Prof. Lei Zhendong's Team Won the First Prize in the China Creative Founder Award

On April 22, 2025, the 19th China Inventor Forum and the Award Ceremony of the Inventor Entrepreneurship Award were held in Beijing. The project titled "Distributed Gas Sensors and Real-time Online Monitoring System for Special Environments", developed by the team led by Professor Lei Zhendong from the College of Environmental Science and Engineering (CESE), in collaboration with the Dongyang Jipei Advanced Materials and Devices Research Institute, won the First Prize of the China Inventor Entrepreneurship Award. This honor marks another milestone for Tongji University's environmental discipline in advancing intelligent sensing technologies and pollution prevention.

The award-winning system addresses the limitations of conventional gas monitoring, such as low accuracy and delayed response, particularly in complex environments. By integrating nanosensing materials with artificial intelligence algorithms, the team created a new generation of distributed smart monitoring systems. These systems achieve ppb-level sensitivity and operate with a response speed five times faster than traditional technologies. Capable of detecting trace levels of toxic and harmful gases in real time, they function reliably even under extreme conditions such as high temperatures and humidity, offering critical technical support for environmental risk prevention and precision pollution control.

This achievement exemplifies the comprehensive integration of environmental engineering, materials science, and AI. Drawing upon CESE's strengths in pollution control and resource utilization, the team collaborated with industry to overcome technological transfer challenges. Together, they built a full-chain innovation model based on the “theory-technology-application” pathway, thereby strengthening cooperation between academia, industry, and research institutions.

Professor Lei emphasized that, as a newly appointed council member of the China Association of Inventions, he will continue advancing the fusion of "AI + environmental engineering." He aims to align research efforts with national strategic goals such as carbon peaking, carbon neutrality, and emerging pollutant governance, and to broaden applications in fields including smart city development and healthcare.

The China Association of Inventions, established in Beijing in 1985 with central government approval, is a national organization dedicated to invention and innovation. It operates under the guidance of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Civil Affairs, and National Intellectual Property Administration. As an institution authorized to nominate candidates for national science and technology awards, it is one of the most prestigious bodies in China’s innovation sector.