On July 6, a delegation of nine students from the Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, accompanied by Professor Zhijie Chen, departed for the National University of Singapore (NUS) to participate in the Science Summer Institute. The students engaged in a 10-day intensive program within the Chemistry track, gaining hands-on experience and exposure to cutting-edge topics in the field.
The academic curriculum comprised five plenary lectures covering quantum computing and quantum error correction, green chemistry, and other frontier topics; five specialized lectures delving into spectroscopic principles, molecular self assembly, AI for heterogeneous catalysis, andsustainable chemical synthesis through base metal catalysis and radical chemistry; and five laboratory sessions in which students synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles, performed Suzuki coupling reactions, carried out fat hydrolysis and viscosity measurements, prepared simple glue from milk, and gained hands on experience with various analytical instruments.
On July 10, SSI organized a laboratory visit, allowing participants to choose their own tour routes across multiple labs. The students learned about the principles and operation of advanced instruments including ESI mass spectrometers, scanning electron microscopes (SEM), transmission electron microscopes (TEM), and X ray diffractometers (XRD).
On July 15 and 16, the program featured individual oral presentations and poster sessions showcasing the students’ own research work, covering diverse fields such as organic chemistry, battery materials, food science, chemical engineering, and biochemistry. Through attending the talks and engaging in face to face discussions with peers from around the world, the students gained deep insights into experimental design and methodological details, making the experience highly rewarding.
