A group of scholars visited the School of Civil Engineering (SCE) of Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU) for academic exchange on April 25, including Professor Bai Yun of construction materials from University College London, Hao Tingyu, Deputy Director of High Performance Concrete Branch from Central Research Institute of Building and Construction, Professor Mao jianghong from Sichuan University, Lecturer Chen Lou from Central South University, and Ph.D. candidates Lin Leqian and Wang Jingbo from University College London. The academic meeting was presided by Chen Rong, Deputy Dean of the SCE, and others present were Ma Lei, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange, SWJTU, Gao Pingping, Secretary of the Party Committee of SCE, Deputy Dean Fu Haiying, and Deputy Dean Chen Rong of SCE, Zhao Renda, Professor of Bridge Engineering Department, Li Guhua, Director of Building Materials Research Office, Li Fuhai, Deputy Director of Experimental Teaching Center, Cui Shengai, Professor of Building Materials Research Institute, Associate Professor Su Qiwang and Associate Professor Zhang Ming of Department of Architectural Engineering, and Ali, Assistant Professor of Road Engineering.

On behalf of the SCE, Deputy Dean Chen Rong extended a warm welcome to Professor Bai Yun and other scholars present and showed the promotional video of SCE.

Ma Lei, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange, SWJTU pointed out that the research and application in civil engineering and building materials would be more extensive and in-depth with the continuous progress of science and technology and the rapid development of society, and he also expressed the hope to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation with University College London in the future.

On behalf of Pu Qianhui, Dean of the SCE, and more than 6,000 students and faculty members, Gao Pingping, Secretary of the Party Committee of SCE, also extended a warm welcome to the participants present. He gave a brief introduction to the scale and ways of talent training in SCE, and stressed SCE’s outstanding contribution to the success of China’s major national projects. He envisioned that both sides could strengthen in-depth cooperation in multiple levels and fields, such as personnel training, scientific research cooperation and exchange of young professors, as well as future cooperation in teaching.

Professor Bai Yun first expressed his gratitude to SWJTU and SCE, and gave a lecture on the theme "The Potential of Microwave Using for Manufacturing Low-carbon Concrete". He introduced the relevant research fields and research achievements of the construction materials of UCL, and shared his team's application of microwave technology to manufacturing low-carbon concrete in engineering, followed by his vision of building a better world in the 21st century.

Professor Li Guhua and Professor Li Fuhai shared their views on building materials, discussed with Professor Bai Yun on the subject of the lecture, and put forward their suggestions on the development and challenges in the current field of civil engineering. Fu Haiying, Deputy Dean of the SCE, highly appreciated the academic research of both sides in related fields, and expressed wishes to have further discussions in the future and strengthen cooperation and exchanges between SWJTU and UCL.

The meeting was successfully concluded with deepened understanding and exchange between the two sides. It provided a broader international perspective and academic platform for the faculty and students of SCE. It's expected that with the joint efforts of the two universities, international academic exchanges and cooperation will be further promoted and more contributions will be made to the development of civil engineering and construction materials.