On December 23, 2024, at 2:00 PM, Dr. Li Yan from Cell Press was invited by Professor Huang Hui to give a lecture on the topic "Publishing in Cell Press Physical Science Journals" at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. The lecture took place in Room 305 of Teaching Building 1.

Dr. Li Yan is a scientific editor at Cell Press, currently working for Matter, a flagship journal in materials science, and Cell Reports Physical Science, an open-access journal in physical science. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from Tianjin University and obtained his Ph.D. from the Department of Chemistry at Tsinghua University. He has also conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Houston and Wageningen University. Before joining Cell Press, Dr. Li worked as a journal editor at Wiley Publishing for several years.

The lecture began with an introduction to the founding and development of Cell Press, followed by an overview of the major journals published by Cell Press, including Cell, Chem, Joule, Matter, Cell Reports Physical Science, and Device. Special emphasis was placed on Matter, a flagship journal in materials science, and Cell Reports Physical Science, an open-access journal that has gained widespread attention and recognition. This helped the audience better understand the unique characteristics of each of the publisher's journals.

Next, Dr. Li outlined the structure of a research paper and provided specific guidance on what content should be included in each section. Through a Q&A format, Dr. Li effectively addressed common challenges in ensuring that the content of a paper aligns with its theme.

Dr. Li also gave two counterexamples to illustrate how to correctly and effectively use paper titles and figures to present research results to the readers. Additionally, Dr. Li shared his views on current trends such as the use of AI for paper editing and appealed to the audience to use generative AI tools correctly and responsibly to assist with paper writing. He provided practical methods that would be helpful for writing and editing papers in the future.

Finally, Dr. Li discussed important principles for responding to reviewer comments after manuscript submission and summarized key issues to consider during the submission process. This sparked a lively discussion among the faculty and students.

On the morning of December 12, 2024, at 10:30 AM, Dr. Liao Kuangbiao, a researcher from the Guangzhou National Laboratory, was invited by Professor Huang Hui to give a lecture on "Artificial Intelligence in Synthetic Chemistry" at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. The lecture was held in Room 305 of Teaching Building 1.

Dr. Liao Kuangbiao is a researcher at the Guangzhou National Laboratory, Chief Scientist at AIChemEco, a member of the National Youth Federation, and a standing committee member of the Guangzhou Association for Science and Technology. He has received several prestigious honors, including the Guangdong Youth May Fourth Medal, National High-level Overseas Young Talent, Outstanding Expert in Guangzhou, and the Most Beautiful Scientific Worker in Guangzhou. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from Sun Yat-sen University in 2013 and earned his PhD from Emory University in the United States in 2017. In 2018, he joined AbbVie Pharmaceuticals, and in 2019, he returned to China to work as a researcher at the Bioland Lab, where he was responsible for establishing the chemical synthesis platform. In 2021, he became a researcher at the Guangzhou National Laboratory and founded AIChemEco, where he currently serves as Chief Scientist. His research interest is in AI chemistry. He has long been committed to designing and building the next generation of automated high-throughput synthesis platforms, developing chemical reaction big data systems, advancing AI models for reaction prediction, and creating new organic synthesis methodologies. Up to now, he has published a series of academic papers as the corresponding or first author in top journals such as Nature (2 papers), Nature Chemistry, Chem, and ACIE.

     Before the lecture began, Dr. Liao posed an interesting question: "Why did 'AI-driven protein structure prediction' win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry?" This sparked strong interest in AI among the faculty and students. He then provided a detailed overview of the existing challenges in the field of synthetic chemistry, and based on these issues, innovatively proposed the use of AI to assist in chemical research.  

      The Fourth Industrial Revolution has propelled the development of synthetic chemistry by seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technologies such as automation, data science, and AI. Dr. Liao’s research team has been dedicated to advancing AI chemistry and contributing to the paradigm shift in synthetic chemistry research. The lecture detailed how his team has addressed challenges related to high-throughput automation, standardized data, and AI accessibility. It also discussed how they have evolved from the automation-based synthesis stage to an AI-driven intelligent synthesis stage, applying these innovations in the discovery and optimization of new reactions.   

      The lecture also introduced a large language model platform for synthetic chemistry called "SynAsk" and provided a detailed comparison of this AI platform with ChatGPT-4o in synthetic chemistry research, demonstrating how SynAsk outperforms ChatGPT in this field. In addition, the lecture showed how SynAsk can be used to effectively predict the chiral ligands and the yield of synthetic reactions, showing the immense potential of AI in synthetic chemistry.

Finally, the lecture provided a thorough introduction to AI model training and dimensionality reduction techniques and gave a forward-looking perspective on the future of AI-driven chemistry, sparking a lively discussion among faculty and students.

