On the afternoon of September 3, the 2026 Opening Ceremony of the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University was grandly held at the Sunshine Hall of Yingjie Exchange Center. Attendees included Li Ming, Secretary of the School Party Committee; Zhang Jing and Guo Shaojun, Deputy Secretaries of the School Party Committee; Lei Ting, Vice Dean of the School; as well as all faculty members and incoming students. The ceremony was presided over by Zhang Jing.
The ceremony opened with the solemn national anthem. Three new student representatives took the stage successively to share their academic aspirations and ideals from diverse perspectives. Cheng Feiyu, undergraduate student representative, expressed his youthful commitment to breaking technical bottlenecks and supporting national development through advances in materials science. Liu Haojun, representative of academic-track direct PhD students, drew inspiration from deep-space imaging to elaborate on his research goals: exploring the frontiers of microscale materials and developing X-ray photon-counting detectors. Yang Chao, representative of frontier engineering PhD students, drew on his 21 years of frontline experience in the chemical industry. He proposed aligning research directions with industrial demands, bridging the gap between industry, academia and research, and advancing the independent development of key core materials.
In the awards session, Guo Shaojun and Lei Ting presented the 2026 Peking University President's Scholarship to outstanding students including Gao Suqing and Wang Xihua, in recognition of their exceptional academic and research achievements. Li Ming and Zhang Jing issued appointment letters to head teachers and part-time student counselors for the 2026 cohort.
Following the awards, faculty representative Researcher Wang Jiangtao delivered a speech themed Materials and the Evolution of Civilization. He outlined the fundamental role of materials in the progress of human civilization, and encouraged incoming students to nurture intellectual curiosity, build a solid academic foundation, and align their pursuits with the needs of the times. Dean Zou Ruqiang and other faculty members also extended warm welcomes and best wishes to the new students via video message.
Chen Yanrun, a 2022 direct PhD student and representative of current students, shared his personal journey in perovskite photovoltaic research, reflecting on the values of patience, confidence and commitment to original aspiration along the path of scientific exploration.
As Teachers' Day approaches, new student representatives presented bouquets to faculty representatives on behalf of the entire cohort.In the school badge presentation ceremony, all faculty and students pinned on the school badge together, engraving in their minds the School's ethos: Genuine Materials, Standing Tall and Grounded (the official motto of the School: "真材实料，立地顶天").
In his address, Secretary Li Ming urged all new students to bear in mind the mission of PKU materials scientists, turn material innovation into a cornerstone of technological progress, and advance in step with the School. He laid out three expectations for the incoming class:
First, to keep the broader picture in mind and orient themselves toward real-world problems;
Second, to immerse themselves in scholarly inquiry and build strong expertise through persistent effort;
Third, to embrace openness and collaboration, and contribute proactively to organized scientific research.
The ceremony concluded with all attendees standing to sing Ode to Yanyuan. A group photo was taken to mark the occasion.After the ceremony, Vice Dean Lei Ting gave a detailed briefing on the School's overview and student training programs, supporting new students in quickly adapting to academic life at Yanyuan Campus.
