Recently, the International Soft Matter Symposium 2016 (ISMS 2016) was successfully held by the School of Chemical Engineering of Tianjin University and the Tianjin Co-Innovation Center of Chemical Science Engineering (COIC CSE) at Tianjin University. More than ten international scholars and a hundred domestic experts from the world's most prestigious universities and institutions were invited to this conference, including Harvard University, University of Cambridge, UCLA, NYU, Kent State University, Texas A&M University, Leiden University, HKU, CUHK, HKUST, Tsinghua University, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry CAS, BUAA, NKU, Institute of Physics CAS, Tianjin University, Sichuan University, Peking University, SUSTC, Nanjing University, Fudan University, Institute of Theoretical Physics CAS, BUCT, Chongqing University, Xi`an Jiaotong University, Guangdong University of Technology, Zhejiang University, UCTC, SJTU, CSRC, Suzhou University, SWUST, NWPU and Northwest University.

The opening ceremony was held on the Weijin Road Campus and hosted by the chairman of the symposium Professor Zhou Kun from Tianjin University. The President of Tianjin University Li Jiajun welcomed all the participants on behalf of the whole university and introduced its history and scientific research briefly followed by his sincere wish that the conference may be a complete success. Head of the Chemical Science Department of National Natural Science Fund Committee (CSD NNSFC) Professor Zhang Xi and Professor David Weitz from Harvard University also spoke. Vice president of Tianjin University Yuan Yingjin and Hu Wenping were also invited to attend.

After the conference, Professor David Weitz, Professor Zhang Xi and Professor Jiang Lei from Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry CAS/ BUAA give several farseeing reports about the relationship between interacted space scale of soft matter and its functional performance, regulation of supermolecular activity and intelligent interfacial biomimetic material. Subsequently, the conference listened to Professor Chu Liangyin. The self-assembly of colloids was argued through reports from Professor Thomas Mason from UCLA, Professor Li Baohui from NKU, researcher Chen Ke from Institute of Physics CAS and Professor Xu Lei from CUHK.

The first scientific report by Professor Gong Jinlong from Tianjin University discussed nanometer materials. Presentations about their work and research achievements were addressed in the meeting by Professor Hu Wenping from Tianjin University, Professor Chu Liangyin from Sichuan University, Professor Qi Limin from Peking University, researcher Jure Dobnikar from Institute of Physics CAS and Professor Sun Dazhi from SUSTC.

The second part of the report by Professor Xu Ning from USTC focused on the dynamic along with the heterogeneity of glass. Other professors discussed their recent work and achievements over a wide range of research, including Professor Hu Wenbin from NJU, Professor Xu Limei from Peking University, Professor Penger Tong from HKUST, Professor Chen Wei from FDU and Researcher Wang Yanting from Institute of Theoretical Physics CAS. Professor Wang Wenchuan from BUCT also did a introduction about their research on soft matter.

Academician Paul Chaikin from NYU, Academician Daan Frenkel from University of Cambridge and Academician Masao Doi from BUAA were invited to lecture and introduce the 'melt on the sphere', self-organization of soft material and chiral separation of particles. Then followed Professor Chen Zhengdong from Texas A&M University, Professor Gerard Wong from UCLA, Professor Liu Changjun from Tianjin University, Professor Ho Cheung Shum from UHK, Professor Liu Liyu from Chongqing University, Professor Zhang Lei from Tianjin University and Professor Xu Feng from Xi'an Jiaotong University who reported on their scientific advances. 

The subsequent conference was about liquid crystal fields, hosted by Professor Hu Wenbin from NJU. Professor Jonathan Selinger from KSU and Professor Robin Selinger, Professor Chen Zhengdong from Texas A&M University, Professor Chen Dong from Zhejiang University, Professor Xu Ning from USTC gave reports.

Later, hosted by Dr. Shi Xiaqing from Suzhou University, Professor Zhang Jie and Professor Zhang Hepeng from SJTU, Professor Shang Leihan and Dr. Xu Xinliang from CSRC, and Dr. Anton Souslov from Leiden University told the conference about granular systems and active substances.

At the end, the Chairman of the symposium, Professor Zhao Kun summarized the whole process and expressed his gratitude to all attendances and that the, ISMS 2016 was held successfully. He said the conference offers a valuable platform for interaction and robust connections and cooperation with other prominent universities and institutions for science. The popularity and interest in this particular area had also improved and it will greatly promote the development of soft matter research in our university.