      At 14:00 p.m. on December 3, 2024, Professor Mingjie Liu from the School of Chemistry of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, invited by Professor Huang Hui from the School of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Technology, held a lecture on the theme of " Biomimetic Functional Mechanics Polymer Materials " at Room 404, Building 1, Yanqihu Campus, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS).

      Professor Mingjie Liu graduated from the Department of Applied Chemistry at Beijing University of Chemical Technology in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree; In 2010, he graduated from the National Nanoscience Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences with a doctor's degree in science. Professor Mingjie Liu is a Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor, recipient of the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars, Chief Scientist of the National Key Research and Development Program, and currently serves as the Dean of the School of Chemistry at Beihang University. He is mainly committed to the design, preparation and application research of biomimetic functional mechanics polymer composites. He has published 120 papers in journals such as Nature, Nat. Rev. Mater., Nat. Commun., Sci. Adv., Angew., Adv. Mater., JACS, etc.

      Professor Mingjie Liu first pointed out that polymer composite materials have been widely used in aviation, automotive, and green power generation fields due to their strong designability, excellent performance, and diverse functions. However, harsh environments such as lightweight, multifunctionality, high speed, and high temperature require higher performance and functionality of polymer composite materials. In the future composite system, it is necessary to establish an optimization model that links functional elements with macroscopic properties for multiphase composite, which is the key to improving material mechanical properties and expanding functionality. In addition, the polymer confinement effect in composite systems has a significant impact on the macroscopic performance control and optimization of materials, and it is necessary to understand the confinement effect from a molecular theoretical perspective.

      Next, Professor Mingjie Liu used biomimetic materials as an example to explain how to achieve the integration of structure and function of biomaterials through the design of multiphase confinement composites and multi-level ordered structures. Mingjie Liu's research group used confined space to regulate molecular movement, and realized the independent movement of orthogonal networks in confined space, thus preparing orthogonal network oil-water gel, which successfully simulated various functions of muscles; Inspired by the fluid force field, the team utilized a super spreading shear fluid to regulate the layer by layer orientation of nanosheets, ensuring that the materials could be quickly assembled to form highly ordered structures, thus preparing high-strength and tough layered nanocomposites, simulating the lightweight and impact resistance characteristics of shells.

      At the end of the lecture, Professor Mingjie Liu discussed with everyone whether hydrogels can replace human tissues, the material forming process and the application prospect of hydrogels in the field of optoelectronics. The lecture caused heated discussions among teachers and students. Professor Mingjie Liu's lecture not only deepened the understanding of biomimetic functional polymer materials among the attending teachers and students, but also provided valuable guidance for researchers.

      On November 27, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., Dr. Bo Weng, Editor-in-Chief of journals under Wiley Group, was invited by Prof. Hui Huang from the School of Materials Science and Optoelectronic Technology to deliver a lecture titled “How to Publish Academic Papers More Effectively” at Room 107, Building 1, Yanqihu Campus, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS).

      Dr. Bo Weng graduated from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA) in 2006 with a B.S. degree in Materials Science and Engineering. She obtained her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Wollongong (UOW), Australia, in December 2012. Dr. Weng joined Wiley in October 2016 and is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Macromolecular Rapid Communications and Associate Editor of Advanced Materials.

      During the lecture, Dr. Weng provided an in-depth overview of the development history of Wiley Publishing Group, and highlighted its impact on the global academic community, and demonstrated the cooperation between Wiley Group and domestic universities and research institutes. She then analyzed the key aspects of article writing, such as abstract, keywords, graphical design and conclusion. She explained in detail the primary concerns of journal editors when reviewing manuscripts, emphasizing that in today’s highly active research environment, editors process a large volume of submissions daily. Therefore, the clarity and conciseness of the abstract, the intuitive design of graphs and charts, and the timeliness of literature citations are crucial factors influencing an article’s acceptance.

      In addition, Dr. Weng discussed the critical steps in the submission process, including how to write an effective cover letter, how to select suitable reviewers, how to address reviewers’ comments, and the responsibilities of authors after their articles are published. At the end of the lecture, students and faculty members asked questions about manuscript submission and research issues, and Dr. Weng gave in-depth answers based on her own experience and had a lively discussion with the participants.

      Dr. Weng's lecture not only enhanced participants' understanding of Wiley Group, but also provided valuable guidance and inspiration for researchers in their academic writing and publication endeavors.

On November 5, 2024, at 15:30 pm, researcher Dong Jianhua from the National Natural Science Foundation of China came to the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences at the invitation of Professor Huang Hui to give a lecture on the theme of "Overview of Polymer Chemistry and Materials", which was held in room 214 of the Teaching Building 1.

