From July 16 to 19, 2021, the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering(SCCE) hosted the 5th Symposium on New Functional Materials in Hohhot City. Invited to the symposium are over 120 leading chemical experts and scholars including 1 academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11 National Young Distinguished Scholars, over 20 National Excellent Young Scientists and scholars included in the 1000 Young Leading Scholars Program and Changjiang Scholars Program of the Ministry of Education. The symposium centered round the latest developments in the field of new functional materials.

Prof. Gu Xiaojun, deputy dean of SCCE who is now in charge of the school, presided over the opening ceremony of the symposium. Zhang Liping, secretary of IMU Discipline Inspection Commission of the CPC and commissioner of IMU Committee of Supervisory, delivered a welcome speech. He warmly welcomed the experts and scholars present at the symposium on behalf of IMU and gave an all-around introduction to IMU’s history, disciplines and undergraduate and graduate programs, scientific research, “First-Class-Discipline” construction and scientific innovation. Then, Tang Benzhong, dean of the School of Science and Engineering of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, made an important speech.

Zhang Liping, secretary of IMU Discipline Inspection Commission and commissioner of IMU Committee of Supervisory, delivers a welcome speech.

Tang Benzhong, dean of the School of Science and Engineering of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, makes a speech.

Prof. Gu Xiaojun, deputy dean of SCCE, presides over the opening ceremony of the symposium.

42 experts including Prof. Li Zhen with Tianjin University, Prof. Chen Yiwang with Jiangxi Normal University, Prof. Zhan XiaoWei with Peking University, Prof. Wan Xinhua with Peking University, Prof. Sun Jingzhi with Zhejiang University, Prof. Lv Chao with Beijing University of Chemical Technology and Prof. Ding Dan with Nankai University, gave their excellent academic reports concerning such multi-functional materials as aggregation-induced emission materials, macromolecular materials, nano materials, phosphor materials, polymer materials and nucleic acid. They also had profound exchanges and discussions with others present at the symposium.

Wang Jianguo, research fellow with SCCE, presided over the closing ceremony of the symposium. Doctor Song Guanqun, who is in charge of the publication issues of Royal Society of Chemistry(RSC) of the U.K. in Greater China Area, announced the RSC Excellent Academic Reports List. Tang Benzhong, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, conferred the RSC Excellent Report Award on the awardees. At last the symposium came to an end with the concluding remarks of Tang Benzhong.

Doctor Song Guanqun, who is in charge of the publication issues of Royal Society of Chemistry of the U.K. in Greater China Area, announced the RSC Excellent Academic Report List.

Ceremony for conferring RSC Excellent Academic Report Award

Before the symposium kicked off, the SCCE held the Taoli Academic Forum where Tang Benzhong, dean of the School of Science and Engineering of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shengzhen and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was invited to give a special academic report themed “Aggregate Science—Stemming from Molecules but More than Molecules”. The academic report was given both online and offline simultaneously and altogether 51,000 viewers watched the report online.

Tang Benzhong, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, gives an academic report at the Taoli Academic Forum of SCCE.

During the symposium, another symposium on the “14th-Five-Year Plan” of SCCE was held. Gu Xiaojun, deputy dean of SCCE gave an all-around introduction to the school’s history, teaching staff, talent training, research platforms, future development plan and its weaknesses. Prof. Zhu Baohua, deputy director of the Division of Science and Technology of IMU, had an exchange with the scholars in the specialized programs for improving IMU’s scientific research innovation capability. The scholars present at the symposium fully affirmed the achievements SCCE has made in recent years and gave SSCE their valuable comments and suggestions on the high-quality talent training, scientific research directions, establishment of high-level research platforms and mechanism and system innovation during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.

Symposium on the 14th Five-Year Plan of SCCE

The successful symposiums not only set up the platform for the exchange of the latest developments of new functional materials but also are important in improving the fame of IMU in the field and advancing the high-quality development of chemistry as “First-Class Discipline”.