On May 30, the seventh National Science and Technology Workers' Day, the 3rd National Innovation Award Commendation Conference was held in Beijing. Professor Li Xiong from BFU was awarded National Award for Excellence in Innovation.

Professor Li Xiong, vice president of Beijing Forestry University and vice president of Chinese Society of Landscape Architecture, has been committed to teaching, research and practice of landscape architecture planning and design. He has presided over more than 100 key garden construction projects such as the "13th Five-Year Plan" National key Research and Development Project, the Landscape Design of Zhangjiakou Competition Area of Beijing Winter Olympic Games, and the master planning of the National Plant Museum Park. He has published more than 200 academic papers, drafted 8 national and industrial standards, and published 7 academic books. 

He has proposed the construction technology of rural ecological landscape and the evaluation method of ecological effects of urban green space, boosted the development of park cities, national garden cities and beautiful rural areas, promoting the high-quality development of human settlements. He has won a number of awards including the IFLA APR Award, the first prize of China Award for Science and Technology in Construction, the first prize of Planning and Design Award of China Engineering and Consulting Association. Besides, he was awarded Beijing Model Worker and Beijing Famous Teacher.

The National Innovation Award was jointly established by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the China Association for Science and Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council in 2017, and the selection and presentation of the Awards are held every three years. It is another important science and technology award approved by the State after the State Natural Science Award, the State Technological Invention Award and the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award. 

The Award, as an integral part of the national scientific and technological awarding system, is set up in recognition of individuals and groups who have made outstanding contributions to the scientific and technological innovation, including the world's scientific and technological frontiers, the main economic field, the major national needs, and the people's life, health and social services.