On the morning of April 13th, Prof. CAI Meifeng, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (studying in USTB from 1978 to 1981), and his wife Ms. ZHANG Guiyin donated ¥3,000,000 to USTB Education Development Foundation and established “CAI Meifeng-ZHANG Guiyin Mining Education Fund”, in support of the educational development and talent cultivation of USTB. The ceremony was held in Conference Room 306 of the Administration Building.

At the ceremony

Mr. WU Guilong, Chancellor of USTB, Prof. YANG Renshu, President of USTB, Mr. YAN Xiangbin, Vice President of USTB, Prof. WANG Luning, Vice President of USTB, Mr. SHENG Jiawei, Head of Office of the Party Committee and Office of the President, Mr. YIN Zhaohua, Director of Department of Student Affairs and Office of the People's Armed Forces, Mr. MIAO Shengjun, Secretary General of the Party Committee, School of Civil and Resources Engineering, Prof. YIN Shenghua, Dean of School of Civil and Resources Engineering, and other related departments and student representatives attended the ceremony. Ms. Hejin, Director of the Office of the Alumni Association and Office of the USTB Education Development, presided over the ceremony.

Prof. WANG Luning, Prof. CAI Meifeng and Ms. ZHANG Guiyin signing the donation agreement

Prof. YANG Renshu, on behalf of USTB, receiving the gift check

Mr. WU Guilong, on behalf of USTB, awarded Prof. CAI Meifeng and Ms. ZHANG Guiyin with the "Memorial Medal for Educational Contribution"

At the ceremony, Prof. WANG Luning signed the donation agreement with Prof. CAI Meifeng and Ms. ZHANG Guiyin. On behalf of the university, President Yang received the gift check and awarded Prof. CAI and Ms. ZHANG with a donation certificate. Mr. WU Guilong awarded Prof. CAI and Ms. ZHANG with the "Memorial Medal for Educational Contribution" and gave them a special gift, the student card of Prof. CAI when he was a graduate student at USTB.

Prof. CAI Meifeng giving the speech

In his speech, Prof. CAI said that the donation is to repay the country and the Party for the kindness of nurturing him, and the university for cultivating and supporting him in the past years. The fund could be helpful in promoting the construction of world-class disciplines in USTB, as well as being useful in ensuring that the Mining Engineering discipline of the university will always be among the top. This is a birthday gift to his Alma Mater, wishing that USTB will develop rapidly with each passing day and prepare more talents for the country and that it will overcome difficulties in the way of developing disciplines included in the "double world-class project”.

Prof. CAI recalled his previous experience and encouraged young faculties and students to remain true to their original aspirations because only through vigorous and determined endeavor can they give back to the country. He called on everyone to study new scientific theories and high technologies and to make their own efforts and contributions to improve the level of mining engineering technology and scientific research in China.

Prof. CAI also expressed his expectations for the development of the Mining Engineering discipline in USTB, hoping that, with the care and support of the university, the discipline can continue to develop strongly and the School will cultivate more talents and deliver more high-level scientific results, making greater contributions to the country.

Ms. ZHANG Guiyin giving the speech

In the speech, Ms. ZHANG expressed her full support for the donation. Ms. Zhang was moved by Prof. Cai's love for the Party, the country and the university, and was impressed by his determination and perseverance to devote himself to the development of the Mining Engineering discipline. She said that, under the influence of Prof. CAI, she has got a new understanding of Mining Engineering and learned that mineral resources are the root of industries, and that vigorously training talents in mining engineering is the direction of national development strategy. Doubtlessly, conducting mining research has great potential. In the end, Ms. ZHANG sent her heartiest congratulations on the 70th anniversary of USTB.

