Scene of the evaluation meeting

Han Shangfeng, Secretary of the University Party Committee, attended the meeting

Liu Bo, President of the University, attended the meeting and delivered remarks

Cui Ximin, Vice President of the University, presided over the meeting

On May 6, the School of Energy and Mining Engineering convened the expert evaluation meeting for the filing of the self-established interdisciplinary discipline of Energy Storage Science and Engineering. The evaluation panel consisted of eight experts, including Academician Sun Jinsheng from CNPC Engineering Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd., Wu Yongzheng, Chairman of the Mining Research Institute of China Coal Technology & Engineering Group, Professor Mei Shengwei from Tsinghua University, Li Meicheng, Dean of the School of New Energy, North China Electric Power University, Yao Yanbin, Dean of the School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Song Xianzhi, Dean of the College of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Liu Qibin, Division Director of the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Wang Honggang, Director of the Energy Storage Center, Low Carbon Institute, China Energy Research Institute. The panel conducted demonstrations on the proposed self-established interdisciplinary discipline of Energy Storage Science and Engineering. Han Shangfeng, Secretary of the University Party Committee, and Liu Bo, President of the University, attended the meeting. Cui Ximin, Vice President of the University, chaired the session.

Liu Bo expressed gratitude to the expert panel for their support. He stated that drawing on its century-long heritage and leveraging the world-class discipline of Mining Engineering, the university integrates strengths from civil engineering, mechanical engineering and other disciplines, with a distinctive focus on underground space energy storage. Establishing the interdisciplinary discipline of Energy Storage Science and Engineering responds to the urgent national needs of advancing the "Dual Carbon" strategic goals and developing a new energy system. It also serves as a key initiative to boost interdisciplinary innovation and cultivate high-level talents in short supply within the energy sector, marking an important milestone in the university’s development of energy-related interdisciplinary programs. He urged relevant disciplines to lead innovation in energy storage technologies by focusing on fundamental theories, technologies and equipment, safety and intelligent operation & maintenance of underground energy storage rock mass engineering. The discipline should empower the development of New Energy Science and Engineering, cultivate top interdisciplinary talents, support industrial transformation and upgrading, and inject new momentum into the implementation of national energy strategies.

At the meeting, Researcher Zhang Xinjing from the School of Energy and Mining Engineering presented the discipline demonstration plan. This interdisciplinary discipline covers three distinctive research directions: fundamental theories of underground energy storage rock mass engineering, underground energy storage technologies and equipment, and energy storage safety together with intelligent operation & maintenance. It highlights the distinctive features of "system integration under geological constraints" and "underground engineering". The program aims to address key scientific challenges including rock mechanics, multi-field coupling, sealing safety and intelligent operation & maintenance for energy storage using abandoned coal mines and underground spaces, and foster high-level interdisciplinary talents in energy storage with global vision, innovation capacity and engineering practical capabilities.

After listening to the presentation and reviewing documents, the expert panel raised questions and held in-depth discussions regarding discipline positioning, research orientations, curriculum system, talent training, development planning and supporting mechanisms. The panel unanimously agreed that establishing this interdisciplinary discipline is an important measure to respond to the major strategic deployment of the national energy revolution and to address cutting-edge demands in energy storage and the utilization of underground space resources. The development plan is scientifically sound and feasible, and the talent training scheme is standardized and reasonable. The panel approved the establishment of a doctoral degree authorization point for the interdisciplinary discipline of Energy Storage Science and Engineering.

Yang Shengli, Dean of the School of Energy and Mining Engineering, thanked the expert panel on behalf of the discipline for their thoughtful guidance. He pledged to refine the development plan in strict accordance with experts’ suggestions, consolidate disciplinary strengths, remedy weaknesses and improve supporting mechanisms. The school will accelerate the construction of a hub for talent training and scientific innovation in underground space energy storage, contributing the wisdom of China University of Mining and Technology to the high-quality development of national energy systems and the achievement of the "Dual Carbon" goals.

It is reported that heads and core faculty members from the School of Energy and Mining Engineering, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering and other relevant units participated in the meeting.