Huayun Lecture Series (Episode 25)

On May 27th, the 25th session of Huayun Lecture Series was held in First Conference Room of the University History Museum. Professor Liu Youzhi, former president of North University of China, doctoral supervisor, served as the keynote speaker, delivering an insightful sharing on the chemical engineering field for numerous teachers, students, and industry professionals.

In the lecture, Liu Youzhi elaborated on the theme "The Mission and Technologies of Chemical Engineering in the Context of Carbon Peak and Neutrality." He first analyzed "the unique pride and confidence inherent in chemical engineering," pointing out that the discipline has advanced from utilizing natural substances to developing processing technologies and ultimately achieving industrial production, thereby driving the modernization of human civilization. Chemical engineering transforms laboratory achievements into large-scale manufacturing, creating synthetic materials essential for both national development and people's livelihoods. He reviewed the contributions of the chemical industry in the Industrial Revolution, agriculture, medicine and other fields, as well as its close connection with the national economy and people's lives. He focused on introducing the technology of process intensification in the chemical industry, pointing out that traditional technologies have problems of low efficiency and high energy consumption, while new technologies achieve innovation by intensifying production equipment. For example, static mixing reactors (SMRs) can efficiently mix and react; honeycomb and structured catalytic reactors can increase the contact area for catalysis. These new reactors represent the direction of efficient and green development in the industry. Regarding the challenges and missions faced by the chemical industry, Liu Youzhi briefly mentioned challenges such as environmental protection pressure and technological bottlenecks, emphasizing that the industry needs to shoulder the mission of innovation and green development. In terms of undertaking the mission of the chemical industry in the current era, he shared stories of dedication within the industry. Additionally, he combined his own experiences to offer several insights and suggestions on the growth of teachers. During the interactive session, Liu Youzhi answered questions raised by teachers and students on career planning and the green transformation path of the industry based on his experience, engaging in in-depth exchanges with them, and the atmosphere on the spot was lively.

Liu Youzhi, professor, doctoral supervisor, fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society, vice chairman of the Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee of the Ministry of Education. He previously served as the president and deputy secretary of the Party committee of North University of China, and the deputy director of the Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee of the Shanxi Provincial People's Congress. He has received honors such as the National Science and Technology Progress Award, the "Science and Technological Innovation Award" of the Ho Li Award, the Hou Dabao Chemical Science and Technology Achievement Award, and the Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award.