 16 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. in Ballroom C of The Nittany Lion Inn. The lecture is open to the public. A reception will follow immediately.

A researcher in ferroeletric and piezoelectric materials and devices, she is author and chief editor of 12 books in the area of science, culture and philosophy.

Minister Chen received a B.S degree from Fudan University in 1964 and an M.S. from the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1968. She was a visiting scholar at the Penn State Materials Research Laboratory from 1980-82.

Prior to her current appointment, Minister Chen had served as Vice Minister of the State Education Commission (1997-98) and earlier, as Vice Mayor of Shanghai Municipal Government (1988-97).