The signing ceremony for the Joint Research Center for Low-Carbon Niobium Steels and the first (expanded) meeting of its Strategic Committee were held in the Jianlong Lecture Hall. Rafael Mesquita, Chief Technology Officer of CBMM, and GUO Aimin, Chief Scientist of CITIC Group and Director of CITIC Metal Co., Ltd., visited the university and attended the meeting. JIAO Shuqiang, Vice President of USTB, together with MAO Xinping, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, met with the guests. The three parties signed the cooperation agreement. The meeting was chaired by ZHANG Dawei, Director of the Office of International Affairs.
The Meeting Scene
Prof. JIAO Shuqiang extended a warm welcome to the delegations from CITIC Metal and CBMM. He highlighted the university's distinctive strengths in the fields of metallurgy and materials science, as well as the mission and objectives of the Institute for Carbon Neutrality Research. JIAO expressed the hope that the signing of this agreement would serve as an opportunity to deliver a number of research outcomes with international impact, thereby providing robust support for the low-carbon development of the steel industry.
Mr. GUO Aimin noted that CITIC Metal has long been engaged in China's steel industry, committed to connecting international resources and promoting industrial progress. He stated that the establishment of this Joint Research Center represents a significant strategic move aligned with the nation's "Dual Carbon" goals. CITIC Metal will fully support the Center's development, driving key technological innovations and the translation of research results into applications.
Mr. Rafael Mesquita, Technology Officer of CBMM, expressed the company's anticipation of leveraging this collaborative platform to explore, together with all parties, how niobium microalloying technology can enhance steel performance while effectively reducing its carbon emission intensity. He affirmed CBMM's commitment to jointly providing more feasible and practical technological pathways for the low-carbon transformation of the steel industry chain.
Signing Ceremony
Prof. JIAO Shuqiang, Mr. GUO Aimin, and Mr. Rafael Mesquita signed the cooperation agreement on behalf of the three parties.
During the meeting, the three parties held discussions on priority projects. In the concluding remarks, Prof. MAO Xinping emphasized that the Research Center focuses on addressing the core challenges facing the industry, with clear directions and pragmatic plans. He expressed the expectation for close collaboration among the three parties to achieve substantial outcomes at an early date.
Attendees included representatives from CITIC Metal Co., Ltd. and CBMM, as well as from the university's Institute for Scientific and Technological Achievements Transformation, Office of International Affairs, State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, and Institute for Carbon Neutrality.
