2019 Shanghai-Tongji Environment Forum for International Young Scientists was Successfully Held

During March 28 to 30 in 2019, the 1^st Shanghai Environment Forum for International Young Scientists and the 4^th Tongji Tongji Environment Forum for International Young Scientists were successfully held in the College of Environmental Science and Engineering. Professor Wu Jiang, Vice Dean of Tongji University, and other faculties attended the opening ceremony of the forum. 

The organizing committee has received applications of 44 young scholars from universities and research institutes in the United States, Canada, The United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and China. Among those applications, 35 outstanding young scholars have been invited to participate in the forum. Abundant activities were conducted, including 19 academic reports and forum about talent introduction policy of Tongji University. Nearly 80 students and teachers from the College of Environmental Science and Engineering attended the opening ceremony and the forum.

Professor Wu Jiang, Vice Dean of Tongji University, addressed the opening ceremony of the forum. He briefly reviewed the over 110 years history of Tongji University, especially the difficult years in the early days of Tongji University and the spirits of Help Others and Help the World. Prof. Wu also proposed that Tongji University would take root in China and build itself into a world-class university. In addition, over the past decade, Tongji's environmental discipline has been developing vigorously, as its scientific research has been gradually improved, and its international influence has also been constantly expanded. Through platforms of IESD, Tongji University has trained a large number of talents in environmental science and technology for the world, especially for countries related to Belt and Road. Tongji actively contributes the Chinese wisdom to worldwide environmental problems, advocates to establish global alliance of the sustainable development of universities, and shares experiences of environmental protection and education. The Environmental discipline of Tongji University has been selected as a world-class discipline and a Shanghai peak discipline in 2017, and is now facing the best development opportunity in history.

Prof. Wu sincerely hopes that outstanding overseas young scientists can join Tongji University in the future and bring vitality into the talent cultivation with global vision.

Professor Dai Xiaohu, Dean of the College of Environmental Science and Engineering, welcomes the arrival of young scientists at the opening ceremony. He also introduced the overall situation of the college including teachers, talent cultivation, lab conditions, and future goals. Prof. Dai warmly encouraged attending scholars to join the College of Environmental Science and Engineering in the future.

In communication activities, Xu Wei, Vice Director of the Personnel Department of Tongji University, systematically introduced the various talent policies of Shanghai, and of Tongji university. The introduction gave attending scholars a better understanding of all kinds of talent project items, which further enabled young scientists to have better work positioning and career development plans. Wang Zhiwei, Vice Dean of the College of Environmental Science and Engineering, introduced the latest rules of postdoctoral recruitment of Tongji University. He also encouraged the attending doctoral students and young scholars to apply for postdoctoral positions in Tongji University.

A total of 19 academic reports were arranged for this forum. 15 young scholars from different universities and institutions around the world introduced advanced research in the field of environmental sciences with different research directions. At the same time, Zhang Weixian, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse Research, and outstanding young talents such as Wang Ying, Ling Lan, and Chu Wenhai were invited to share their research. Scholars at the meeting had enthusiastic discussions with each other.

During the forum, according to the position type applied by the participating scholars, two talent communication meetings. Many professors and young scientists from our college attended the meeting, including Huang Qinghui, Deng Huiping, Wang Zhiwei, Xu Bin, Li Jianhua, Wu Deli, Mao Shun, Lin Sijie, Ni Bingjie, Wang Ying, Yin Daqiang, Xia Siqing, Zhao Youcai, Zhou Xuefei, Chai Xiaoli. They had in-depth communications with some participating scholars. Further contacts were also established, as well as the witness of reached preliminary cooperation intentions.

Through this forum, young scientists in the environmental field from all over the world gathered to inspire each other, which further helped strengthen the international exchange and cooperation of Tongji University. The forum also plays a positive role in promoting talent introduction and building talent bank in the future.