The 6^thNational Virtual Geographical Environment Conference, jointly hosted by the Virtual Geographic Environment Committee, Chinese National Committee of International Society for Digital Earth (CNISDE-VGEC), Southwest Jiaotong University and other institutions, was successfully held in Chengdu City, Sichuan province from 4^thto 5^th, November, 2017. Professor Zhu Qing, a member of CNISDE and Deputy Director of the VGEC, served as the President of the Conference. More than 200 participants from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, colleges and universities, scientific research institutes and enterprises gathered in Chengdu. The purpose of this session was to provide with academic exchanges and cooperation platform for the virtual geographical environment workers and researchers, highlight academic, pay attention to the basic theory of virtual geographical environment and research methods, summarize and demonstrate the latest achievements in the research of virtual geographical environment in China in recent years, and actively promote the development of basic theory, technology and application in the field of virtual geographical environment.

In order to encourage and recognize outstanding young scholars and students, the conference selected the Youth excellent paper, and the director of the Virtual Geographical Environment Professional Committee, Professor Lin Hui gave awards for 6 outstanding paper winners. Dr. Li Wei, whose supervisor was Professor Zhu Jun, won the Outstanding Youth Thesis award.