Recently, Professor Brian Fath, an internationally renowned ecologist from Towson University, senior researcher of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), and winner of the Prigozin Medal, visited BFU to carry out a series of academic exchanges including lectures and seminars at the invitation of the School of Grassland Science.

At the opening ceremony, the dean of the School of Grassland Science delivered an address welcoming Professor Brian Fath to Beijing Forestry University for scholarly dialogue and collaborative endeavors. He introduced the mission and strategic focus regarding the conservation, advancement, and application of grassland resources, both nationally and on an international scale. Brian Fath delivered a lecture entitled "Systems Ecology and Sustainability: Learning from Nature".

During the lecture series,  Brian Fath made a keynote presentation of "Ecosystem Complexity: Building Resilience under Global Change" and delivered a keynote speech for the English medium graduate course Ecosystem Analysis and Modeling offered by the School of Grassland Science, wherein he expounded upon methodologies pertaining to ecological network analysis.

During the visit, Brian Fath engaged in a series of scholarly deliberations and exchanges, encompassing topics such as "Academic Writing and Publishing within the Paradigm of Artificial Intelligence-Generated Content", "Forest and Grassland Big Data Application in Ecosystem Modelling", and participated in the author meet-and-greet and workshop associated with the English edition of the "Encyclopedia of Ecology" in China. These engagements facilitated profound interactions with faculty members, students, and industry specialists at Beijing Forestry University, fostering increased connectivity and mutual comprehension.

At the same time, Brian Fath facilitated an interactive dialogue over lunch with the students of the School of Grassland Science. During the activity, the students had a warm discussion on study, life and professional development with Brian Fath, and presented him with calligraphy works as tokens of appreciation. The participating students expressed that the experience was immensely educational, providing them with valuable insights and an opportunity to enhance their communication prowess with international scholars, thereby broadening their academic horizons.

The international exchange was funded by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs high-end Introduction program project "Forest and Grass Transition Zone Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation Cooperation Research" (No. G2023109009L), presided over by Li Zhouyuan of the School of Grassland Science.