Happy Holidays from the ISSI-BJ Team
Dear friends, colleagues and ISSI-BJ supporters more broadly,
As we are nearing the completion of yet another orbit around the Sun, this is the time of year when we can take the time to reflect on past achievements and look forward to a blank slate full of exciting opportunities. Many of us will take a well-deserved rest after a hectic year, while other colleagues may need to wait until February before they can enjoy the festivities and family time traditionally associated with lunar new year celebrations.
This is also my opportunity to pay tribute to all the hard work undertaken by our team at ISSI-BJ. Without the dedication and enthusiasm of Lijuan and Francesca, in particular, none of our numerous International Team meetings, Forums or Workshops would have been possible this past year. The team has been particularly active – and successful! – in organising our fourth international Space Science School, with our key partner APSCO (the Asia–Pacific Space Cooperation Organization) and our hosts, Sun Yat-sen University in Zhuhai, Guangdong. Thank you! Without the high-level oversight and administrative support from Xiaolong and Xiaoyu, ISSI-BJ would not have been able to support the large number of scientists we managed to host at our premises this year. We are indeed very fortunate in having such a dedicated team “on the ground”!
But none of this would have been possible without YOUR continued support! We need our community to engage with our activities to make them successful. Our next call for International Team proposals is due out in mid-January 2026, with a deadline for final proposals in March. Let us make this an exceptional round, with a record number of proposals from the ISSI-BJ diaspora. Indeed, let’s work together to surpass expectations!
Meanwhile, to those of you celebrating a festive period in late December, I wish you a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, a great Yuletide, a restful Yalda, or simply a peaceful break!
May the new year bring many new opportunities for growth and peace!
Richard de Grijs
