On September 25, the 8th session of the Carbon Neutrality and Energy System Transformation (CNEST) Frontiers Seminar was successfully held at the Tsinghua University Institute for Carbon Neutrality. The event featured an insightful presentation by Dr. Mo Qiao, Senior Editor of Nature Chemical Engineering, titled "The Nature of Chemical Engineering Publishing," followed by lively discussions with faculty and students. The lecture was chaired by Professor Guan Dabo, Vice Dean of the Tsinghua University Institute for Carbon Neutrality.

Lecture in Progress

Professor Guan Dabo chairing the seminar

Dr. Mo Qiao began by introducing the founding team, philosophy, and positioning of Nature Chemical Engineering. In recent years, the Nature Portfolio has been expanding its disciplinary coverage, gradually moving from life sciences to encompass all sciences. The launch of Nature Chemical Engineering in January 2024 marks the Nature Portfolio's advancement into engineering and physical sciences, encouraging all engineers to publish their work on its platform. Differentiating itself from other journals, Nature Chemical Engineering aims to cover the full spectrum of chemical engineering research—from unit operations to systems and life cycle analysis. It advocates for cross-scale, interdisciplinary research exchange, aiming to rejuvenate traditional, fundamental chemical engineering theories in emerging application areas. Dr. Qiao emphasized that, from an editorial perspective, the journal prioritizes whether research offers new understanding and perspectives over mere performance metrics. In addition to research articles, the journal encourages submissions of systematic analyses, reviews, comments, and perspectives, welcoming diverse academic voices. Plans for 2025 include special issues on systems engineering and major chemical industry sectors, as well as a new column, Down to Business, designed to bridge academia and industry and explore the path to commercialization of research findings.

Dr. Mo Qiao delivering the lecture on "The Nature of Chemical Engineering Publishing"

During the Q&A session, faculty and students engaged in enthusiastic exchanges with Dr. Mo Qiao on topics such as the peer-review process, data usage, and research methodologies. This lecture not only enhanced everyone's understanding of Nature Chemical Engineering but also provided a valuable opportunity for faculty and students to gain insights into trends in top-tier international academic publishing.

Q&A and Discussion

Following the lecture, Associate Researcher Peng Yue from the School of Environment at Tsinghua University introduced pollution control technologies for ammonia-hydrogen engine exhaust; Assistant Researcher Liu Yingxue from the Institute for Carbon Neutrality shared insights on the environmental-economic tensions and systematic solutions within the global fluorochemical industry; and a team member of Professor Xu Ruina from the Department of Energy and Power Engineering presented innovations and applications in microporous heat transfer methodology. The three speakers and Dr. Mo Qiao held in-depth discussions on aspects like topic selection angles, points of innovation, and article conceptualization. Faculty and students in attendance found the session highly rewarding.

Presentation and Sharing

The "Carbon Neutrality and Energy System Transformation (CNEST) Frontiers Seminar" series is organized by the CNEST Multilateral Cooperation Program—initiated by Tsinghua University—and the World Carbon Neutrality Society (in preparation). It is hosted by the Tsinghua University Institute for Carbon Neutrality. The series aims to invite renowned experts and scholars from industry and academia, both domestically and internationally, to share cutting-edge technologies, industrial trends, and policy dynamics in the fields of carbon neutrality and energy system transformation. The CNEST Frontier Lecture is a required course on carbon neutrality technology frontiers for doctoral students in the first-level discipline of "Carbon Neutrality System Science and Technology."