On May 30, coinciding with the 10th National Science and Technology Workers’ Day, the Award Ceremony for the Fourth National Innovation Award was held in Beijing. Wan Gang, President of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), attended the event and delivered remarks. Professor Cui Hongzhi, Dean of the School of Materials Science and Engineering, was honored with the National Innovation Award Certificate in recognition of her outstanding contributions to scientific and technological innovation.
Professor Cui has long been engaged in research on materials serving in extreme environments and protective technologies for marine materials. Her work has systematically advanced the design of corrosion-resistant, wear-resistant, and high-/low-temperature-resistant materials, as well as protection against corrosion and wear damage, high-energy beam processing, and additive manufacturing technologies. Through these efforts, she has established a comprehensive research and development framework encompassing materials design, equipment development, testing and evaluation, and engineering applications.
Under her leadership, a research platform for corrosion studies and long-term performance evaluation of materials in polar environments was established. She has led or participated in more than 50 major research projects, including the National Key Research and Development Program of China, the National High-Tech Research and Development Program (863 Program), key projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, major provincial research initiatives, and key defense-related projects.
Professor Cui has published more than 500 academic papers, been granted over 130 invention patents, authored four monographs, and contributed to the development of ten national and industry standards. As the first contributor, she received the Second Prize of the National Technological Invention Award and the Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. She was also nominated as a valid candidate for membership in the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2021, 2023, and 2025. In addition, she has been selected for the National New Century Hundred, Thousand and Ten Thousand Talents Project and has received numerous honors, including the titles of National Outstanding Professional and Technical Talent and National March 8th Red Banner Holder.
Established in 2017 with the approval of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the National Innovation Award is jointly organized by the China Association for Science and Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. The award recognizes organizations and individuals that have made outstanding contributions in fundamental research and frontier exploration, major equipment and engineering breakthroughs, technology transfer and innovation-driven entrepreneurship, and public service. Presented every three years, the award includes plaques for outstanding teams and certificates for distinguished individuals.
At the fourth National Innovation Award selection, honors were bestowed upon six award-winning teams, 26 individual medal recipients, and 229 individual certificate recipients nationwide.
Text/Photos: Li Wei
