During January 5-12, Profs. Nelson Belzile and Yu-Wei Chen from Laurentian University of Canada were invited to visit Tianjin University of Science and Technology to conduct scientific and technological cooperation and academic communication, strengthen the development and protection of sea brine resources, and deepen international communication and cooperation. Aiming at the frontier field of chemical system of aqueous salt solution and its morphology analysis, the two sides carried out in-depth exchanges on the details and work of the project cooperation, especially reached a consensus on further strengthening the joint training and exchange visits of doctoral and postdoctoral talents in the future. Aiming at the frontier field of chemical systems of water salt solution and its morphology analysis, both sides conducted in-depth communication, reaching a consensus on strengthening joint PhD and postdoctoral programs for the future.

On January 11, Profs. Nelson Belzile and Yu-Wei Chen of the Laurentian University, Canada, Prof. Changyuan Tang of the Chiba University, Japan, and Prof. Jia Xu of the Ocean University of China, made oral presentations on the morphological analysis, isotope geochemistry and resource utilization of sea brine at the international frontiers of lake environment ecology, in the Lecture Theater, Building 9, Lecture Hall 506, Binhai Central Campus. The above-mentioned presentations included“Mitigating mercury assimilation and toxicity in various aquatic organisms with selenium”, “The Mitigating mercury assimilation and toxicity in various aquatic organisms with selenium”, “The contamination by arsenic in an abandoned mine site and its possible transformations and removal by natural processes: the Cobalt environment case ”, “Isotopes in the watershed nitrogen cycle” and “Pyridine-based nanofiltration membranes with both excellent Pyridine-based nanofiltration membranes with both excellent separation and acid-resistant performance for the acid wastewater treatment”. More than 90 faculty members and students from the College of Marine Science and Technology, and the College of Chemical Engineering and Materials attended the meeting. Prof. Tianlong Deng, Dean of the College of Marine Science and Technology, hosted this scientific presentation.

The experts’ academic reports fully demonstrated the cutting-edge innovations in the analysis of arsenic and mercury morphology in a lake environment, the significance of isotope tracing in the nitrogen isotope fractionation and the nitrogen cycle in the water environment, as well as the utilization of sea brine resources. Meanwhile, the experts instructed the young teachers on how to select research topics to meet the demands of national needs and economic and social development and focus on the international scientific and technological frontiers. The experts also instructed the doctoral and master candidates how to conduct innovative scientific research by “proposing hypotheses bravely, and seeking evidence carefully”. In the interactive session, the faculty members and students asked questions enthusiastically and had in-depth discussions with foreign experts. Thus, this presentation has a very lively and warm atmosphere.

This international cooperation and academic communication fully demonstrated the characteristics of multidisciplinary cross & integration, promoting the construction of disciplines and specialties, expanding the academic horizons of teachers and students, and developing new ideas and accumulating new experiences for the continuous strengthening of international communication and cooperation, and cultivating of high-level internationalized talents with a global vision.

Introduction to the experts:

Nelson Belzile, a lifetime tenured professor and doctoral supervisor at Laurentian University, Canada. He has hosted and participated in more than 20 national projects in Canada and has published more than 300 high-level papers as the first and corresponding author in Nature and other top academic journals. Trent University, State Key Laboratory of Water Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Chengdu University of Technology, South China University of Technology, and Jinan University have invited him to be a visiting professor.

Yu-Wei Chen, isa joint professor of chemistry and biochemistry, senior researcher and doctoral supervisor at Laurentian University, Canada. She hosted and participated in more than 10 national projects in Canada, andpublished more than 50 high-level academic papers in the fields of geochemistry as the first and corresponding authors. The State Key Laboratory of Water Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu University of Technology, South China University of Technology, and Jinan University have invited her to be a visiting professor.

Changyuan Tang, professor and doctoral supervisor, professor of Chiba University, and director of the Institute of Environmental Science at Sun Yat-sen University, focuses on research and teaching in hydrology, water resources, and water environment, and has abundant achievements in the fields of watershed environmental hydrology, geochemistry, water pollution investigation, water environment management and remediation, and has been recognized as an experienced researcher in field investigation and experiments. He has published more than 160 papers in international academic journals, such as the Journal of Hydrology, Hydrological Processes, and Water Research.

Jia Xu, professor and a doctoral supervisor at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China. She mainly conducts application foundation research on membrane separation technology for seawater desalination and comprehensive utilization of seawater resources. She was awarded the first prize of the Shandong Chemical and Chemical Society, the first prize of Qingdao Science and Technology, the second prize in the Shandong Higher Education Excellent Scientific Research Achievement Award, and the first prize of the Shandong Chemical and Chemical Society Science and Technology Award. She hosted more than 10 projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Support Program, the Shandong Natural Science Foundation of China, Shandong Province Major Research and Development Program, respectively. She has published more than 80 academic papers and has authorized more than 10 international and national inventions as the first inventor.