We are proud to announce that four alumni from our esteemed institution have been honored with the National Engineer Awards for their outstanding contributions to the field of engineering and technology. The awardees are Zhang Laiyong (张来勇) ’85, Li Hongxia (李红霞) ’87, Lin Tiejian (林铁坚) ’98, and Tan Xuguang (谭旭光) ’04. Their remarkable achievements serve as a testament to the high caliber of education at our university and further solidify our commitment to fostering excellence in the field of engineering and technology.
The National Engineer Awards was delivered by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council to recognize over 80 individuals and 50 teams for outstanding contributions to the field of engineering technology. It represents the highest honor in the field of engineering technology in China. The awarding ceremony was held on January 19 in Beijing.
Now let’s get to know our four award recipients.
Zhang Laiyong entered Tianjin University for undergraduate study in 1981 and pursued his master’s degree in chemical engineering in 1985. He is currently the chief technical expert of China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Co., Ltd. He has claimed many outstanding titles so far like a high-ranking professorial engineer, a National Survey and Design Master, a member of the Chinese Chemical Society, and one of the "Leading Figures in Technological Innovation for the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China".
As one of the leading figures in the field of petrochemicals, he has been devoted to the development, transformation, and process design of ethylene technology for 35 years. Focusing on the major demand for self-reliance of core national ethylene technologies, he presided over the national "12th Five-Year" science and technology support plan and fulfilled the key tasks in megaton ethylene complete technology, relative key equipment R&D and application, etc. He led the major breakthrough in integrated design technology for coal indirect liquefaction to oil processes, and designed the world's largest single-unit 4 million tons per year coal-to-oil project, which has made significant contributions to the enhancement of China’s self-sufficiency in the production of ethylene, an important basic raw material, and the ability to guarantee national energy security.
Zhang Laiyong has been widely recognized for his contributions, having received both First and Second Prizes of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, as well as one Silver and one Excellent Prizes for China Patent. He was also awarded the Outstanding Contribution Prize of National Quality Work and the Key Prize of National General Contractor. At the provincial and ministerial levels of Science and Technology Progress, he has received four Special Prizes and three First Prizes. Furthermore, he has been awarded the Hou Debbang Achievement Prize of Chemical Science and Technology. Zhang Laiyong is also the holder of 14 patents for invention, 6 books, and 11 papers. In addition, he has received the Outstanding Engineer Prize from the Fifth China Foundation of International Scientific Exchanges.
Li Hongxia earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in radioactive non-metallic materials at Tianjin University. She is now a high-ranking professorial engineer, a member of the Asia-Pacific Academy for Materials Science, the director of the National Key Laboratory of Advanced Fire-Resistant Materials, the chief engineer of Sinosteel Corporation, and the honorary president of Sinosteel Luoyang Fire-resistant Materials Research Institute Co., Ltd. She once served as the president of the International Organization for Standardization’s Technical Committee on Fire-Resistant Materials and a member of the Executive Committee of the Joint International Conference on Fire-Resistant Materials. Li has been listed as one of the National Experts with Outstanding Contributions and the National Talents in the New Century. She was also the recipient of the Third Outstanding Engineer, the National Outstanding Scientific and Technical Professionals, the Henan Provincial Science and Technology Outstanding Dedication Award, and the Zhongyuan Scholar, etc.
Li Hongxia has long been engaged in the research of fire-resistant materials and published 4 monographs and 227 papers, as well as 32 patents for inventions as of April 2023. In addition, she has organized and formulated 4 international standards and 68 national standards. She has presided over projects that have won a national second prize for technical invention as well as a first prize for scientific and technological progress at the provincial and ministerial levels.
Lin Tiejian is the general engineer of Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Co., Ltd., and director of the company’s research institute. He spent nearly a decade at TJU, starting in 1994, studying for his degrees of bachelor, master and doctor in thermodynamic engine. Since joining Yuchai in 2005, Lin has been striving for technology advancement and working tirelessly to improve engine performance and hence promote the advancement of China’s internal combustion engine technology. In May 2022, he was awarded the First Prize of Guangxi Science and Technology for his research on the “Development and Application of Key Technologies for Combustion and Control of Automobile Body Machines”. Lin Tiejian was also awarded the National May Day Labor Medal and the National Model Worker in Mechanical Industry.
On June 30, 2022, Lin Tiejian and his R&D team launched the YCK16H heavy-duty direct injection hydrogen combustion engine, making it the only professional power system supplier in the domestic hydrogen energy field with products covering light-duty and heavy-duty hydrogen combustion engines as well as fuel cell systems, and marking a solid step forward on the zero-carbon energy power system track for the Yuchai Group. In addition, during his 15 years in Yuchai, Lin took the lead in launching China's first engine that satisfies the National V and National VI emission standards, realizing the implementation of diesel engine standards.
Tan Xuguang who earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees at TJU is a high-ranking engineer who enjoys the State Council's special governmental allowance. He serves as Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the Board and General Manager of Shandong Heavy Industry Group Co., Ltd., Chairman of the Board and Strategic Scientist of Weichai Holding Group Co., Ltd., Chairman of the Board of China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Co., Ltd., Chairman of the Board and Chief Engineer of Weichai Power Co., Ltd., Director of the National Key Laboratory of Internal Combustion Engines and Power Systems, and Director of the Expert Committee of the National Fuel Cell Technological Innovation Center. He is also a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and joins the Population, Resources and Environment Committee as well.
Tan Xuguang has long been engaged in theoretical research and practical work on technological innovation and management of power engineering technologies. He has presided over the research and development of China’s first heavy-duty, high-speed diesel engine, established the world’s first independent R&D and manufacturing base for heavy-duty commercial vehicles, overcome the key technological problem of heavy-duty, high-speed diesel engines in the international arena, and bridged the gap of China’s core technologies in actuator system from all respects. He has played a significant role in the development of China’s high-end equipment manufacturing industry.
By Li Jiaqi
Editor: Eva Yin
