Peking University, December 19, 2020: On December 19, Peking University celebrated the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the chemistry faculty. Representatives from authorities, sister universities, partner institutions, middle schools and donors, as well as leaders, faculty members and students from Peking University, attended the ceremony.
At the ceremony
PKU Presient Hao Ping extended his heartfelt congratulations on the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the chemistry faculty at Peking University. At the same time, he expressed his gratitude to those who have made contributions to the faculty. He reflected upon the illustrious history and talked about the pioneering batch of chemists who poured their hearts and soul into research. He also expressed his hopes for PKU College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering (CCME). President Hao said the CCME should remain at the forefront of research and produce more scientific breakthroughs, uphold high ethical standards and nurture more future talent, and increase cooperation and synergy. As China moves towards a new stage of development, researchers will have to shoulder new responsibilities and duties. President Hao said he is confident that CCME will carry on its missions and soar towards greater heights with their expertise and research efforts.
Hao Ping
Bai Chunli, former president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), expressed his congratulations on the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the chemistry faculty. Bai pointed out that there has been rapid development in technology and chemistry in the past ten years. Peking University has achieved leapfrog development with a series of world-leading original research outputs, a team of top-notch faculty members and excellent talent in the field of chemistry and molecular engineering. Bai is also confident that CCME will continue to take on its missions and responsibilities in the future.
Bai Chunli
Looking back at the historical origins of the Chinese Chemical Society and the chemistry faculty at Peking University, Yao Jiannian, chairman of the Chinese Chemical Society, believes that as the first chemistry education and research institution amongst China’s national universities, the chemistry faculty is an important source of growth, development and communication for China’s chemistry education.
Yao Jiannian
Yang Xueming, director of the Department of Chemical Sciences of National Natural Science Foundation of China, congratulated on the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the chemistry faculty and thanked CCME for its long-term support towards the Department of Chemical Sciences of National Natural Science Foundation of China. He said the current complex and ever-changing international situation requires us to redouble efforts and become independent.
Yang Xueming
Fu Xiaofeng, inspector of the Department of Basic Research of the Ministry of Science and Technology, gave his heartfelt congratulations and noted that CCME’s excellent technological innovation capabilities have played an important role in basic research and applied research of chemical disciplines in China.
Fu Xiaofeng
Zhang Deqing, director of the Institute of Chemistry at Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Wang Xun, head of the Department of Chemistry at Tsinghua University, recalled the years of cooperation and collaborative innovation between their respective institutions and chemistry faculty at Peking University.
Zhang Deqing (left) and Wang Xun (right)
Zhang Wenbin, professor of CCME, delivered a speech on behalf of faculty members. He remarked that he would carry forward the legacy left by pioneer chemists, as well as the courage, independence and enterprising spirits of PKUers.
Zhang Wenbin
Ph.D. student Xia Chenmaya from CCME delivered a speech on behalf of students. She said the faculty has not only endowed students with knowledge but also values which they will hold dear for life.
Xia Chenmaya
To express gratitude towards PKU alumni and various organizations for their support to the development of the faculty, Peking University Council Chair Qiu Shuiping presented donors with "Outstanding Contribution to the Development of the Chemistry faculty" awards.
Cui Lifeng, who enrolled in CCME in 1977 and now become a professor of Beijing Technology and Business University, spoke on behalf of the donors. She recalled her time back in school and expressed her thanks for all skills and knowledge she acquired from her learning journey.
Cui Lifeng
Chen Xing, dean of CCME, reviewed the history of the faculty and introduced how teaching, research, technology commercialization, and international cooperation have developed over the past ten years. He expressed confidence that CCME will continue to strive for excellence whilst nurturing more talent in this field, and will seek to establish the faculty as the birthplace of academics in the fields of chemistry and molecular sciences.
Chen Xing
In addition to this ceremony, other events, such as University Presidents’ Forum on Higher Education and Disciplinary Development and the Symposium on the New Model of Higher Chemistry Education, were held on the afternoon of December 19.
CCME of Peking University is the oldest of its kind in China. Its history could be traced to the Chemistry Division of the Imperial University of Peking, founded in 1910, which was subsequently reorganized into the Department of Chemistry of Peking University in 1919 and was later renamed College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering (CCME) in 1994.
CCME has always placed equal emphasis on teaching and research and thanks to the efforts put in by alumni and faculty members, it has become an internationally renowned higher education and research institution. Looking ahead, CCME will continue to make significant contributions to spurring the development of chemistry education and research in China and soaring to even greater heights.
Source: PKU News (Chinese), PKU College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering
