Zhang is a Professor at the Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. Gan-Lin Zhang is Senior Research Scientist and deputy Head of Department of Soil Resources and Remote Sensing Applications, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is also Professor of Soil Science of the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences. He holds a PhD in soil science and has served in the Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences since then. In 1994-1995 he spent one year at the University of Kiel, Germany as a visiting scholar and, in 1998 and 2000 as visiting professor at the University of Essen, Germany. He has visited more than 20 countries for academic purpose, including conference, collaboration and academic exchange. Dr. Zhang’s research area covers soil genesis, classification, soil mapping, and soil information system, as well as urban soils. In soil genesis sector, he has systematically investigated paddy soils of different origins in China and illustrated the formation mechanisms of paddy soils under various soil landscapes. As the co-leader of Chinese Soil Taxonomy project, he has devoted to the establishment of a taxonomic classification system in China, which has won wide attraction and application. Cooperating with ISRIC and local scientists, he has convened the soil and terrain study in China. By collecting existed data and investigating new areas he is on the way of building a new national soil inventory. He has published more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals and co-authored several books on soil genesis, classification and soil resources of China. He is now serving the Chair of the Committee of Soil Genesis, Classification and Geography, Chinese Soil Science Society. The plans for the work in the division respectively commission in the IUSS: Within the service term, the major plans include promoting: 1) academic activities of the commission and of the inter-commissions by organizing international workshops and conferences, 2) knowledge dissemination by organizing international community by publications as well as international cooperation.