The second World Young Scientist Summit (WYSS 2020) will be held in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province from Oct 18 to 19, according to a preparatory conference recently held in Hangzhou, the provincial capital.

The World Young Scientist Summit, jointly created and organized by the China Association for Science and Technology and the Zhejiang provincial government, is an annual event mainly targeting high-profile scientists below the age of 45 from across the globe. It has built close connections with around 20 international science and technology organizations.

The first World Young Scientist Summit is held in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province in October 2019. [Photo/ zj.zjol.com.cn]

The first WYSS was held in Wenzhou from Oct 26 to 27, 2019. Among the attendees were 109 academicians of science, including four Nobel Prize winners and one Turing Award winner, as well as young scientists from 102 countries and international organizations.

The second WYSS will focus on international issues such as poverty elimination, the environment, health, youth, the future, innovation, and education, as well as the role of technology in countering the COVID-19 pandemic. Major events during the second WYSS will include the opening ceremony, a round-table conference of young global leaders of science and technology, forums for scientists, a forum for presidents of Chinese and foreign universities, and a health sector forum.

The health forum, to be held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, will feature discussions on the building of a shared healthcare community for the human race.

"The health forum will not only teach students about the development trajectory of medical education and the medical profession following the coronavirus outbreak, but more importantly, will also put forward new ideas and strategies related to politics, economics, sanitation, and education from an international perspective for the post-pandemic era," said Li Xiaokun, president of Wenzhou Medical University and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

The first WYSS established a one-billion-yuan ($142 million) investment fund for innovative and entrepreneurial young scientists, and this year's summit will continue these efforts with the help of scientists, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists.