On December 29, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) held its 2019 Popular Science commendation conference. It was organized by the Faculty Committee and the Office of Admissions, in conjunction with the Education Foundation and the Residential Colleges. More than 160 faculty, staff, and students attended the conference with many off-campus guests and children.

Popular Science has been expanding as SUSTech has developed, with its influence attracting more faculty and students to its goal of communicating science to a broader audience. Many departments and organizations across SUSTech are involved in popular science activities.

The award ceremony awarded ten different awards to 71 staff members and students, and one student society. Awards included the Best Lecturer, Best Ambassador, Best Association, Best Maker, and Biggest Society.

SUSTech Secretary-General Chen Siqi pointed out that popular science activities at SUSTech have been replicated across mainland China to develop into unique events on many campuses around the country. The development of popular science is inseparable from the dedication of the faculty and students at SUSTech. He hoped that the popular science advocates of SUSTech would hold more influential and distinctive activities in the new year.

Several award-winning representatives spoke positively about their experiences involved in popular science at SUSTech. The chairperson of the Faculty Committee, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering (OSE) Professor and founder of the Popular Science group Liu Qingsong summarized the group’s achievements in 2019. He spoke about the importance of popular science to inspire others to consider science and engineering as a potential career path.

Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Associate Professor Guo Chuanfei gave a popular science called “Magic Nano World” for the assembled children before several popular science sessions were given to the broader community in attendance.

The Popular Science group has expanded to more than 500 people since its establishment in the summer of 2017. It is no longer just the faculty, staff, and students of SUSTech that make up the Popular Science group, but science enthusiasts from across Shenzhen are also involved in this vital association. Several popular science associations across Shenzhen have developed relationships with many similar groups across Shenzhen. The group has conducted several activities outside of campus and will carry out more events across the city in 2020.