The School of Engineering of Westlake University and QMES Conducted Academic Exchanges

On March 22, 2023, QMES invited Huang Jiaxing, Board member of Westlake University, Executive Deputy Director of the Research Center for Future Industries, and Chair Professor of the School of Engineering, and his colleagues to carry out a series of academic activities, which helped to broaden the horizon of teachers and students, highlighted cutting-edge scientific research, strengthened inter-school cooperation and exchanges, and explored the education mode of innovative talents. Other participants included Kong Jie, Dean of School of Foreign Studies of NPU; Fan Xiaoli, Dean of QMES; Cheng Yin, Deputy Secretary of the QMES Party Committee and Vice Dean; Zhou Yongcun, Assistant to the Dean of QMES; Wang Haihua, Professor of Shaanxi University of Science and Technology; and representatives of teachers and students of QMES.

At the meeting, Fan Xiaoli on behalf of QMES extended a warm welcome to Professor Huang and his delegation, and briefly introduced the Chinese-foreign cooperation in running schools of QMES from the aspects of development status, personnel training measures, teaching quality assurance and talent training achievements. Huang Jiaxing introduced Westlake University from five aspects: the education model, talent introduction, student training, scientific research and the Research Center for Future Industries. He said that Westlake University was a new type of higher education institution sponsored by social forces, supported by the state and led by top scientists, which focused on cultivating doctoral students, adhered to the development of targeted disciplines, centred on basic frontier scientific research and committed itself to make scientific breakthroughs. Kong Jie pointed out that both QMES and Westlake University are pioneers in higher education reform whose educational concepts are similar—cultivating interdisciplinary innovative talents with independent thinking ability, high comprehensive quality and a strong sense of social responsibility. With its advancement in recent years, the social influence of QMES is constantly expanding in the field of Chinese-foreign cooperative education, and its talent training achievements are remarkable. Huang Jiaxing mentioned that Zhang Sijie, a QMES graduate of the class of 2022 majoring in Polymer Materials and Engineering and bachelor-straight-to-doctorate student majoring in Materials Science and Engineering at Westlake University, joins Huang Jiaxing’s Research Group now. Her agile thinking and outstanding performance have been reported by Sohu Technology and other media.

At 7 p.m., Huang Jiaxing held an academic lecture titled “Materials Innovation for Better Living” in the lecture hall, which was presided over by Fan Xiaoli.

First, Kong Jie briefly introduced the academic background of Huang Jiaxing. Then Huang shared his ideas on materials science and engineering around a thinking paradigm — “the relationship of micro-structure and properties”, inspiring students to look at the world under the pandemic from the perspective of materials science, and contribute to the material innovation in personal health and public health security by virtue of materials science. In addition, based on his work experience at Northwestern University in the US, he suggested that students should take advantage of basic research to create new knowledge, materials and technologies, carefully observe the society, find and handle new scientific problems from different perspectives, and constantly improve their scientific literacy and professional ability.

Afterwards, Huang Jiaxing briefly introduced the School of Engineering of Westlake University and looked forward to the students’ coming to Westlake University for study. Finally, Huang Jiaxing communicated with the students, patiently answered their questions, and proposed valuable suggestions on their career development.

Owing to this visit, the teachers and students of QMES knew the educational philosophy of inclusiveness and innovation and the mode of talent training of Westlake University , the hot spots and achievements of frontier research of materials science, and the training approach of research logic from Huang Jiaxing, but also the social responsibility of the researchers, that wad, to undertake indispensable scientific research and devote to making breakthroughs of leading technology, so as to make outstanding contributions to the society, the country and even for all mankind. Fan Xiaoli noted that similar educational concepts were embodied at Westlake University and QMES, whose reform and innovation in the operation mechanism, foundation and scientific research exactly reflect the essence of higher education. QMES will continue to strengthen the exchange and cooperation with the School of Engineering of Westlake University, broaden the students’ research horizons and development paths, and strive to cultivate more interdisciplinary innovative talents with international vision, strong professional competitiveness and high comprehensive quality.

Text: Zhang Han, Tong Miaomiao, Yu Xinyue

Photo: Zhang Han, Liu Yuxin

Editor: Tang Yinwen

Translator: Liu Yang

Review: Cheng Yin