Recently, CAS commended 10 advanced groups and 30 advanced individuals that have made contribution to the popularization of science during the period of the 12th Five-Year Plan. Academician Hou Xun was honored with the title of "Advanced Worker of Scientific Communication of CAS".
Academician Hou Xun is a famous expert in photoelectronics, and also remarkable representative of transient optics and photoelectronics. During his 50 years of scientific research, as the major participant, academic leader, and presider, he successfully developed a series of electro-optical and photoelectronic high-speed camera, and obtained special grade of national prize for science and technology in 1985. He has repeatedly obtained national prize for science and technology, national innovation prize, and CAS prize for science and technology as the first achiever. He was honored with the title of "Young and Middle-Aged Expert with Outstanding Contribution" in 1984, "National Advanced Worker" in 1989, the first prize of Guanghua Foundation in 1996, prize for Heliang and Heli science and technology in 1999.
Academician Hou Xun attached great importance to the cultivation of young talents, and he has developed large quantity of scientific researchers for transient optics. He also concerned about the science popularization, and attached great importance to the cultivation of science knowledge and interest of youth. In recent years, he gave science popularization reports on transient optics, ultra-short pulse laser and its application, and high-speed photography and its application in Northwest University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an Polytechnic University, Xi'an Second Artillery Engineering University, Hanzhong Normal College, and Shangzhou Normal College. He also gave reports on "Optics and Us", "Be Ambitious and Cherish the Time" to teachers and students of Xi'an High School, Xi'an Middle School and Shangzhou Middle School.
In December 2002, Academician Hou Xun was honored with the title of "National Advanced Worker of Science Popularization" on the meeting of national science popularization conference.