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Jun Yang Named Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of The Rockefeller University as Paula Volent Transitions to Senior Advisor Role

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NEW YORK, June 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Rockefeller University today announced that Jun Yang has been named vice president and chief investment officer (CIO) of the University. Yang, who comes to Rockefeller from Oberlin College, will assume stewardship of the biomedical university’s $3.0 billion endowment starting July 1, 2026.

Yang succeeds current vice president and CIO Paula Volent who is stepping back from her full-time role and will continue to serve the University on a part-time basis as senior advisor. During her term as CIO, Volent guided the university through unprecedented challenges while building a highly talented team and realizing strong returns while maintaining the financial flexibility needed to support our scientific mission. Drawing on decades of experience and relationships across the investment world, she also opened the door to a number of highly sought-after investment opportunities that will benefit Rockefeller for years to come.

Yang comes to Rockefeller with more than 20 years of experience, effectively leading institutional investment programs and managing multi-billion-dollar endowments at Oberlin and previously at the Weizmann Trust which manages the investments and philanthropic assets for the Weizmann Institute of Science.

“Jun is an exceptional investment leader whose experience, judgment, and track record make him uniquely suited to guide Rockefeller’s endowment into its next chapter,” said Richard P. Lifton, Rockefeller’s president. “He inherits an extraordinarily strong foundation built by Paula, whose outstanding leadership has helped position Rockefeller to thrive amid a rapidly changing landscape for biomedical research. At a moment when the funding environment for science faces growing uncertainty, the stewardship of our endowment has never been more important. We are grateful for Paula’s years of outstanding service, and are delighted to welcome Jun to the university, providing a smooth transition and continued strength in this vital role.”

Yang earned his MBA from Cornell University, a Master of Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, and his bachelor’s in engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

“Rockefeller occupies a unique place in the scientific world, and I am honored by the opportunity to join an institution with such an extraordinary history of discovery and impact,” said Yang. “I am excited to help steward the university’s endowment in service of Rockefeller’s mission, and I am fortunate to inherit a high-performing investment program built by Paula Volent, whose leadership has positioned the endowment for continued success. I look forward to working closely with Paula and with Rockefeller’s trustees, leadership, faculty, and staff to build on that foundation and ensure the university has the resources and financial strength to pursue groundbreaking science for generations to come.”

“Paula was already widely regarded as one of the nation’s premier chief investment officers when she joined Rockefeller, and over the past five years she has delivered outstanding results for the university,” said Bill Ford, chair of Rockefeller’s Board of Trustees. “Her leadership strengthened Rockefeller’s financial foundation at a time when support for scientific research is more important than ever, and I am grateful that she has agreed to remain involved as Senior Advisor to ensure a seamless transition. At the same time, I am equally excited to welcome Jun Yang, whose distinguished record of endowment stewardship and long-term investment success makes him an outstanding choice to lead Rockefeller’s Investment Office into the future.”

About The Rockefeller University
The Rockefeller University is the world’s leading biomedical research university and is dedicated to conducting innovative, high-quality research to improve the understanding of life for the benefit of humanity. The university’s unique approach to science has led to some of the world’s most revolutionary and transformative contributions to biology and medicine. During Rockefeller’s 125-year history, our scientists have won 26 Nobel Prizes, 26 Albert Lasker Medical Research Awards, and 20 National Medals of Science.

Media contact:
Katherine Fenz
kfenz@rockefeller.edu

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SOURCE The Rockefeller University

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China Xplained | The China Squeeze, or the China Opportunity?

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GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This is a news report from South: 

Is China’s manufacturing rise squeezing out or creating opportunities for other economies?

Ahead of the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in China this November, journalists and experts from around the world gathered in Guangdong for the Asia-Pacific Media Forum (APMF) 2026.

The forum opened in Shenzhen on September 5, bringing together more than 400 representatives from across the Asia-Pacific region, as well as from international organizations.

Before the opening of the forum, participants travelled across Guangdong to see China’s industries and development first-hand.

In this episode of China Xplained, we look at the numbers, supply chains, investment and voices from across the developing world—to ask a bigger question: Is China squeezing out room for other economies?

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-xplained–the-china-squeeze-or-the-china-opportunity-302870814.html

SOURCE South

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PUDU D7 Named Honoree in IFA Innovation Awards for Best in IFA Next & Emerging Technologies

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BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pudu Robotics, a global leader in commercial service robotics, today announced that its PUDU D7 Semi-humanoid Intelligent Robot has been named an Honoree in the Best in IFA Next & Emerging Technologies category of the IFA Innovation Awards. The recognition highlights PUDU D7’s ability to combine mobile navigation, dexterous manipulation and intelligent sensing to perform a range of tasks in real-world industrial and commercial environments.

The IFA Innovation Awards recognize outstanding innovations across the global technology landscape. Entries are evaluated by an independent international jury based on criteria including technology and functionality, innovation and originality, and the potential to create tangible value for users and the market. The recognition places PUDU D7 among emerging technologies demonstrating new possibilities for the future of robotics.

