On April 23rd, at the 2nd UN Ocean Decade Regional Conference & 11th WESTPAC International Marine Science Conference held in Bangkok, Thailand, Professor Li Daoji from East China Normal University was honored with the WESTPAC Outstanding Scientist Award (OSA 2024) for his outstanding scientific contributions and leadership in the field of marine plastic and microplastic research in the region.

　　Professor Li Daoji currently serves as a government advisor in Shanghai. He is a professor at the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research at East China Normal University, executive director of the Hainan Research Institute, deputy director of the Resources and Environment Special Committee of the Jiusan Society Central Committee, chairman of the Shanghai Society of Oceanology and Limnology, director of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission's Regional Training and Research Center on Marine Plastic Debris and Microplastics, and a member of the International Scientific Committee of the UN Ocean Conference's special event "ONE OCEAN Marine Science Conference".

　　Professor Li is dedicated to marine scientific research and has been continuously recognized as a top-cited scientist in the field of marine science by Elsevier, Clarivate Analytics, and the "Top 2% Scientists for Lifetime Achievements" in Earth and Environmental Sciences.

　　The IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) was established in 1989 by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC/UNESCO) to promote international cooperation and to coordinate programmes in marine research, ocean observations and services, as well as capacity building in the Western Pacific and adjacent seas, in order to learn more about the nature and resources of the ocean and coastal areas and to apply that knowledge for the improvement of governance, sustainable development and protection of the marine environment.

　　WESTPAC currently consists of 22 Member States mainly in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Pacific and the eastern Indian Ocean, with membership open to all interested Member States of IOC/UNESCO willing to participate actively in the work of the Sub-Commission.

　　WESTPAC defines its strategic direction based on priority interests of the Member States in the region, and implements its programmes and activities through strong partnerships with national competent agencies, marine scientific institutes, universities and other international organizations or programmes in the region.

　　Initiated during the 9th WESTPAC International Scientific Symposium in 2014 in Vietnam, the WESTPAC Outstanding Scientist Award was established in recognition and appreciation of those marine scientists for their long-term dedication to regional marine science development and cooperation in the region. A total of 13 scientists from different marine science research fields have received the honor (2014, 2017, and 2024) since its establishment.