A prominent physical chemist and nanomaterial expert, Dr. HOU has made significant contributions in synthesis and characterization of nanomaterial and nanostructures, physical and chemical properties of single molecules and their assemblies, and scanning tunnel microscopy.

He studied physics at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) from 1978, completing his Bachelor degree in 1983 and then received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in 1986 and 1989, respectively.

From 2008 to 2015, Dr. HOU held the position as President of USTC until he became Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST). Afterwards, he worked successively in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine from 2016 to 2017. In 2018 He was appointed as Vice President (full ministerial level) of CAS.

He was elected CAS Member in 2003 and Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS) in 2004. He is also Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry of UK.

Dr. HOU holds a series of awards and honors, among which the most prestigious are the National Natural Science Award (second-class) of China, the Holeung Ho Lee Advancement Prize, the TAN KAH KEE Science Award (Chemistry), and the Distinguished Award of CAS.

Dr. HOU is Executive President of the Presidium of Academic Divisions.