Centenary of the Birth of Mr. Liu Youcheng and the 5th Meeting of the 7th Academic Committee of State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry Was Held at Yifu Science Museum in Lanzhou University on Nov. 6, 2020. Zhenhe Tong, academician of Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, CAS, Jinpei Cheng, academician of Tsinghua University, Yundong Wu, academician of Peking University, Chunhua Yan, academician of Lanzhou University, Kuiling Ding, academician of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Yongqiang Tu, academician of Lanzhou University, Qingxiang Guo, professor of University of Science and Technology of China, Lizhu Wu, academician of Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, CAS, Deqing Zhang, researcher of Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Maili Liu, researcher of Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, CAS, Xiang Zhou, professor of Wuhan University, Zhen Yang, professor of Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Zhanting Li, professor of Fudan University and Guanwu Wang, professor of University of Science and Technology of China were invited to the meeting. Heads of personnel and scientific research departments, administrators of College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, teachers and graduates of SKLAOC more than 200 attended the meeting.

Shengcheng Xu, deputy secretary and vice president of Lanzhou University, delivered opening speech. Academician Zhenhe Tong, Jinpei Cheng, Qingxiang Guo, Yundong Wu, Yongqiang Tu and Kuiling Ding recalled Mr. Liu's past events. Meanwhile, participants remembered and learned Mr. Liu's devotion to our country, scientific spirit of rigorous scholarship and moral style of selfless dedication. Academician Lizhu Wu delivered a special academic report entitled "Photochemical Transformation". Prof. Wei Wang then reported progress of scientific research work of SKLAOC from 2019 to 2020, and reviewed the inheritance and development of physical organic chemistry explored by Mr. Liu. In the concluding speech of morning meeting, president Yan, on behalf of Lanzhou University, thanked the experts for their long-term care and support for the development of organic chemistry of Lanzhou University, and encouraged teachers and students of SKLAOC to learn dedication and innovative spirit of older generations of scientists like Mr. Liu.

The experts listened to the academic reports of Prof. Shihui Dong, Dr. Xiaoming Zhang, Prof. Xingzhong Shu and Prof. Xiangfeng Shao, and put forward suggestions on the future development of SKLAOC. The experts pointed out that the laboratory should be oriented to the frontier of discipline innovation and the major national needs, further condense the research direction, highlight the research characteristics, and strengthen the cross integration among disciplines. The experts stressed that we should further strengthen talent team construction and actively create conditions for introduction and training of young outstanding talents. Prof. Pengfei Xu, assistant to the president of Lanzhou University, and An Xian, deputy dean of Office of Science and Technology, attended the seminar upon invitation.

On the morning of Nov. 7th, 2020, Zhanting Li, professor of Fudan University, delivered a special academic report at the Academic Lecture Hall 101, No.2 Chemistry Building. Jianguo Fang, Bo Zhou, Wei Yu, Qiang Liu and Sanyuan Ding, professors from SKLAOC, whose research direction is physical organic chemistry, reported their latest research progress respectively.  

Mr. Liu's selfless dedication to northwest China and his persistent and innovative spirit for scientific research have inspired generations of teachers and students of Lanzhou University. All the teachers and students of the SKLAOC will stick to the path of development through inheritance and innovation in the future. They will never forget their original intention and forge ahead bravely.

Introduction of Mr. Youcheng Liu

Mr. Youcheng Liu was born on Nov. 6th, 1920, in Shucheng, Anhui province. He studied in Department of Agricultural Chemistry of National Central University from 1938 to 1942. In 1945, he obtained a Scholarship from the British Council of Culture and went to study in Department of Organic Chemistry of University of Leeds for his doctorate under the guidance of Prof. Challenger. After graduation, he worked for Prof. Riegel research group of Department of Chemistry in Northwestern University as a research associate from 1948 to 1951. In 1951, he transferred to the University of Chicago as a postdoctoral fellow, where he began his research and education in free radical chemistry under the direction of Prof. M. S. Kharasch, a famous chemist and founder of free radical chemistry. He came back to China in 1954 and worked in Lanzhou University in 1955, where he served successively as professor, dean, honorary dean of Chemistry Department and chairman of Academic Committee of Lanzhou University. In 1987, he was appointed as director of State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry and Academic Committee. He has been a professor of University of Science and Technology of China and also a professor of Lanzhou University since 1994. He was elected as a member of the Academic Department of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1980. He once served as a representative of The Sixth National People's Congress, a member of the second and third session of the discipline appraisal group of Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council. Besides, he once was editor of many journals, such as Research on Chemical Intermediates, Science China, Chinese Science Bulletin, Chinese Journal of Chemistry, Acta Chimica Sinica, Chemical Journal of Chinese Universities.

Liu Youcheng is a famous organic chemist, educator and founder of free radical chemistry in China. Mr. Liu has made outstanding achievements in the field of free radical chemistry, single electron transfer reaction, coenzyme NAD model reduction reaction mechanism, and published more than 260 academic papers. In 1986, he was awarded the National Model Worker in education system and won the People's Teacher Medal. In 1989, he won the Outstanding Returned Overseas Chinese and the Intellectual Prize of the Family Members of Overseas Chinese. In 1990, he was awarded as the National Advanced Science and Technology Worker. In 1982, he won the third prize of National Natural Science Award. In 1987 and 1995, he won the first prize of Science and Technology Progress of State Education Commission twice.