The seminar on the project “Future Functional Materials under Extreme Conditions”, which focuses on basic research on new materials that could change people’s lives in the future, was held in Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) today. The project, led by Prof. Gong Xingao, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chancellor of GTIIT, and Prof. Daniel Tan from GTIIT’s Materials Science and Engineering Program, is expected to be selected for the 2021 Special Fund for the Cultivation of Science and Technology Innovation Project.

Today, GTIIT was studded with stars of science. Specialists and scholars from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and many famous universities – Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Jilin University, Xiamen University, Southern University of Science and Technology, etc. – presented at the seminar. The attendance included: Fang Zhong, Director of the Institute of Physics (IoP) and Academician of CAS; CAS Academician Wang Weihua, Director of the Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory; CAS Academician Duan Wenhui, Professor of Tsinghua University; RSC Academician Wang Quan, Executive Vice-President of Shantou University; Xia Qifeng, Director of Basic Research Division of the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province; Zhao Zhitao, Vice Mayor of Shantou; and the head of Shantou Science and Technology Bureau and other organizations. CAS Academician Sun Jun, Professor of Xi’an Jiaotong University; David Gershoni, Vice Chancellor of GTIIT and Wayne D. Kaplan, PVC for Academic Affairs of GTIIT attended online. CAS Academician Gong Xingao, Chancellor of GTIIT, presided over the seminar.

Prof. Daniel Tan from GTIIT Materials Science and Engineering Program, also the project manager, briefly introduced the research content, objectives, core members and budgets of the project. Heads of each module reported on the research plan, schedule, implementation and expected accomplishments.

The specialists and scholars reviewed the project and provided suggestions to further accelerate the project implementation from their professional perspectives.

Xia Qifeng, Director of Basic Research Division of the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, pointed out the positive role the project can play in studying the structure and nature of functional materials under extreme conditions as well as designing new materials for the future. He believed that the research can provide strong support for electronic and material industries in Guangdong and looked forward to their innovative results.

Zhao Zhitao, Vice Mayor of Shantou, affirmed the high-quality development of GTIIT in the field of scientific research and expected that GTIIT would take this opportunity to develop its own advantages and improve the quantity and quality of basic research results responding to Shantou’s industrial strategy. He said that Shantou Government will continue to support GTIIT to accelerate the implementation of the project.

Chancellor Gong Xingao thanked all parties for their support to GTIIT. He noted that, GTIIT has attached great importance to scientific research and innovation, and hoped to achieve further breakthroughs in scientific research applications. In terms of developing the project, he advocated deepening the provincial cooperation and enhancing the communications between laboratories and looked forward to more innovative and pioneering achievements.

Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs