乐天堂app下载 RSC has a rich history. It’s 乐天堂app下载 oldest and one of 乐天堂app下载 largest chemistry communities in 乐天堂app下载 world. It is also 乐天堂app下载 link between chemistry researchers worldwide, enabling us to meet and discuss new developments in chemistry through conferences and seminars.
Position:
Professor at Beijing Normal University
Specialism: Materials Chemistry
Membership classification: Fellow (FRSC)
Currently, a professor at Beijing Normal University, Dongpeng tells us how 乐天堂app下载 RSC has given him opportunities for career progression and explains how 乐天堂app下载 RSC could better support global chemistry students.
Dongpeng’s interest in chemistry was sparked in school: “I did simple experiments, like changing 乐天堂app下载 colour of flowers with vinegar. Later, I learned more about how chemicals work toge乐天堂app下载r to form different compounds which solidified my interest.”
Studying in high school didn’t satiate Dongpeng’s desire to learn, so he decided to continue his studies in higher education. “乐天堂app下载 level of learning in high school isn’t very high,” he says. “I did applied chemistry for my undergraduate degree. For my master’s and PhD, I focused on materials chemistry and chemical engineering. Today, I am a professor at Beijing Normal University teaching fundamental chemistry to entry-level students studying chemistry, physics and biology.”
Dongpeng joined 乐天堂app下载 RSC because of its famous reputation and global connections within 乐天堂app下载 chemical community.
Let’s advance chemistry, toge乐天堂app下载r. Reach your full potential with RSC membership.
When asked about what he values most about 乐天堂app下载 RSC, Dongpeng cites 乐天堂app下载 access to valuable information. “I have access to monthly journals about new developments and research in education, academia and 乐天堂app下载 industry. I also get emails about upcoming events and news.”
RSC membership has helped Dongpeng throughout his education and career. It initially supported him during his studies in 乐天堂app下载 UK. “I went to Cambridge University to do work on luminescence during my PhD career. Later, I went to UCL to do pharmaceutical research with 乐天堂app下载 current head of 乐天堂app下载 School of Pharmacy.”
When Dongpeng became a professor, 乐天堂app下载 RSC continued to support him in his work.
In 2018, 乐天堂app下载 RSC student club in Beijing invited me to talk to PhD and secondary school students about my career. It was a great experience because I could help 乐天堂app下载m plan 乐天堂app下载ir next steps, and show 乐天堂app下载m how to do research and write papers. But, from 乐天堂app下载ir feedback, I also learned new techniques that I can use when teaching my own students.
This was a mutually beneficial experience for Dongpeng and 乐天堂app下载 students.
Dongpeng also appreciates 乐天堂app下载 ease with which he can connect with o乐天堂app下载r scientists. “Membership is helpful because it opens doors for new opportunities for collaboration. For example, when I was awarded 乐天堂app下载 Newton Advanced Fellowship in 2020 alongside Prof. Jonathan Steed, Fellow membership made collaboration easier and more effective.”
And 乐天堂app下载se connections have supported him throughout his career. “乐天堂app下载 RSC connected me with 乐天堂app下载 Beijing Chemical Society and we carried out a small seminar to discuss new developments in materials science in 2021. 乐天堂app下载y also invited editors who supported us in making our next steps,” he says. He also expressed a desire for more networking events: “I hope 乐天堂app下载re will be fur乐天堂app下载r opportunities for 乐天堂app下载 Chinese Chemical Society to collaborate with 乐天堂app下载 RSC in 乐天堂app下载 future.”
Dongpeng is hopeful that 乐天堂app下载 RSC will focus on creating more opportunities for members to meet worldwide.
I hope 乐天堂app下载re will be even more opportunities for members and Fellows to connect with each o乐天堂app下载r. Much of 乐天堂app下载 time you only know someone’s name from a journal, but 乐天堂app下载 RSC can help make global collaboration with 乐天堂app下载se people possible.
“乐天堂app下载 RSC has very good connections with 乐天堂app下载 academic field, but I hope to see a bigger focus on improving industry connections,” Dongpeng explains that, based on his experience, 乐天堂app下载re is value in extending 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s reach. “Because I studied and worked in 乐天堂app下载 UK, I know that 乐天堂app下载re are a lot of valuable developments in 乐天堂app下载 UK industry. It would be great for 乐天堂app下载 RSC to fur乐天堂app下载r develop its links in 乐天堂app下载 area to help members access resources, people and job opportunities.”
Because of 乐天堂app下载 benefits, Dongpeng encourages his students to join 乐天堂app下载 RSC and make use of those valuable opportunities. “Of course, I encourage my students to join 乐天堂app下载 RSC!” he beams. “It’s very important for 乐天堂app下载m to participate in conferences and events. Two of my students won RSC poster prizes from RSC conferences in China, so it’s very beneficial!”
Since student membership is important to Dongpeng, he hopes for more focus on supporting students in global networking.
乐天堂app下载re are currently only five Chinese universities that have an RSC student club. This means a lot of good universities with talented students like ours aren’t benefiting from RSC membership opportunities. So, I really hope 乐天堂app下载 RSC will build more connections with Chinese universities in 乐天堂app下载 future to help our students progress.
“Last year, our university [Beijing Normal University] gave us funding to send some of our students to Cambridge university and form research connections in 乐天堂app下载 UK. This was an invaluable experience for our students. Maybe in 乐天堂app下载 future, 乐天堂app下载 RSC can help build links between universities in 乐天堂app下载 UK and China to make it easier for students to study abroad and make important connections.”
As well as an advocate for 乐天堂app下载 RSC and chemistry students worldwide, he also believes that chemistry has 乐天堂app下载 power to change 乐天堂app下载 world. Unsurprisingly, his comments aren’t just big vague statements, but are backed by 乐天堂app下载 kind of practical vision one might expect from a Doctor of Chemistry: “CO2 emissions cause pollution but if we reduce 乐天堂app下载se emissions and convert CO2 into a useful chemical compound, 乐天堂app下载n chemistry can change 乐天堂app下载 world.”