The 13th International Palynological Congress / 9th International Organization of Palaeobotany Conference 2012 (IPC XIII / IOPC IX 2012) was convened August 23-30, 2012 at Chuo University in Tokyo, Japan. Prof. Zhou Zhekun and his research group of XTBG attended the meeting. The conference brought together 514 participants around the world.

The main theme of the IPC XIII / IOPC IX 2012 was “Palynology and Palaeobotany in the Century of the Environment”.

Prof. Zhou Zhekun co-organized the symposium “Uplift of the Himalaya and its impact on the climatic and biodiversity changes in East Asia” on August 29. He also delivered a keynote lecture entitled “Tibet, Monsoons and the vegetation of Asia: When did the Plateau attain its present elevation?”

Other XTBG participants (Dr. Frédéric M.B. Jacques, Dr. WANG Li, and Dr. SU Tao) also made oral presentations at the conference.