Chancellor WU Guilong giving the speech

On behalf of the university, Mr. WU expressed his respect and sincere thanks to Prof. CAI Meifeng and Ms. ZHANG Guiyin. Prof. CAI has witnessed the growth of the Mining Engineering discipline in China and always cared about the development of it. His love for the Party, the country, and the university is touching, and he, as our model, has shouldered his own responsibilities. The honorary titles he has won, including National Great Teacher, National Model Teacher and National Outstanding Worker of Science and Technology, are a result of his efforts paid through all these years.

Mr. WU emphasized that the construction of Mining Engineering as a "double world-class” discipline has entered a critical period. All the faculties and students are supposed to inherit and carry forward the fine conduct of previous generations working in the field of mining, and, on the basis of their valuable teaching experience and research methods, continue to optimize the talent cultivation plan by combining characteristics of students in the new era, and by actively cooperating with enterprises and institutions for a win-win solution. He hoped that the spirit of Prof. CAI will be followed, the basic theoretical research will be strengthened, accelerating the transformation of scientific and technological achievements into productivity, and the level of talent cultivation could be improved by making continuous efforts to prepare those excellent talents with both professional knowledge and concerns for the country.

Prof. CAI, as the academic leader of Rock Mechanics and Mining Engineering discipline, and one of the pioneers in in-situ stresses measurement of domestic mines and its application in scientific mining research was the first person to develop the measurement technique of in-situ stress which owns an independent intellectual property right in the PRC, leading and promoting the development and improvement of in-situ stresses measurement of mines in the country. He has also introduced a system of techniques, based upon in-situ stresses, for optimization of mining design, safe mining techniques of high efficiency, and techniques for forecast, prevention, and control of mine dynamic disasters. Prof. CAI has completed nearly 100 scientific research projects concerning basic mining theory and mining engineering. He was awarded 6 National Prizes for ”Technical Invention” and ”Progress in Science and Technology”, and sixteen provincial and ministerial awards, and has published 8 books and more than 400 scientific articles. Being engaged in teaching for over 40 years, Prof. CAI has opened 15 courses for USTB undergraduates and graduates, trained 110 doctors, 115 masters, and more than 30 postdoctoral fellows. The textbook  Rock Mechanics and Mining Engineering  edited by him, with a circulation of more than 70,000 copies, has been adopted by hundreds of universities across the country and won the National Prize for ”Teaching Achievement” in 2005.

Four decades of his hard work and dedication to Rock Mechanics and Mining Engineering discipline have made outstanding contributions to improving the scientific level of mining engineering technology and scientific mining research in China, solving many key engineering and technical problems represented by a number of large and medium-sized metal mines, non-metallic mines and coal mines, at the same time cultivating a group of high-level talents in the field of mining research, design and engineering management. In 2008, 2009, 2010, he was respectively awarded the title of National Great Teacher, National Model Teacher and National Outstanding Worker of Science and Technology.

Prof. JI Hongguang giving the speech

Prof. CAI’s deep love for scientific research, the university, and the country have moved faculties and students at the ceremony. On behalf of the School of Civil and Resources Engineering, Prof. JI expressed his high respect for Prof. CAI, and called upon all the teachers and students to learn from Prof. CAI’s spirit and attitude towards scientific research and life and to make great contributions to both the country and the university.

CHEN Kangning speaking at the ceremony

Ms. CHEN Kangning, a student representative from the School of Civil and Resources Engineering, said that Prof. CAI has always been the motivation and solid backing when they move forward on their academic path. For 40 years, Prof. CAI, dedicated to science and teaching, has been both strict and caring to each of his students. Today, many of his students have grown up to be pillars of society, shouldering their responsibilities for the prosperity of the country.

Group Photo

The 70th anniversary of USTB has come in 2022. The fund from Prof. CAI Meifeng and Ms. ZHANG Guiyin is their gift to the university, and Prof. CAI’s spirit of loving the country, the university, and the mining industry will continue to encourage all the faculties and students in the future. Taking Prof. CAI as the model, USTB students are going to should their responsibility to the society and contribute to the development of the country.

Draft: ZENG Bingjie

Revision: CHENG Mingyuan