From April 26 to 29, 2024, the faculty members and students from the School of Materials Science and Engineering (PKU) conducted engineering practice and research in Shanghai and Jiangsu Province. The delegation, led by faculty members including Zou Ruqiang, Li Ming, Zhou Huanping, and Zhang Jingconsisted of nearly 60 representatives, including advanced engineering doctoral students, full-time engineering master's and doctoral students, and undergraduate students.
The delegation visited various sites for engineering practice and research, including BASF (China) Co., Ltd., G60 Innovation Valley of Yangtze River Delta, Shanghai Chemical Industry Park, Red Avenue New Materials Group Co., Ltd., Suzhou Rainbow Semiconductor Materials Technologies Co., Ltd., Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, Jiangsu Zenergy Battery Technologies Co., Ltd., and Toyota Intelligent Electric Vehicle R&D Center (China) Ltd. (IEM by TOYOTA).
BASF (China) Co., Ltd.
On the afternoon of April 26, Dr. Lou Jianfeng, Chairman and President of BASF Greater China, introduced the company's development history, production base layout in Greater China, research directions, and sustainable development goals to the faculty and students. Then, they visited BASF's exhibition center, Shanghai Innovation Park, and Pudong production base, engaging in in-depth discussions with technical personnel.
The delegation at BASF
G60 Innovation Valley of Yangtze River Delta
On the morning of April 27th, the faculty and students visited G60 Innovation Valley of Yangtze River Delta. Through on-site presentations, they gained a comprehensive understanding of the development plan for G60 Innovation Valley of Yangtze River Delta, as well as information on industry clusters such as integrated circuits, biomedicine, artificial intelligence, high-end equipment, and new energy vehicles.
The delegation at G60 Innovation Valley of Yangtze River Delta
Peking University Red Avenue Materials Science Forum
On the afternoon of April 27th, the "Peking University Red Avenue Materials Science Forum," hosted by Zhang Jin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and vice president of Peking University, officially commenced with enthusiastic interaction and a warm response from attending students and faculty members.
The Forum
Shanghai Chemical Industry Park
The group of faculty and students visited the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park, where they toured the Shanghai International Chemical Industry Innovation Center and the Emergency Response Center. Established as a national-level economic and technological development zone, the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park has undergone 28 years of development and construction. It has been recognized successively as a national demonstration base for new types of industrialization, an ecological industrial demonstration zone, a green park, an advanced unit in circular economy, and a pilot demonstration unit for smart chemical parks. It has also been honored with the "Special Contribution Award for Chinese Petroleum and Chemical Industrial Parks."
The delegation at Shanghai Chemical Industry Park
Red Avenue New Materials — Leading Material Innovation in High-End Manufacturing
The faculty and students visited Red Avenue New Materials Group, where Zhang Ning, a doctoral student from the 2022 cohort, serves as Chairman of the Board. The company is located in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park and operates multiple factories. Mr. Yuan Minjian and others from Red Avenue New Materials Group introduced the development and the projects of the company, especially in rubber chemicals for automotive tires and biodegradable materials. The faculty and students toured the factory production lines, laboratories, and control rooms, gaining valuable insights and experiences.
The delegation at Red Avenue New Materials Group
Suzhou Rainbow Semiconductor Materials Technologies Co., Ltd
On the morning of April 28th, the faculty and students visited Suzhou Rainbow Semiconductor Materials Technology Co., Ltd., where Ma Xiaoming, a doctoral student from the 2022 cohort in advanced engineering, serves as Chairman of the Board. The company is located at the headquarters in Suzhou Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone Pan-semiconductor Industry Park. Ma Xiaoming led the faculty and students on a tour of the exhibition hall, showcasing a complete set of imported testing and production equipment for ODF and LOCA, as well as the semiconductor research and development center and the construction site of Phase II semiconductor projects.
The delegation at Suzhou Rainbow Semiconductor Materials Technology Co., Ltd.
Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone
The faculty and students visited Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone. Lu Dingfeng briefed them on the situation in the free trade zone, emphasizing how the field of materials science and engineering aligns well with the development focus of the "4+4" key industrial chains, particularly in advanced (polymeric) materials. He expressed expectations for deepening exchanges between Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone and Peking University to advance cooperation in industry-academia-research integration and incubation of innovative enterprises.
The delegation at Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone
Jiangsu Zenergy Battery Technologies Co., Ltd.
On the afternoon of April 28th, the faculty and students visited Jiangsu Zenergy Battery Technology Co., Ltd., where Chen Jicheng, a doctoral student in advanced engineering from the 2022 cohort, serves as the president. The delegation toured the production base and headquarters showroom, gaining a firsthand experience of the operational processes of chemical production facilities. They were deeply impressed by the large-scale chemical equipment and industrial smart controls.
The delegation at Zenergy
IEM by Toyota — Toyota's Largest R&D Center in China
On April 29th, the faculty and students visited Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd., Smart Electric Vehicle R&D Center, where they learned about the center's overview, Toyota's strategic plans in new energy, major achievements, future research directions, and the profile of the Electrification Research Department. They also toured the test track and examined some product teardown diagrams.
The delegation at IEM by Toyota
This trip focused on innovation in engineering science and strategic management, with a particular emphasis on industrialization and commercialization pathways of high-tech innovations, as well as the construction of industrial ecosystems. It underscored the integration of disciplines to facilitate interdisciplinary exchanges among students. Through on-site visits to enterprises, the aim is to gain a deeper understanding of the current status and future development potential of engineering industries. This initiative seeks to promote a close integration of theoretical learning with practical application, thereby building bridges between academia and industry.
