Polar Research Institute of China

Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) was founded in 1989. The institute coordinates Chinese polar research and makes available to national polar research the important infrastructure, e.g. the research ice breaker “Xuelong” and research stations in the Arctic and Antarctic. It carries out international cooperation and academic exchange activities. PRIC is Chinese research center in the field of comprehensive studies of the polar region. The institute is in charge of Key Laboratory of Polar Science of the State Oceanic Administration. Research at the institute focuses on: polar glaciology, polar oceanographic science, polar upper atmospheric physics, polar biological science and polar information platform. The institute has established Polar Snow Ice and Global Change Laboratory, Ionospheric Physics Laboratory, Auroral and Magnetospheric Physics Laboratory, Polar Organism Analytical Laboratory, Microorganism and Molecular Biology Analytical Laboratory, Biochemistry Analytical Laboratory, Polar Microbe Culture Collection and Shipboard Laboratory. PRIC is the polar information center of China. It is responsible for Chinese Polar Science Database, polar information network, National Polar Archives of China, Polar Library, polar sample database, polar science journals, Polar Popular Museum, etc. It provides public services.