讲座题目：

Talk 1: Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Storage: Challenges and Opportunities

Talk 2: Towards Excellence in Science: Development of World-Class Scientists

报告内容摘要

---

Talk 1: Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Storage: Challenges and Opportunities

According to the REN21 (Renewables Global Status Report 2014), renewable energy provided an estimated more than 19% of global energy consumption in 2013. The total new investment in renewable energy reached $214 billion in 2013. The top countries for investment in 2011 were China, Germany, and United States. In addressing the challenging issues of energy security and climate change, innovative materials are essential enablers.  New materials underpin innovations for renewable energy, clean use of fossil energy, and greenhouse gas mitigation technologies.  

Energy conversion devices such as fuel cells and solar cells, and energy storage systems such as Li-ion, Li-S batteries and supercapacitors will underpin the development and utilisation of renewable energy for sustainable transport and energy supply.  Conversion efficiency, enhancement of energy storage capacity and power density are the key technological challenges that can be largely addressed through innovations in new electrodes and catalysts involved in such systems.

In this regard, many efforts in recent years have focused on nanomaterials, particularly nanostructured oxides and carbons.  Oxides such as TiO2 and ZnO are readily available and versatile catalyst and electrode materials for photocatalysis and solar energy utilisation. Nanocarbons such as carbon nanotubes, porous carbons and graphene are promising materials to improve the performances of these devices and systems.

This talk will review these advances particularly from the materials synthesis and surface chemistry perspectives.  Examples of nanomaterials we have developed will be used to illustrate the importance of new synthesis method, surface functionalization and hybridization in enhancing energy conversion efficiency or storage capacity and durability.

 

Talk 2: Towards Excellence in Science: Development of World-Class Scientists

The year 2014 may prove to be a major turning point in China’s development of world-class science and innovation system. In May, Premier Li Keqiang outlined China’s vision for an innovation-led growth and pledged that China will nurture innovative and entrepreneurial energies, and make innovation a driving force for the country's economic upgrading. The Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) also issued a manifesto entitled Towards Excellence in Science, heralding a new beginning for uplifting Chinese science towards excellence and higher impact. This highlights that China is building a culture of excellence that aligns with the best international scientific tradition, encouraging original creativity and research integrity.

One of the critical pathways to a truly innovative society is to provide good career opportunities and high-quality research environment for young researchers and their early independence. Excellence in research requires scientists to be ruthlessly self-critical. Upon discovering something new and interesting, scientists should be able to discern new insight from delusion, and question the validity of their own assumptions, data and analysis. Such a self-critical culture can be best built with the help of mentors who are rigorous, tough but supportive.

To nurture a new generation of world-class scientists, in my view, a competitive funding scheme for salary and research grant should be set up to enable top young researchers to work independently at any research institution of their choice. The NSF Career Awards, Humboldt Fellowships or the Australian Future Fellowships are good models.

In this talk, I will address the important issues on culture of scientific excellence and integrity, and the significance of mentoring and collaboration in developing world-class scientists with some examples.  The key attributes that are necessary for a top researcher will be also illustrated.

The presentation will also cover the topics of communication, and international standard of research performance assessment and its role in a researcher’s career development and academic promotion. International benchmark is always useful in enabling scientists to self-reflect, track and monitor their research performance in a holistic manner.

 

报告人简介

---

Professor Max Lu is currently Provost and Senior Vice President of the University of Queensland. He was the Foundation Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Functional Nanomaterials from 2003 to 2009.  Professor Lu’s research expertise is in the areas of materials chemistry and nanotechnology. He is known for his work on nanoparticles and nanoporous materials for clean energy and environmental technologies. With over 500 journal publications in high impact journals including Nature, J.Am. Chem. Soc., Angew. Chem., Adv. Materials, he is also co-inventor of 20 international patents. Professor Lu is Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Author in both Materials Science and Chemistry with over 27000 citations (h-index of 80). He has received numerous prestigious awards nationally and internationally including the China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award, Orica Award, RK Murphy Medal, Le Fevre Prize, ExxonMobil Award, Chemeca Medal (2011), Top 100 Most Influential Engineers in Australia (many times). He is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, and Academy of Technological Science and Engineering. He is editor and editorial board member of 12 major international journals including Colloid and Interface Science and Advanced Energy Materials.