Date: August 23, 2025 

Publisher: Jinan University Integrated Media Center

Professor Xin Hongbao from the Institute of Nanophotonics, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, recently received two prestigious awards at major academic conferences, highlighting his exceptional contributions in the fields of photonics and instrumentation.

At the Chinese Instrument and Control Society's annual conference held in Changsha from August 12-15, the 2025 Science and Technology Award winners were announced. Professor Xin was honored with the Youth Science and Technology Award, which is granted each year to no more than ten scholars under the age of 40 and represents one of the most distinguished accolades in China's instrumentation field.

In 2025, a total of eight recipients were selected nationwide. The award aims to recognize young scientists and engineers who have achieved creative and influential results in areas including natural science research, engineering technology, science popularization, and technology management, with clear practical impact.

The awardees include: Gu Honggang (Huazhong University of Science and Technology), Lin Qingyu (Sichuan University), Lin Zhiming (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Liu Yang (Tianjin University), Shen Chong (North University of China), Xin Hongbao (Jinan University), Zhang Shuailong (Beijing Institute of Technology), and Zhao Weisong (Harbin Institute of Technology).

Separately, at the 2025 Optical Engineering Frontier Interdisciplinary Science Conference in Jinhua from August 15-17, the Optical Engineering Frontier Interdisciplinary Outstanding Achievements were unveiled. A project titled Light-Controlled Living Cell Microrobots, led by Professor Xin's biophotonics team, was selected among the top results.

The call for submissions covered seven major interdisciplinary and industrial domains, including new materials, aerospace technology, green energy, brain-computer interface and medical engineering, quantum computing and AI, extreme microscopy, and ultrafast/ultra-intense photonics. A total of 63 scientific and technological achievements from 2021-2025 were submitted nationwide, with 19 ultimately selected as outstanding following expert review.

Notable selected projects include: polar liquid crystal nonlinear photonic materials, mechanisms, and innovative devices (Nanjing University); mid-infrared high-speed temporal ghost imaging and secure communication applications (Sichuan University); AR displays based on metasurfaces—a lightweight high-performance solution (Huazhong University of Science and Technology); and light-controlled living cell microrobots (Jinan University), among others. The full list reflects innovations from universities, research institutes, and enterprises.

These accolades reflect continued advances in instrumentation and optical engineering in China, as well as the vital role young researchers play in cutting-edge interdisciplinary science.