On May 8th, Prof. Chris Rudd, the Vice-President of the ISBE, and Deputy Vice Chancellor and Head of Campus, Singapore at James Cook University (JCU), was invited to present “JLU Global Lecture” entitled "Life Changing Materials" as the winner of the Chinese Government Friendship Award. Academician Prof. Xi Zhang, President of Jilin University, attended the lecture and presented Prof. Rudd with a commemorative certificate. The lecture was presided over by Prof. Zhihui Zhang, General Secretary of the ISBE.

Prof. Rudd firstly looked back the history of his long-term cooperation with Jilin University, and made a general introduction to JCU where he currently works. During the Lecture, Prof. Rudd explored some of the ground-breaking advances in materials science, drawing on nature inspired solutions, outcomes from advanced technology programmes such as aerospace as well as accidental discoveries that have changed our daily lives. He also addressed the social impact of new developments alongside the economic changes that materials have delivered.

In the session of interaction, Prof. Rudd detailed answered the questions raised by the participants, and called on the bionic researchers to start from the practical requirements, narrow the innovation gap, and jointly promote the new development of materials science.

The current “JLU Global Lecture” was jointly hosted by Jilin University and the ISBE. Nearly 300 representatives from College of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, College of Bionic Science and Engineering, and Key Laboratory of Bionic Science and Engineering of Jilin University participated in the Lecture.