April 25–27—The 7th Symposium on Polymer Processing and Industrial Development, organized by the Polymer Division of the Chinese Chemical Society, Sichuan University, and the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), was successfully held in Hefei. Hosted by the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) of USTC, the event was chaired by Prof. Fu Qiang, Dean of the College of Polymer Science and Engineering at Sichuan University, with Prof. Li Liangbin from USTC serving as the Executive Chair. Distinguished attendees included Prof. Fu Yao, Member of the Standing Committee of the USTC Party Committee and Vice President of USTC; Prof. Li Zhibo, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Chemical Society; and academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering: Qu Jinping, Wang Yuzhong, Chen Wenxing, and Xu Weilin.
The opening ceremony, presided over by Prof. Li Liangbin, featured welcoming remarks by Prof. Li Zhibo, Prof. Fu Yao, and Prof. Fu Qiang, representing the Chinese Chemical Society, USTC, and the organizing committee, respectively.
During the ceremony, the "Huarui Achievement Award" and "Xinrui Innovation Award" were presented. Researcher Wu Fusheng received the Huarui Achievement Award, while Researcher Shi Hengchong and Professor Cui Kunpeng were honored with the Xinrui Innovation Award. The awards were presented by Prof. Wang Yuzhong and Prof. Fu Qiang.
Under the theme "Shaping Innovative Materials with Intelligence, Empowering the Future with Precision", the symposium focused on four key topics: Fundamentals and Rheology of Polymer Processing, Polymer Modification and New Material Development, Advanced Polymer Processing Technologies and Equipment, and Interdisciplinary Frontiers in Polymer Processing. Plenary lectures were delivered by Prof. Qu Jinping, Prof. Chen Wenxing, Prof. Xu Weilin, Prof. Qiao Jinliang, and Prof. Zheng Qiang. The program included 98 invited session presentations, 136 oral presentations, and 93 poster presentations. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on national strategies such as new material innovation and technological self-reliance, shared cutting-edge research and industrial advancements, and explored key challenges, trends, and opportunities in polymer processing to accelerate the development of new quality productive forces and promote high-quality growth in the polymer industry.
As the most influential academic platform in China’s polymer processing field, the symposium has been held biennially since its inaugural session in May 2013 at Sichuan University, with previous editions hosted in Chengdu, Nanchang, and Hangzhou. Over its 12-year history, the event has fostered collaboration among academia, industry, and research institutions to advance novel polymer processing technologies and deepen industry-academia-research partnerships.
This year’s symposium set a new record, attracting over 600 experts, scholars, and industry representatives from 108 universities, 22 research institutes, and 41 enterprises, marking unprecedented participation and institutional diversity.
