“How to Make Solar Fuel” a fascinating lecture title isn’t it? Today we are standing in front of Peking University’s College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering. It’s a place buzzing with academic energy.
Peking University’s College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering is a cornerstone of chemistry in China. It holds the distinction of being the oldest chemistry institution in the nation. Its story began in 1910 as the Chemistry Division of the Imperial University of Peking. In 1919 it evolved into the Department of Chemistry.
The department offered 21 courses covering the diverse fields of chemistry. It was staffed by faculty holding PhDs from prestigious universities. They taught in English and initiated groundbreaking research. This was a golden era cut short by World War II and the Japanese invasion in 1937.
During the war the department relocated to Kunming. Peking University allied with Tsinghua University and Nankai University. Together they formed the National Southwestern Associated University. Despite scarce resources faculty and students kept education and research alive. After the war in 1946 the department returned to Beijing.
In 1952 the Department of Chemistry was reorganized. Departments from Yenching University and Tsinghua University joined. This boosted the department’s reputation. Founding figures of Chinese chemistry joined its ranks. This included giants like Cheng’e Sun and Guangxian Xu.
In 1965 Qiyi Xing’s team achieved a world first. They synthesized crystalline bovine insulin. This earned them the First-class Prize of the National Natural Science Award in 1982. Qinglian Zhang’s atomic weight measurements became an international standard in the 1990s. Youqi Tang discovered the monolayer dispersion principle. This led to high-performance industrial adsorbents and a massive air separation plant.
In 1994 the Department of Chemistry became the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering. Today it includes five academic departments. It has five research institutes and several centers. Among them is one national laboratory. There are also two state key laboratories.
Over the past century the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering has educated over 20000 chemists. Alumni hold prominent positions worldwide. They are leaders in education research and industry. They have received top awards. This includes the Presidential Early Career Award and the Supreme Prize of National Science and Technology of China.
The College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering drives chemical education and research forward. It impacts not only China but the world. The college focuses on fundamental research. It explores molecular synthesis controlled assembly and functional applications. It strives for impactful original results. The college aims to serve national needs. It integrates chemistry with materials science and life science. New chemical engineering and AI chemistry are key growth areas. It contributes to high-tech industries national defense and healthcare. It promotes scientific advancement technological innovation and societal progress.
Looking ahead the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering remains committed. It will continue to serve national needs and advance chemistry. It strives to contribute to China’s chemical education and research. It will continue to write new chapters of achievement.