On September 17th, the 2022 opening ceremony of The School of Materials Science and Engineering of Peking University (PKU) was held in room 101 of Boya Philosophy Building. The Vice President of Peking University, the Dean of the Materials Science and Engineering, the Dean of Shenzhen Graduate School, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Jin Zhang, Director of Materials Science and Engineering Academic Committee, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Yue Zhang, the Chairman of Materials Science and Engineering Academic Degree Committee, Professor Dingguo Xia, the School’s Party and Administration group, all faculty members, and freshmen students attended the event. Professor Ruqiang Zou, the Secretary of the School’s Party Committee, hosted the ceremony.
The opening ceremony
The ceremony open with the solemn national anthem. Professor Ruqiang Zou extended his warm welcome and sincere congrats to the new MSE students.
Academician Professor Jin Zhang, the Dean of Materials Science and Engineering, brought the “First Class” of School of Material Science and Engineering about the Construction and Development of Material Science and Engineering of Peking University under the background of “New Engineering”. Academician Professor Jin Zhang pointed out many global challenges, such as the lack of natural resources, which has been a key challenge for human survival and sustainable development; A new round of technological and industrial revolution is poised to take off, and innovation-driven development has become the core strategy for many countries to seek their competitive edge. As a significant part of China’s strategic scientific strength, high-level scientific research universities should accelerate the construction of new engineering disciplines in order to achieve technological self-reliance. The construction of new engineering disciplines is a great strategic allocation plan in PKU in order to serve the national strategy better, improve competency, and cultivate more innovative talents in the new era. This is the inheritance of the cross-discipline of science and engineering and the “promoting engineering with science” tradition. The School of Materials Science and Engineering of Peking University follows China’s “Four Dimensions” of technological development policy while maintaining the advantage of PKU’s solid academic foundation and interdisciplinary superiority. We are going to make it great in this significant era! Academician Professor Jin Zhang specifically introduced the discipline’s constructional position and the goal of the School of Materials Science and Engineering starting with five “key materials” and encouraged all students to thrive to be a “material new youth” who could take the responsibility of the time, to be a “bilingual” of science and engineering, to be an “explorer” of cutting-edge science problems, and to be a “pilot” of high-tech industries. Zhang also encouraged students to root themselves in China while facing the world, to be a role models in solving the country’s great needs, to set a good example of making breakthroughs in technology, to welcome the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China with excellent performance, to keep striving for “the second 100 years plan”, and to fulfill the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.
Professor Jin Zhang giving “the first class”
There are 31 research master students and 22 engineering PhD students joining the School of Material Science this year. Among these students, there are 12 bachelor students who have chosen their major as material science, officially devoted themselves to this discipline. Yanrun Chen and Jingyi Wang, the research master students of 2022, and Di Wu, the engineering doctorate student, gave a speech on behalf of freshmen. Yanrun Chen shared his experience with material science starting with the preparation of special steel material used on Bird’s Nest Stadium. At the beginning of this semester, he had become a doctoral student, and he hoped that he can transform from “someone who gained knowledge” to “someone who utilized knowledge”, to fulfill their best dream through efforts and to make real benefits to all people. Jingyi Wang shared the same insight about material science with Yanru Chen. She said that the research and study experience during her master’s degree study gave her a better understanding on what “down-to-earth” means, not only in work, but also in attitudes. Preparation decides future, “Materialers” have significant responsibilities to take. She hoped to study further from various experts in more fields, to learn the preparation industry needed, to be the link of research and engineering, and to practically solve some industrial problems. Di Wu, as a first-year doctoral student recommended by China Rare Earth Group, from the perspective of a practioner of Rare Earth industry, shared the achievements China material and manufacturing industry had made and the difficulties faced in the industrialized process. He expressed the hope to continue studying in this ultimate hall of rare earth research, to keep promoting innovation of engineering technologies as his goal, to strive to follow the steps of his predecessors, to keep the original intention and mission in mind, and to attain the dream at PKU.
The representative of new students giving the speech
At this great moment, the school held the award ceremony in honor of the Presidential Scholarship of PKU 2022, which was conferred by the dean of the Material Science and Engineering Academic Committee, Professor Yue Zhang, and the Chairman of the Material Science and Engineering Degree Community, Professor Dingguo Xia. They encouraged the students to keep up their efforts to make outstanding achievements again.
Professor Yue Zhang and Professor Dingguo Xia giving the award of the President’s Scholarship of PKU 2022
Li Lin, the representative of the faculty member and the representative of the freshman class supervisor, sent warm wishes to the freshmen as both a senior schoolmate and a teacher. He encouraged the students to practice their research skills, conquer the “bottleneck” in research, keep curiosity and maintain their desire for knowledge, keep pursuing the unknown, produce useful research, develop valuable and practical materials, take on national responsibilities and become a real talent.
The faculty’s representative and the teacher in charge of the freshman students, Li Lin giving the speech
Subsequently, Academician Professor Jin Zhang, the dean of the School of Material Science and Engineering, handed out the letter of appointment to the teacher in charge of the freshman students, Professor Jinhu Dou and Li Lin.
Professor Jin Zhang handing out the letter of appointment to the teacher in charge of the freshman
The dean of the School of Material Science and Engineering, Professor Jin Zhang, director of Material Science and Engineering Academic Committee, Professor Yue Zhang, the winner of Beijing Excellent Teacher 2022, Professor Qian Wang, the winner of Moral Education Award of Peking University 2022, Professor Xiaowei Zhan, the winner of Cai Yuanpei aesthetic education Scholarship of Peking University, Professor Anyuan Cao, the winner of NG Teng Fong/ Sino Scholarship for Outstanding Youth, Professor Yuefu Cao all presented the emblems to the new student delegates together. The faculty members and students put on the emblem which represented the honor and mission of the School of Material Science and Engineering with the university song Yan Yuan Qing.
The faculty’s representatives presenting the emblems to the new student delegates
Thus, the opening ceremony of the School of Material Science and Engineering of Peking University had come to a successful conclusion.
