Recently, Academician Zhao Yuliang, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a member of the Committee on Education, Science, and Health, and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), as well as the director of the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, China (NCNST), delivered a lecture at the Open University of China (OUC).
His talk was titled "New Track of Nanotechnology and the Ecological Chain of Science and Technology Industry Innovation". On behalf of OUC, Fan Xianrui, a member of the Party committee and vice president of the university, extended a warm welcome to Academician Zhao Yuliang.
Fan Xianrui presented an overview of the OUC, highlighting that it is a unique higher education institution dedicated to delivering open education nationwide. For over four decades, the OUC has been steadfast in its commitment to fostering educational equity, offering lifelong learning opportunities to everyone, and advocating the principle that "learning can happen anytime and anywhere for anyone."
The lecture by Academician Zhao Yuliang forms a key part of the "Science and China: Video Lectures by Academicians and Experts" series. This series represents a longstanding, sustainable collaboration between the OUC and the CAS Bureau of Academic Divisions, spanning over a decade. Through this project, academicians and experts are invited to deliver popular science lectures, which are then disseminated via the OUC's high-quality platform. The primary goal is to enhance the scientific literacy of the OUC's teachers and students, contribute to public science education, and support the development of a learning society and a learning nation committed to lifelong learning for all. To date, the project has hosted 113 academicians and 370 experts, who have collectively delivered 45,000 minutes of open video lectures. These efforts have been recognised with 15 national, provincial, and ministerial awards and have garnered positive feedback from the community.
In this lecture, Academician Zhao Yuliang focused on the essence of nanotechnology and introduced its two fundamental technologies: nano-materials and micro-nano-processing technology. He emphasised that nanotechnology is a foundational technology for new industries and paths of development. Furthermore, by discussing its applications in areas such as lithium batteries, computers, carbon fiber, photovoltaic power generation, and COVID-19 vaccines, he illustrated the significant role of nanotechnology in driving industrial innovation. Zhao highlighted that China is at the forefront of both basic and applied research in nanotechnology. He stressed that research and application in this field are crucial for enhancing China's capacity for original innovation and accelerating the country's self-reliance in advanced science and technology.
The OUC is committed to inviting eminent academicians and experts to develop top-quality science courses, thereby making superior scientific knowledge accessible to a broader audience. This initiative aims to improve the scientific literacy of the populace and bolster national self-reliance and independence in the field of science and technology.
By Yang Wei, OUC