JIZENG ZHAO

       Zhao Jizeng graduated from Wuhan University of Science and Technology in Refractories. He is a professional of engineering and enjoys the special government allowances of the State Council. He successively served as executive vice-president of the Luoyang Institute of Refractories Research under former Ministry of Metallurgical Industry (1956–1998); secretary-general of the Institute of Refractories Research of the Chinese Society for Metals (CSM); vice director of the CSM Professional Committee of Steelmaking Auxiliary Materials; executive director of the Association of China Refractories Industry; board member of the Wuhan University of Science and Technology; and adjunct professor of the Wuhan University of Science and Technology and the University of Science and Technology Beijing. Zhao is now chairman and CEO of the Beijing Lier Refractories Co., Ltd.

Zhao Jizeng was awarded as the “National Outstanding Scientific and Technological Worker” by the former State Scientific and Technological Commission of the People’s Republic of China (1958–1998); the “Outstanding Scientific and Technological Youth” by the former Ministry of Metallurgical Industry; the “National Academic Leader in Refractories”; the “Beijing Outstanding Entrepreneur”; the “Outstanding Private Entrepreneur of Henan Province” and other honorary titles. He also won a “China Spark Award in Science and Technology,” eight “Ministerial and Provincial-Level Science and Technology Awards” and seven patents for invention and for utility model. 

 LIFENG CUI

       Cui Lifeng obtained his doctorates in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Washington State University (WSU) and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Cui was also distinguished professor and doctoral supervisor of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST); specially-invited expert of the National Thousand Talents Program; Shanghai Shuguang (Dawn) Learner; talent of Shanghai Pujiang Talent Program; USST Hujiang Learner; innovative and entrepreneurial talent of Jiangsu Province. He continued the postdoctoral studies at Stanford University and conducted research and development in Amazon at Silicon Valley. 

Cui Lifeng was dedicated to the researches of new inorganic nano-material and its applications in energy and environment. He has also achieved a series of innovative results in many fields, such as materials for lithium batteries, materials for fuel cells, catalytic material for biomass pyrolysis, detection and treatment of pollutants from coal flue gas, and inorganic high temperature composites. He hosted two National Natural Science Funds, one innovative program of the Ministry of Science and Technology and five ministerial and provincial-level key research projects after returning China in 2013. Cui published over 80 articles in many world-famous academic journals including the Advanced Materials, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Nano Letters, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Cui has applied for 12 American and Chinese invention patents, six of which have been patented.