From October 24 to 26, The Fourth Peking University “Boya M-Talents” International Doctoral Academic Forum of Materials Science was successfully held at the New Yanyuan Campus of Peking University. Guided by the Graduate School of Peking University, the forum was jointly organized by the School of Materials Science and Engineering (referred to as “the School”) and the School of New Materials at the Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School. The forum brought together more than 100 outstanding doctoral students from China and abroad, as well as representatives from academia and industry. Through a variety of formats—including keynote lectures, parallel sessions, poster presentations, and career development dialogues—participants engaged in in-depth discussions on interdisciplinary integration and frontier developments in materials science.

(Group photo)

On the morning of October 25, the opening ceremony of the forum was held at the Academic Exchange Center of the New Yanyuan Campus and was co-hosted by postdoctoral fellows Dong Zhaoqi and Xie Ying from the School. The ceremony opened with a card magic performance themed “Ever-Changing Transformations,” which ingeniously echoed the boundless possibilities and innovative appeal of the microscopic world of materials science.

(A card magic performance by Xin Guanjie)

In his remarks, Li Ming, Party Secretary of the School of Materials Science and Engineering, reviewed a series of achievements made by the School in disciplinary development and the establishment of national-level research platforms, guided by its ethos of “solid fundamentals with aspirations reaching both earth and sky.” He noted that the recently held Global Deans’ Forum on Materials Science further demonstrated the School’s commitment to deeply integrating into the global innovation network.He also emphasized that the forum is dedicated to building a high-level exchange platform for outstanding doctoral students worldwide, encouraging young scholars to transcend disciplinary boundaries and stimulate innovative thinking amid the rising tide of AI-empowered materials research, thereby becoming a backbone force driving diverse collaboration and shaping the future of materials science.

(Li Ming delivering his opening remarks)

During the plenary keynote session of the opening ceremony, three experts from academia and industry shared cutting-edge achievements in interdisciplinary integration. Liu Ying, a Research Fellow at the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, delivered a talk entitled “Nanobioeffects and Safety”, in which she systematically elucidated the migration and transformation behaviors of environmental nanoparticles within biological systems and their associated health risks, providing critical scientific evidence for environmental safety assessment.

(Liu Ying delivering her presentation)

Associate Professor Wen Peng from Tsinghua University, in his presentation titled “Additive Manufacturing of Customized Biodegradable Metallic Bone Implants,” vividly showcased a case in which 3D printing technology was used to customize a biodegradable metallic atlas implant for a young patient, successfully repairing a bone defect and highlighting a breakthrough in the advancement of precision medicine.

(Wen Peng giving his presentation)

Dr. Zhang Yuzhi, Director of Materials Science R&D at DP Technology (Deep Potential Technology), delivered a talk entitled “MatMaster: An Intelligent Agent for Materials Research,” in which he illustrated how AI, acting as an “intelligent commander,” is reshaping the paradigm of materials research, inspiring in-depth reflection among the attending students on the future forms of scientific research.

(Zhang Yuzhi delivering an AI for Science presentation)

(Scenes from the plenary session and discussions)

From the afternoon of October 25 to the morning of October 26, six themed parallel sessions—Advanced Carbon Materials, New Energy Materials, Optoelectronic Materials, Materials for Life and Health, Electrocatalytic Materials, and Two-Dimensional and Novel Structural Materials—were held in adjacent classrooms at the New Yanyuan Campus.

Invited talks were delivered by Research Fellows Li Biao, Wang Yonggang, and Xiao Xun from the School of Materials Science and Engineering, who shared the latest advances in their respective research fields. Participating doctoral students presented their work through oral presentations conducted entirely in English. Panel experts provided professional commentary on the presentations and engaged in in-depth discussions on the research topics, fully recognizing the doctoral students’ broad academic perspectives and strong sense of innovation.

(Invited talks at the parallel sessions)

(Scenes from the parallel session presentations)

Simultaneously, over a hundred academic posters were exhibited in the teaching buildings of the New Yanyuan Campus, covering multiple cutting-edge areas of materials research. Richly illustrated and rigorously presented, the posters attracted numerous faculty and students for discussion, creating a lively and engaging academic atmosphere on site.

(Poster exhibition and discussions)

On the afternoon of October 26, the Career Development Dialogue for young students focused on diversified career paths in the field of materials. Representatives from companies including China Machinery Industry Instrumentation Group Co., Ltd., Sinochem Holdings, Oriental Yuhong, EVE Energy, and BOE shared insights on industry trends, talent demands, and training systems, helping young students broaden their professional horizons.

During the corporate-themed presentation segment, representatives from various industries delivered focused reports on their business strategies, talent development within their fields, team building, career development, and recruitment practices. They systematically shared the core strategies and cutting-edge practices of talent development in their companies. Drawing on industry characteristics and their own experiences, the participating corporate representatives highlighted both the common pathways and the differentiated innovations in cultivating high-quality technical and skilled talent.

(Corporate-themed presentation session)

Subsequently, Zhang Jing, Deputy Party Secretary of the School, hosted a roundtable discussion themed “Exploration · Growth · Win-Win: Diversified Career Paths for New Materials Talent,” during which the guests engaged in in-depth discussions on the transition from academic research to industrial application.

(The roundtable discussion)

After a brief tea break and informal networking, the forum proceeded to the closing ceremony, which was hosted by Xie Ying from the School of Materials Science and Engineering and Li Jiayi from Peking University Health Science Center.

The ceremony began with a highlight video recapping the forum, revisiting the exciting moments of the past three days. This was followed by a keynote presentation by Professor Wang Luning, Vice President of University of Science and Technology Beijing, titled “Biodegradable Zinc Alloys for Biomedical Applications: From Material Development to Clinical Trials.” He shared major advancements in biodegradable zinc alloy ligament reconstruction technology, offering new solutions for the field of sports medicine.

(Professor Wang Luning delivering the closing ceremony keynote presentation)

Following this, Wang Jie, Publishing Director of KeAi and Publisher of Bioactive Materials, delivered a presentation titled “Materials Journals: Academic Submission Standards and Advanced Publishing Strategies.” She systematically introduced journal development achievements and submission guidelines, providing practical guidance for researchers on manuscript preparation and publication, while highlighting the international influence and academic service capabilities of domestic journals.

(Wang Jie delivering the closing ceremony keynote presentation)

During the subsequent awards ceremony, after a rigorous review by the judging panel, a total of 25 Outstanding Poster Awards and 20 Outstanding Presentation Awards were selected. Participating experts and leaders presented certificates to the award-winning students and took group photos with them.

(Group photo of outstanding presentation awardees with the presenting guests)

(Group photo of outstanding poster awardees with the presenting guests)

(Awards ceremony)

Finally, Zhang Jing, Deputy Party Secretary of the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Peking University, delivered the closing remarks. She noted that the forum, centered on the frontiers of materials science, provided participants with innovative perspectives and research opportunities. The insightful sharing and discussions by young scholars and industry leaders injected new vitality and creativity into the development of the discipline. She encouraged doctoral students to always maintain a sincere passion for the pursuit of truth, to carry a heartfelt commitment to contributing to their country, and to ensure that their research achievements not only make it “onto the bookshelf” but also “onto the market,” integrating personal aspirations into the broader pursuit of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance.

(Zhang Jing delivering the closing remarks)

Amid warm applause, this year’s “Boya M-Talents” International Doctoral Academic Forum of Materials Science came to a successful conclusion.

(Closing ceremony group photo)