Prof. Dong Jianhua graduated from the Department of Chemistry of Zhejiang University in 1982 and received his Ph.D. degree from the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1989. After two years of postdoctoral research in the Department of Chemistry of Peking University, he stayed on as a professor until December 1997. From 1998 to 2019, he was responsible for project management in the field of organic polymers at the National Natural Science Foundation of China (retired in June 2019). Since 1999, he has been a researcher, and has successively served as the project director, director of the science department, and second-level researcher in organic polymer materials, polymer science, materials chemistry and energy chemistry. It has organized many academic activities on the development of disciplines in the field of organic polymers and the strategic discussion of discipline frontiers, and the establishment of major research topics and operation management. He has published more than 50 academic papers and more than 30 review papers on scientific research management and academic progress. Editor-in-chief of three monographs on the frontiers, progress and prospects of the discipline; He has written several chapters for related monographs. He served as the 26th director of the Chinese Chemical Society, the executive director of the 28th and 29th councils, and served as the deputy director of the polymer discipline committee for a long time. He served as the deputy editor-in-chief of the Editorial Board of the Polymer Field of the third edition of the Encyclopedia of China, and organized and wrote scientific dictionaries and discipline strategy reports for many times. Since 2007, he has served as the associate editor of the international academic professional journals "Advanced Technology Polymers" and "Polymers for Advanced Technologies" of Wiley Publishing Company. Since 2011, he has been a member of the editorial board of the "Royal Society of Chemistry Polymer Chemistry Series". He has served as an editorial board member of many academic journals in China.

The lecture started from the milestone of the development of polymer chemistry, mainly expounded the mainstream and development trend of polymer scientific research, and focused on the wide application of polymer materials in people's clothing, food, housing and transportation, such as polymer drugs, degradable materials, etc. At the same time, several frontier directions and the latest progress in the field of polymers are introduced, such as COFs, two-dimensional monolayer polymeric fullerene materials, polymerized C₆₀ multilayer molecular layers, polytelloxane-non-carbon backbone polymers, polycarbonylone and other new structural polymer materials. The enthusiastic sharing of researcher Dong Jianhua gave the teachers and students who participated in the lecture a deeper understanding of the polymer field and provided accurate guidance for them to conduct polymer research. Finally, Prof. Dong communicated and discussed with the teachers and students on the spot, and received a warm response.

At 15:30 p.m. on October 31, 2024, Professor Zhan Xiaowei from the School of Engineering/School of Materials Science of Peking University was invited by Professor Huang Hui and Shi Qinqin to give a lecture on the theme of "Opening the Post-Fullerene Era of Organic Photovoltaics", which was held in room 214 of the Teaching Building 1.

Zhan Xiaowei is a Boya Distinguished Professor of Peking University, a recipient of the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars, a Fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. 1986-1990, B.S., Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University. 1993-1998, Ph.D., Department of Polymers, Zhejiang University. 1998-2002, Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1999, Visiting Scholar, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. 2002-2006, Research Associate/Research Scientist, Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona/Georgia Tech, USA. 2006-2012, Researcher, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. 2012-present, Professor, School of Engineering/School of Materials, Peking University. He has been engaged in the research of organic polymer optoelectronic functional materials and devices for a long time, and has published more than 390 papers in journals such as Nature, which have been cited more than 56,000 times, and has been continuously selected as a global highly cited researcher since 2017. He has won the first prize of the Natural Science Award of the Ministry of Education and the second prize of the Beijing Natural Science Award (both of which are the first completers), the Youth Chemistry Award of the Chinese Chemical Society, the Honorary Award of the Polymer Science Invitation Report of the Chinese Chemical Society, the Outstanding Final Evaluation of the Hundred Talents Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Outstanding Graduate Supervisor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He serves as a scientific editor/associate editor of Journal of Materials Chemistry A/C, and an editorial board/advisory editorial board member of 10 journals including ACS Energy Letters, Materials Horizons and Aggregate.

From 1995 to 2015, fullerenes have been dominating the electron acceptor materials in the field of organic photovoltaics, so these 20 years are called the "fullerene era". However, fullerenes have weak absorption in the visible region, large energy loss, and device efficiency has touched the ceiling. In addition, fullerene spherical molecules are easy to aggregate, the morphological stability is poor, and the lifetime of the device is limited. In response to the above problems, Professor Zhan introduced the "star molecule" ITIC invented by his team, which is known as a "milestone" and "epoch-making", which created a high-performance novel receptor system of "fused ring electron acceptor", opened the "post-fullerene era" in the field, broke through the bottleneck of organic photovoltaics, achieved a leap in device efficiency, and brought unprecedented new opportunities for the development of the field.