From Industrial Operations to Guest Interaction

PUDU D7 is designed for industrial, warehouse, retail and hospitality environments, where it can move through human-oriented spaces and perform tasks that require both mobility and dexterous manipulation.

In industrial and warehouse settings, D7 can handle materials, pick items from shelves, replenish inventory, transport goods between work areas and push carts. With a payload capacity of up to 20 kg (44.1 pounds) and an operating height of up to 2 meters (6.6 feet), it can work with a range of storage systems and materials.

In retail, D7 can support shelf replenishment, item handling and store organization, moving products between storage areas and shelves and helping maintain product displays.

In hotels and hospitality, PUDU D7 can take on the role of an intelligent front-desk host, welcoming guests, preparing and serving coffee, interacting with visitors and providing engaging experiences. Its semi-humanoid form and dual-arm capabilities allow it to combine practical service tasks with natural human-robot interaction, bringing a more personable and engaging presence to the guest experience.

Designed for Adaptable Performance

PUDU D7 combines a dual-arm manipulation system, tactile sensing and a 360-degree perception system to support these applications. Front- and rear-facing LiDAR and other sensors enable navigation around people and obstacles, while tactile sensing provides precise control when handling objects.

The robot also features autonomous battery swapping, allowing it to independently replace its battery and reduce downtime during extended operation.

Together, these capabilities enable D7 to support different tasks across a range of environments without being limited to a single application.

PUDU D7 Makes Its European Debut at IFA

IFA 2026 marks the first time PUDU D7 is being showcased in Europe. At the Pudu Robotics booth, visitors can experience live demonstrations highlighting the robot’s capabilities and its potential for human-robot interaction.

D7 interacts directly with visitors through demonstrations including waving, making heart gestures and picking up objects. These demonstrations showcase the robot’s ability to combine movement, manipulation and interaction in a human-oriented environment.

Advancing the Next Generation of Intelligent Robotics

The IFA Innovation Awards recognition marks another step in Pudu Robotics’ expansion from service delivery, commercial cleaning and industrial delivery into embodied intelligent robotics.

PUDU D7 is part of Pudu Robotics’ broader strategy to develop a portfolio of specialized, semi-humanoid and humanoid robots, building on its capabilities in embodied navigation, manipulation and interaction. This approach enables the company to address a broader range of applications across commercial and industrial environments.

Pudu Robotics will continue working with customers and partners worldwide to explore new applications for embodied intelligence and bring increasingly capable robots into real-world environments.

About Pudu Robotics

Pudu Robotics is a global leader in commercial service robotics and the industry’s first company to offer a full portfolio spanning specialized, semi-humanoid, and humanoid robots. According to Frost & Sullivan’s latest market report, Pudu Robotics ranks No. 1 globally in commercial service robotics by both revenue and shipment volume. Built on its One Brain, Multiple Embodiments architecture, Pudu offers robots for service delivery, commercial cleaning, industrial delivery, and general embodied AI applications across hospitality, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, education, public services, and more. To date, Pudu Robotics has shipped over 130,000 robots to customers across 85+ countries and regions.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pudu-d7-named-honoree-in-ifa-innovation-awards-for-best-in-ifa-next–emerging-technologies-302870806.html

SOURCE Pudu Robotics

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Asia-Pacific Media Forum held in China’s Guangdong

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SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from Xinhuanet: 

The Asia-Pacific Media Forum opened on Saturday in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, with the theme of “Building a Path to Shared Prosperity for the Asia-Pacific Community: Media Consensus and Action.”

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the forum and delivered a keynote speech. Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, attended the forum and delivered a speech.

Participating guests noted that this year marks 2026 APEC “China Year,” during which China will host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. They expressed their belief that with support from all sides, the summit will yield fruitful outcomes and elevate Asia-Pacific cooperation to new heights.

Participating guests emphasized that development and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region depend on the active participation of media. The media are expected to share stories of openness and integration, provide comprehensive coverage of the region’s progress and achievements across various fields, and help foster a favorable public opinion environment for the region’s open development.

Participating guests noted that the media should actively promote outcomes of the series of APEC activities, interpret policies and measures of various economies to support scientific and technological innovation, and build regional consensus for innovative development.

They also called for deepening results-oriented cooperation in joint reporting, technological innovation and personnel training, and leveraging media exchanges to carry forward civilizations, spread culture and convey goodwill, so as to enhance mutual understanding and closer bonds among the peoples of the Asia-Pacific.

The forum was co-hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, Xinhua News Agency and the Guangdong provincial government, and organized by the Shenzhen municipal government.

More than 400 representatives from over 40 countries and regions, as well as UN agencies and international organizations, attended the event. At the opening ceremony, 16 founding organizations from China and abroad jointly formed the Organizing Committee of the Asia-Pacific Media Partnership Program.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/asia-pacific-media-forum-held-in-chinas-guangdong-302870809.html

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