On November 25, 2022 Nankai-Cambridge Advanced Materials Symposium was held online. This symposium focused on cutting-edge scientific topics in materials science and featured academic discussions on new energy materials, advanced characterization techniques and new theoretical approaches. Ten international top speakers from six countries brought an academic feast to audience of more than 100 faculties and students. Guoran Li, Vice Dean of the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nankai University, delivered a welcome speech; Wei Li, Professor of the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nankai University, hosted this symposium.

The symposium featured a presentation by Ekhard Salje, professor of the University of Cambridge, fellow of the Royal Society and member of the German Academy of Sciences, entitled “Piezoelectricity in nominally cubic crystals”. Professor Salje stated that the macroscopic inversion symmetry breaking in cubic and body-centered crystals is a common phenomenon and demonstrated that significant piezoelectric effects can be produced in corresponding ferroelectric crystals and ceramics. Michael Carpenter, professor of the University of Cambridge, UK; Huai Yong Zhu, Queensland University of Technology, Australia; Alessandro Stroppa, SPIN-CNR, Italy; Emilie Ringe, University of Cambridge, UK; Yuanzheng Yue, Aalborg University, Denmark; Martin Dove, Queen Mary, University of London, UK; Ziqi Sun, Queensland University of Technology, Australia; Giorgio Divitini, Italian Institute of Technology, Italy; Katerina Aifantis, University of Florida, USA, delivered talks on “Phase transitions in minerals and functional materials: multiple instabilities with strain coupling ”, “ Photocatalysts of metal nanoparticles on support ”, “Ferroelectricity and spin-textures in hybrid-organic-inorganic perovskites ”, “ Magnesium: A new plasmonic material ”, “Structure and functionality of MOF glasses ”, “Negative thermal expansion and associated anomalous properties of materials ”, “Two-dimensional materials for sustainable energy applications ”, “The cathodoluminescence studies of perovskite films ”, “Capturing the interplay between electrochemical properties and mechanical stability ” , respectively. Researchers from different countries had a heated discussion with the speakers on the presentations.

Over the years, the communication and cooperation between Nankai University and the University of Cambridge have been strengthened. “In 2019, we successfully held the Nankai-Cambridge Advanced Materials Symposium, and also established the Cam-Link Station for bilateral exchanges.” Guoran Li said. This symposium not only enhanced the international perspective of faculties and students, but also strengthened the communication and cooperation between Nankai University and foreign research institutions such as the University of Cambridge, which is conducive to promoting the development of materials science and many other disciplines in our university.

The symposium was successfully organized with the support of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office.