After that, Professor Zhan vividly introduced the application and future development direction of fused ring electron acceptor materials in the fields of organic/perovskite/quantum dot solar cells, photohydrolysis, field-effect transistors, photodetectors, light-emitting diodes, two-photon absorption, photothermal/ photoacoustic/photodynamic therapy, etc. He encouraged the students to look at scientific research from a long-term and scientific perspective, to carry out self-revolution from time to time, to persevere, and to be down-to-earth. Finally, the professor had an exchange and discussion with the teachers and students on the spot, and received a warm response from the teachers and students on the spot.

  On the afternoon of October 22, 2024, at 15:30, Researcher Zhu Jia from the National Center for Nanoscience, upon the invitation of Professor Huang Hui, delivered a lecture titled "Transport Mechanisms and Thermoelectric Performance Regulation of Organic Materials" at University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. The lecture was held in Classroom 214 of the Teaching Building 1.

  About Zhu Jia: Zhu Jia is a researcher at the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, a Ph.D. supervisor, and a member of the Organic Solids Professional Committee of the Chinese Chemical Society. From 2009 to 2021, he served as an associate professor at the College of Chemistry at Beijing Normal University, and in 2021, he joined the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology. His main research focuses on the electronic properties and processes of organic solid/semiconductor materials systems, as well as predicting the conductive and thermoelectric performance of molecular devices. He has established an integrated research model combining theoretical calculations, experimental validation, and device applications. In recent years, he has published over 80 research papers (SCI) as a corresponding author in top journals such as Nature Chemistry, Nature Communications, JACS, Angewandte Chemie, and Advanced Materials. He has also led and participated in several key projects, including the National Natural Science Foundation's Youth Fund, General Program, and the Ministry of Science and Technology's 973 Program.

  The lecture began by introducing the concepts and key models of the field of organic solids, explaining the main research objects and characteristics of the organic solid discipline. Zhu Jia vividly illustrated the profound implications and practical significance of organic solids by quoting Academician Qian Renyuan's insights into organic solid. Organic solid science, one of the foundational fields in energy, information, and flexible materials, has significantly contributed to the advancement of modern technology through the development of advanced materials, green energy, electronic devices, and biomedical technologies. Hence, this discipline will be an essential theoretical and experimental foundation for the future development of new functional materials.

  Zhu then presented first-principles calculations and experimental validations, applying Boltzmann transport theory and deformation potential theory to analyze various molecular structures and their aggregation states under non-doping conditions. He discussed the charge transport mechanism of Donor-Acceptor type charge-transfer complexes and changes in Seebeck values, predicting the thermoelectric conversion efficiency trends. The lecture revealed the interdependent relationships among key parameters in the thermoelectric conversion process and proposed theoretical insights for overcoming limitations in thermoelectric performance.

  Lastly, Zhu Jia elaborated on the thermoelectric conversion mechanism and offered a vision for future thermoelectric technology, sparking great interest among the attending teachers and students, followed by a lively discussion.

On October 17, 2024, Dr. Lu Shi, Senior Editor of Nature Nanotechnology, was invited by Prof. Hui Huang of School of Materials Science and Optoelectronic Technology to give a lecture on “Publishing in Nature Nanotechnology: An insider’s view of the Nature journal” in Yanqihu Campus, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

 Dr. Lu Shi joined Nature Nanotechnology in April 2023 from Wiley, where she was the Editor-in-Chief of Advanced Electronic Materials and Deputy Editor of Advanced Materials. Prior to her editorial career, she worked on 2D materials growth and magnetoelectric transport behavior of van der Waals heterostructures. For her work, she received a joint PhD in Materials Science and Physics from the Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium and Université Grenoble Alpes, France. She obtained her BEng and MSc in Materials Science and Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In the lecture, Dr. Lu Shi firstly introduced the history of the journal Nature and its research areas. Nature is a journal with significant influence and status in international science, and its research covers important research results in almost all fields of natural sciences, such as biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy and medicine. Its articles not only publish original research papers, but also include review articles, news reports, commentaries and opinions, etc., which play an important role in promoting the development of science and technology and facilitating global scientific exchanges.

Dr. Lu Shi then talked about the workflow of Nature journal editors. As one of the most influential journals, Nature receives a large number of submissions every day. The editors review more than 10 articles per day, and after reviewing the articles for innovation and breakthroughs and taking into account the reviewers' comments, about 8% of the articles will be published in the journal.

In addition, Dr. Lu Shi introduced that researchers’ work topics and article presentations should be closer to the apex of the “triangle” of advanced research mechanisms, advanced concepts, and advanced practical significance, which not only increases the appreciation of the article, but also greatly enhances the value of the research topic. A good research article should have a clear research background, research purpose, research highlights and future revelations.