Prof. Michel Che was invited to deliver a Molecular Science Frontier Lecture titled Bridging the gap between homo- and heterogeneous catalysis: solid oxides as supermolecular ligands on June 9, 2013, at the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ICCAS). Prof. Lanqun Mao, deputy Director of ICCAS awarded him the certificate and medal of Molecular Science Frontier Lecture Professorship.

Prof. Michel Che (born in Lyon, France) completed his doctorate in 1968 at the University of Lyon and studied as a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University (1969–71). He was appointed professor at University of Paris VI: Pierre et Marie Curie in 1975 and Senior Member of the Institut Universitaire de France in 1995.

His research activity has been largely devoted to catalysis processes involving gas–solid, liquid–solid and solid–solid interfaces. He has pioneered a molecular approach to heterogeneous catalysis, based on transition elements taken as probes, specific isotopes and physical techniques, which provided him with an original position in the field. His work has led to around 400 publications in international journals.

Prof. Michel Che's awards include: J. H. Van't Hoff (Netherlands), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Japan), M. Sklodowska-Curie and P. Curie (Poland), A. Joannides and P. Sue (France), Von Humboldt – Gay-Lussac (Germany). He is Doctor honoris causa of several universities (Cracow, Poland; Lisbon, Portugal; Bucharest, Romania) and member of several high-ranking academies (e.g. Academia Europaea, Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina).