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Dr. WANG Luning Dean of the School of Materials Science and Engineering
The University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) is one of the important bases for talent training and scientific and technological innovation in materials science and engineering in China, and has a long history and fine tradition. The SMSE was initially founded in October 1996 by combining the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the Department of Metal Processing, the Department of Surface Science and Corrosion Engineering and the Foundry Teaching and Research Section of the Metallurgy Department. In December 1998, the Department of Materials Physics under the School of Applied Science and the Section of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials under the Department of Physical Chemistry were incorporated into SMSE to create 7 departments and 1 institute, namely, the Department of Material Physics, the Department of Metallic Materials, the Department of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials, the Department of Functional Materials and Surface Technology, the Department of Powder Materials, the Department of Surface Science and Corrosion Engineering, the Department of Metal Pressure Processing, and the Foundry Research Institute. In March 2001, the 7 departments and 1 institute were integrated into 4 departments, 2 institutes and 2 centers, that is, the Department of Materials Science, the Department of Material Processing and Control Engineering, the Department of Material Physics and Chemistry, the Department of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials, the Institute of Powder Metallurgy, the Institute of Functional Materials, the Corrosion and Protection Center and the Laboratory Test Center. In December 2008, as part of the University’s development plan, the 2 institutes and 2 centers of SMSE were combined to create the Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology. The School currently consists of the Department of Materials Science, the Department of Material Processing and Control Engineering, the Department of Material Physics and Chemistry, the Department of Inorganic Nonmetallic Materials and the Institute of Powder Metallurgy and Advanced Ceramics.
The discipline of materials science and engineering was among the first batch of national first-level disciplines and national first-level disciplines authorized to offer the doctorate degree. SMSE’s three second-level disciplines were among the first batch of national key disciplines and disciplines authorized to offer the position of distinguished professor of Cheung Kong Scholars Program. SMSE is authorized to offer master degree and doctorate degree, and has centers for post-doctoral studies. In 2003 and 2007, the School ranked 3rd (2nd among universities) and 2nd in the Ministry of Education’s first-level disciplinary evaluation. In 2006, the School ranked 1st in the Chinese Academy of Management Science’s Chinese University Evaluation. According to Thomson Reuters ESI (Essential Science Indicator) 2001-2010 data retrieval, the discipline of material science and engineering ranked 16th worldwide, which means it was among the top 1% in the field. In 2011, according to ESI data retrieval, the number of SCI papers related to material discipline was among the top 1% worldwide in the field, ranking 16th in 2010 and 13th in 2011. Over 10 societies and their second-level societies, such as Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection and its 10 second-level societies, are subordinate to the School’s discipline of material science and engineering.
The discipline is renowned both at home and abroad for its strong and experienced faculty. We have over 112 professors and 79 associate professors, including 6 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Chinese Academy of Engineering, 2 awardees of the “1,000 Talent Plan”, 10 distinguished/ chair professors of “Cheung Kong Scholars Program”, 6 winners of the “National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars”, 2 chief scientists of “973” Project, 1 national master teacher, 1 winner of “Young and Excellent Teachers in Colleges and Universities Award” of the Ministry of Education, 7 winners of the “Program for New Century Talents” of Education Ministry of China, 4 national candidates of the “New Century National Hundred Thousand-and-Ten Thousand Talents Project”, and 29 candidates of the “Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University”. The School has a full range of equipment for materials preparation and analysis, and the total value of research equipment exceeds RMB 300 million. The SMSE Experimental Teaching Center is approved as the Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Beijing Municipality and the National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center. The School has obtained 403 invention patents and published 48 books, and 2 authors were awarded in this field. The School has 9 nominators of “One Hundred National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of China” and 7 winners of “Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of Beijing Municipality”. The past five years has seen the School publish 4,726 academic papers in domestic core periodicals, including 1,456 SCI papers and 1,571 EI papers. So far, the School has published 195 papers with impact factor of over 3.0.
The School has been at the forefront of teaching development and reform. Specifically, the “Material Test” class led by Ke Jun, a CAS academician, has achieved a great success, and is recognized as a model for materials science reform in China. In 2007, under the leadership of Ke Jun and Xiao Jimei, also a CAS academician, the national key discipline of materials physics and chemistry set up a science pilot class among undergraduate students of Grade 2007 to cultivate high-quality, innovative research personnel in materials science. To align its talent training work with international standard, the School, relying on the national key discipline of material science, set up an international class in material science and engineering among undergraduate students of Grade 2008, which aims to introduce the internationally advanced higher education system by focusing on the development of the students' communication skills, leadership, global awareness and offering English-taught courses to foster international talents. The pilot program has drawn wide attention. In 2009, the International Talent Training Pilot Zone of Material Science and Engineering with the international class as the pilot program was recognized among the first batch of Beijing Municipal Pilot Zones for Talent Training Model Innovation. Our faculty has received 2 first prizes of the National Teaching Achievement Award and 7 prizes of ministerial and provincial-level teaching achievement awards.
The School has followed the policy of focusing on basics, strengthening application, developing interdisciplines and promoting collaboration in carrying out scientific research. Basic research and technological innovation have been conducted to meet the international technological frontier and major demands of the country. We are committed to actively promoting the transformation and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. By focusing on the training of scientific and technological talents and the building of research team, the School has been pursuing the construction of platform and foundation as the basis and the building of innovative team as the priority. In this process, our scientific research capabilities have improved steadily. With a focus on teamwork, the School has actively participated in national major and key scientific research projects. The past three years have been our discipline participating in 1,215 scientific research projects with RMB 601 million worth of funding. In the past three years, the School has hosted and participated in 336 international and domestic conferences. On average, we have seen academic exchange of over 100 visits between the School and foreign universities and scientific research institutions. We have established comprehensive collaborative relations with Oxford University, RWTH Aachen University and other prestigious institutions around the world. The School has hosted 51 sessions of China Distinguished Materials Scientists Forum.
Over the past 60 years or so, the materials science discipline has trained over 20,000 professionals, most of whom have played an important role in respective fields. Outstanding representatives include party and state leaders, such as Luo Gan and Huang Mengfu, 12 CAS/CAE academicians, including Wang Chongyu, Ye Hengqiang, Zhou Bangxin, Ke Wei, He Jilin, Wang Yide, Chen Guoliang and Zhang Tongyi, and the presidents and general managers of dozens of large enterprises and hi-tech companies.
In the new century, our goal is to build a high-level research institute of talent training, basic research and technological innovation featuring well-established disciplines, comprehensive strength, domestic leadership and international influence.