Huayun Lecture Series (Episode 24)

On the morning of May 16, Sun Lili, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and an alumna of the Class of 1979, was invited to the Huayun Lecture Series to deliver a lecture on the petrochemical spirit embodied in the Winter Olympics for students of the college. College Dean Liu Xinmei, Party Committee Secretary Zhang Yongning, and Deputy Party Committee Secretary Xu Guanghui attended the event, along with over 100 students from the college.

At the lecture, Sun Lili shared her team's successful development of the carbon fiber shell and hydrogen fuel for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics torch. She vividly demonstrated how the chemical industry deeply integrates with the concepts of a "Green Olympics, Tech-Savvy Olympics, and People's Olympics," and how chemical engineers, always bearing in mind the "nation's most significant priorities," dedicate themselves to serving China's energy strategy and contributing to technological breakthroughs.

Subsequently, Sun Lili affectionately recalled her academic experience at the college and expressed her gratitude to the school and the college for their meticulous cultivation. At this crucial juncture of the global energy transition, she offered three expectations and suggestions to the students present. First, to anchor the direction based on national needs. In conducting research, one should return to the fundamentals; breakthrough innovations must be built upon a profound understanding of basic theories. One should proactively align with the country's significant strategic deployments to ensure that research topics are valuable and meaningful. Second, to forge character through the inheritance of spirit. Technological innovation not only requires technical breakthroughs but also cannot be separated from the inheritance of the petroleum spirit. One should encourage oneself with the petroleum spirit and the work style of being "three seniors and four stricts", while possessing the perseverance to endure solitude and the responsibility to contribute to the country. Third, to stimulate potential through interdisciplinary integration. Facing the complex challenges of the energy revolution, one should actively learn knowledge from various disciplines and fields, strive to combine one's research area with the most advanced technological means, cultivate systematic thinking and cross-border integration capabilities, and strive to become a compound type of scientific research talent.

During the Q&A session, Sun Lili addressed students' inquiries on topics such as risk management in hydrogen energy storage and transportation, as well as the integration of chemical engineering with artificial intelligence. Student representatives from the college showcased their self-designed and built Chem-E-Car vehicle to Sun Lili, exchanging ideas and discussing challenges encountered during the competition preparation process.

The Huayun Lecture Hall is a flagship Party-building educational initiative launched by the College Party Committee. By inviting experts from government, industry, academia, and research institutions to deliver thematic lectures and facilitate discussions, it deepens students' understanding and identification with their discipline and industry while addressing their intrinsic needs for growth and development. This initiative represents an innovative model for the college to fulfill its fundamental mission of fostering virtue through education, strengthening value guidance, and enhancing the effectiveness of ideological and political education in curricula.To date, the Huayun Lecture Hall has hosted 24 sessions, covering diverse themes such as trends in the chemical industry, cultivation of innovative thinking, development of a global perspective, and transformation of refining enterprises. It has effectively complemented professional education with multidimensional insights.