On the morning of June 26, 2026, the Department of Chemical Engineering at Tsinghua University held its 2026 Graduation Ceremony in front of Yingshi Building.
The ceremony was attended by Professor Yang Wantai, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Professor Luo Guangsheng, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chair of the Department’s Academic Degree Evaluation Subcommittee, and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Low-Carbon Technology; Professor Lu Yangcheng, Party Secretary of the Department; Professor Zhang Qiang, Dean of the Department; Professor Liu Zheng, Chair of the Department’s Teaching Committee and Dean of Tanwei College; Professor Zhu Bing, Director of the Institute for Circular Economy and Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the Chemical Engineering Branch of the Tsinghua Alumni Association; Deputy Party Secretaries Ge Jun and Lu Yuan; Deputy Heads of Department Wang Haihui, Xu Jun, and Wang Kai; heads of institutes and laboratories; faculty representatives; counselors; alumnus Li Jincai from the Class of 1991; as well as the 2026 graduates and their families. The ceremony was hosted by Lu Yuan.
Before the formal ceremony began, several videos were shown, including a graduation retrospective, messages from faculty members, and a photo montage. These videos recalled the students’ academic pursuits, research experiences, practical training, and personal growth during their years at Tsinghua. The year 2026 marks the 80th anniversary of the Department of Chemical Engineering. Over the past eight decades, generations of Tsinghua chemical engineers have carried forward the spirit of “Start from me, start from now,” giving special meaning to this year’s graduation.
Professor Lu Yuan presiding over the graduation ceremony
The ceremony opened with artistic performances by the graduates. Gao Rongze, a doctoral graduate, performed on the guzheng, and Wu Xingrui, an undergraduate graduate, performed on the yangqin. Doctoral graduates Liu Xi, Lin Shuyu, Gao Rongze, and Xu Yuxuan; master’s graduates Zhao Yadi, Tang Jingwen, and Lin Tian’en; undergraduate graduates Li Quan and Li Yufeng; and Tanwei College undergraduate graduate Wu Xuanxuan presented songs and offered flowers to faculty members, expressing their gratitude for the teachers’ guidance and support.
Graduates performing instrumental music and songs
Professor Lu Yangcheng presented the overview of the Class of 2026. This year, 209 students from the Department successfully completed their studies and received degrees, including 104 undergraduates, comprising 32 students from the Department of Chemical Engineering and 72 from Tanwei College, and 105 postgraduate students, comprising 74 doctoral students and 31 master’s students.
Professor Lu Yangcheng presenting an overview of the 2026 graduating class of the Department of Chemical Engineering
Professor Liu Zheng and Academician Luo Guangsheng announced the lists of outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate graduates, respectively. Academician Yang Wantai, Professor Lu Yangcheng, Professor Zhang Qiang, Academician Luo Guangsheng, Professor Liu Zheng, and Professor Zhu Bing presented awards to student representatives. The awards included Beijing Outstanding Graduate, Tsinghua Outstanding Graduate, Tsinghua Excellent Graduate, Tsinghua Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis, Department Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis, Tsinghua Outstanding Doctoral Thesis, Tsinghua Outstanding Master’s Thesis, and Tsinghua Graduate Qihang Award.
Faculty members presenting awards to the student representatives
Li Tongjie from Class ChemEng 23 and Shan Mingyue from Tanwei–PolymEng 21 spoke on behalf of the undergraduate graduates. Li Tongjie reflected on his four years at Tsinghua and expressed gratitude for the Department’s training in professional knowledge, engineering thinking, and a strong sense of responsibility. He said that he would carry forward the spirit of “Start from me, start from now,” integrate personal growth into the development of the society, and contribute wherever the country needs him. Shan Mingyue shared her journey from her first encounter with chemical engineering at Tsinghua to the completion of her undergraduate studies. She said that she would uphold the mission of serving national strategic needs, while carrying forward the dedication and sense of responsibility rooted in the Department’s traditions.
Li Tongjie (left) and Shan Mingyue (right) speaking on behalf of the undergraduate graduates
Li Chunlong, a master’s graduate enrolled in 2023, delivered a speech entitled “Seeking Dreams across Mountains and Seas, Walking Forward with Light.” He recalled his journey from the Wumeng Mountains in southwest China to Tsinghua, his enlistment in the military inspired by the spirit of the “red engineer,” and his return to campus to continue his studies after completing military service. He expressed his gratitude to the Department for its training and to his teachers and classmates for their guidance and support. After graduation, Li chose to return to southwest China and work at the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guizhou Province, putting into practice the original aspiration and commitment of a Tsinghua chemical engineer.
Li Chunlong speaking on behalf of the master's graduates
Hou Wenhui, a doctoral graduate enrolled in 2021, spoke on behalf of the doctoral graduates. She reflected on five years of doctoral research training and personal growth, and thanked the Department for providing a platform for pursuing excellence. She noted that the Department had helped students develop the mindset of chemical engineers: respecting scientific principles, thinking systematically, and serving the country. She said that the dedication of earlier generations of Tsinghua chemical engineers in Project 712 continued to inspire today’s students. Looking ahead, she said, graduates would take up the torch from their predecessors and devote themselves to scientific research, industrial innovation, and every field where the country needs them.
Hou Wenhui speaking on behalf of the doctoral graduates
Associate Professor Niu Zhiqiang from the Industrial Catalysis Center spoke as the faculty representative. After congratulating the graduates, he shared three reflections on how to navigate a rapidly changing world: let go of the obsession with certainty, establish an inner compass, and take the next step forward with courage. He encouraged the graduates to embrace change as a natural part of life, to listen to their true aspirations, and to find their own paths through exploration, trial, and reflection.
Faculty representative Professor Niu Zhiqiang delivering remarks
Li Jincai, alumnus from the Class of 1991 and CEO and Director of WuXi XDC, delivered remarks as the alumni representative. Drawing on his own experience of studying chemical engineering at Tsinghua, pursuing further education overseas, and entering the forefront of the biopharmaceutical industry, he shared his thoughts on professional choices, opportunities of the times, and personal development. He encouraged the graduates to uphold the pragmatic and pioneering spirit of Tsinghua chemical engineers, to embrace change and meet challenges with confidence, and to apply their expertise to national development and industrial progress, thereby realizing their own value and writing a vibrant chapter of youth.
Dr. Li Jincai (alumnus from the Class of 1991) delivering remarks
Professor Zhang Qiang, Dean of the Department, extended warm congratulations and best wishes to the Class of 2026 on behalf of all faculty and staff. He noted that 2026 marks the 80th anniversary of the Department, and that the graduates were setting out from Yingshi Building at this meaningful moment with the important mission of carrying forward the spirit of Tsinghua chemical engineering and embarking on a new journey of the times. He encouraged them to inherit the tradition of “Start from me, start from now,” maintain the curiosity to explore the subtle and understand the profound, remain committed to serving the people and the nation through chemical engineering, and uphold Tsinghua’s motto of “Actions speak louder than words.” He called on the graduates to contribute the wisdom and strength of Tsinghua chemical engineers through dedication and practical action.
Address by Professor Zhang Qiang, Dean of the Department of Chemical Engineering
After the ceremony, faculty members, graduates, and their families gathered for a group photo in front of Yingshi Building. From this new starting point, the Class of 2026 will move on to further study, scientific research, industrial development, community service, and many other fields. On their chosen paths, they will continue to work with dedication, serve society, and fulfill the responsibility and commitment of Tsinghua chemical engineers: starting from themselves, starting from now, and striving wherever the Party and the people need them most..
Group photo
