Peking University, September 29, 2026: On September 23, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) announced that Song Xiaodong, chair professor at the School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, was awarded the Inge Lehmann Medal and was elected an AGU Fellow.



The American Geophysical Union (AGU), the world’s largest non-profit scientific organization in Earth and space sciences, annually awards individuals who have made outstanding contributions to this field. Its Inge Lehmann Medal, launched in 1997, is widely recognized as one of the highest honors in the field of deep Earth research. 

Professor Song, a renowned geophysicist, has long been engaged in deep Earth exploration and seismology. He has made major discoveries in deep Earth structure and dynamics, including the inner core differential rotation, Earth's core structure, and lithospheric structure and deformation. In addition, he has led major national research projects and published over 150 papers. 

In recognition of his work, Professor Song has received several prominent honors such as the Doornbos Memorial Prize of the IUGG Committee on Studies of the Earth's Deep Interior (SEDI), the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) Distinguished Lectureship, and the first prize of the Science and Technology Innovation Award from the Chinese Geophysical Society. 

Furthermore, he has held key leadership roles in various geoscience organizations. Currently, he is the editor-in-chief of Earthquake Science, an open-access journal sponsored by the Seismological Society of China. He also serves as the chief scientist of the SinoProbe Lab of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences and chair of the Seismology Committee of the Seismological Society of China.

Professor Song is the first Chinese scientist to receive the Inge Lehmann Medal. This reflects the international scientific community's strong recognition of the contributions of Chinese scientists to deep Earth research.

Written by: Aishwarya Sapkota
Edited by: Leow Kai Lim, Chen Shizhuo
Source: PKU News (Chinese)