On May 21, 2026, the “Double Helix” Innovation Talent Cultivation Academic Lecture Series was successfully held at the Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center for Advanced Functional Polymer Films, University of Science and Technology of China. Ms. Cong Rongjuan, Senior Research Scientist at Dow Chemical in the United States, was invited to deliver a special lecture on industrial innovation. Faculty members and students of the Engineering Center, together with graduate students from related fields, attended the event and participated in the discussion. The lecture was chaired by Professor Cui Kunpeng, Director of the Engineering Center.
Research Scientist Cong Rongjuan has nearly two decades of experience in industrial R&D and technology management at Dow Chemical in the United States. She is an internationally recognized expert in the structural characterization and fractionation of polyolefin materials. Over the years, she has led her team in advancing research on the relationship between the microstructure and properties of polyolefins. The multidimensional polyolefin fractionation technology system she developed has overcome the limitations of traditional characterization methods and precisely addressed a number of core technical challenges in new polyolefin product development and production-process quality control. These technologies have been applied on a large scale across multiple production lines worldwide, generating significant economic and technological value. Her extensive practical experience in industry-university-research collaborative innovation and the engineering transformation of scientific research achievements brought a distinctive industrial perspective to the lecture.
In her lecture, Research Scientist Cong Rongjuan drew on her own career journey from laboratory research to industrial innovation and shared in-depth insights around three core themes: “research topic selection guided by industrial needs,” “key stages in the industrialization of scientific research achievements,” and “the mindset and paradigm of industrial research.” She compared the essential differences between academic research and industrial R&D, pointing out that industrial research is always centered on “solving real-world problems and creating commercial value.” She emphasized that outstanding industrial innovators should not only possess a solid theoretical foundation, but also develop keen market insight and systematic engineering thinking. Taking the industrialization of polyolefin fractionation technology as an example, she vividly reconstructed the complete process from identifying quality fluctuation problems in industrial production, to establishing scientific methods through fundamental research, and then to optimizing processes and achieving large-scale production. She also analyzed the technical and managerial challenges that may arise at each stage.
Research Scientist Cong Rongjuan particularly emphasized the importance of “tracing research directions backward from industrial pain points.” She encouraged students to actively engage with frontline production during their research, pay close attention to the performance shortcomings of materials in real application scenarios, and closely integrate fundamental research with engineering needs. She also shared the collaboration models and project management experience of industrial research teams, providing valuable guidance for students’ future career development. During the interactive discussion session, faculty members and students raised questions enthusiastically, and Research Scientist Cong Rongjuan responded to them one by one with specific examples.
This lecture provided faculty members and students of the Engineering Center with a valuable platform for in-depth exchange with a senior expert from industry. It effectively broadened students’ research horizons and strengthened their awareness of industrial innovation. The Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center for Advanced Functional Polymer Films has always upheld the educational philosophy of deeply integrating industry, academia, research, and application. Through multiple approaches, including lectures by industry experts, enterprise-based practical training, and joint project research, the Center is committed to cultivating high-level innovative talent capable of addressing critical industrial bottlenecks. Going forward, the Center will continue to deepen university-enterprise cooperation and build more bridges for industry-university-research collaboration for faculty members and students.
