Announcements

Prof. Dr. Changwei Hu of Sichuan University, China, has long been committed to research on green chemistry and sustainable development, and has achieved fruitful results in biomass conversion, CO₂ and methane activation and utilization. From the Editorial Board of the biomass catalysis column of Catalysts to the co-editor of the column, Prof. Dr. Hu’s cooperation with the journal continues to deepen. The journal team made a special trip to visit Prof. Dr. Hu and visit his laboratory to further enhance mutual understanding. On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of Catalysts, we specially invited Prof. Dr. Changwei Hu for a dialogue to hear his insights into cutting-edge trends in the field of catalysis, his insights into the open publishing model, and his prospects for the future development of the journal.

Prof. Dr. Changwei Hu received his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Sichuan University. He is a Fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC). He received the National Teaching Master Award in 2011 (the 6th National Teaching Master Award for Higher Education) and has enjoyed special allowance from the State Council since 2008. He is a leading academic and technical figure in Sichuan Province. Currently, he serves as the Vice Chairman of the Teaching Guiding Committee for University Chemistry Courses of the Ministry of Education and the Chairman of the Teaching Guiding Committee for Chemistry Majors of the Teaching Guiding Committee for Ordinary Undergraduate Higher Education Institutions of Sichuan Province; a member of the Council of the Chinese Chemical Society; the Chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Society of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; the Director of the Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology of the Ministry of Education and the Director of the National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Energy Plant Biofuel Preparation and Utilization . He is also an advisor to the Royal Society Green Chemistry Series, a member of the Academic Committee of the International Centre for Collaboration on Sustainable Chemistry, a member of the International Advisory Committee of ChemSusChem, an Associate Editor of Sustainable Chemistry for the Environment, and an Editorial Board Member of several international and domestic journals.

 Primarily engaged in teaching and research in physical chemistry/green chemistry, he is the leader of the national teaching team for “Green Chemistry” and has led the compilation of the "University Chemistry" textbooks for the 11th and 12th national Five-Year Plans. He is also the head of the national first-class course "University Chemistry." He has led the development of the excellent national course, national bilingual demonstration course, and national resource-sharing course “Green Chemistry” and has launched the “Green Chemistry” (undergraduate course) MOOC both domestically and internationally. His research focuses on the effective utilization of resources and the elimination of environmental pollution at its source, and he is currently undertaking research projects, including a key project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He has published over 560 SCI-indexed papers, and, since 2021, has been an Elsevier Highly Cited Chinese Researcher, ranking among the top 2% of scientists globally by Stanford/Elsevier. He has obtained over 40 national invention patents and has received provincial and ministerial-level teaching and research awards and honors more than 20 times.

The following is an interview with Prof. Dr. Changwei Hu:

1. Thank you for accepting this interview with Catalysts. Could you first introduce your team’s recent research focus and then provide an in-depth analysis of the key scientific challenges and technological bottlenecks currently facing the field of biomass catalytic conversion?

Our team currently focuses on stepwise fractionation catalytic conversion systems of biomass under solvent conditions. The core bottleneck in the field of biomass catalysis lies in the broad product distribution and insufficient selectivity. Due to the high complexity of biomass feedstock structures, achieving precise reaction control at the atomic/molecular scale is extremely difficult; simultaneously, elucidating reaction mechanisms through model compound systems also faces significant challenges. Of particular note is that lignin, as a key component of biomass, remains a major challenge due to its stable structure and susceptibility to condensation side reactions.

Furthermore, although biomass catalysis research started relatively early, the catalytic conversion of waste plastics has increasingly become a hot topic in recent years. For example, Academician Han Buxing's team has conducted a series of cutting-edge studies in this direction.

2. What are your views on the development trend of open access publishing?

I believe that open access (OA) publishing is an inevitable trend in the academic publishing industry. The OA model breaks down the traditional reading barriers of academic journals, allowing research findings to be disseminated more quickly and widely, especially for young researchers globally and researchers in developing countries, enabling them to access cutting-edge academic results more conveniently. This will undoubtedly promote more equitable and efficient global academic exchange. Of course, there are still some areas for improvement in OA publishing, but in the long run, as the OA publishing model becomes more standardized and refined, and with the implementation of relevant supporting policies, these problems will gradually be resolved.

3. You have collaborated with Catalysts for many years. Could you share your experience of working with the journal and your expectations?

Our collaboration with Catalysts has always been pleasant and fruitful. Early in my career, as an Editorial Board Member for the “Biomass Catalysis” Section, I was impressed by the journal team's proactive and professional work ethic, particularly their high efficiency in manuscript processing, peer review organization, and coordination of academic activities. These experiences are one of the key reasons why my research group continues to submit to Catalysts and engage in other collaborations.

Regarding academic exchange activities, I believe the platform built by Catalysts is invaluable. For example, I was deeply impressed by the journal's efficient response and collaborative capabilities during my participation in the China Editorial Board Academic Forum organized by the journal. This September, the journal will hold its fourth online conference, where I will serve as the chair of the “Biomass Catalysis” session. Preparations are currently underway. I look forward to meeting with scholars from around the world online to discuss cutting-edge issues in catalysis and jointly promote collaboration and innovation in the field.

4. This year marks the 15th anniversary of Catalysts. What were your considerations in leading the organization of the Special Issue on “Biomass Conversion and Value-Added Catalysis” on this occasion?

The 15th anniversary of Catalysts is a significant milestone, demonstrating the journal's continued influence and academic vitality in the field of catalysis. I spearheaded this Special Issue on biomass conversion and value-added catalysis to gather high-quality research findings from around the world, systematically showcase the cutting-edge advancements and future trends in biomass catalysis, and provide researchers with an efficient platform for academic exchange. I also hope that this Special Issue will continue to drive innovation and development in catalysis science for Catalysts. I sincerely invite researchers in related fields to submit their work to create a high-quality Special Issue as a tribute to the journal’s 15th anniversary. All colleagues are welcome to submit their work on this Special Issue.

5. What are your views on the future direction of biomass catalysis research?

As the only renewable hydrocarbon resource, biomass will inevitably become a source of chemical raw materials after the depletion of fossil resources. The following directions may be very important: (1) Obtaining chemicals that can be used according to the current usage patterns, including obtaining chemicals that are the same as those obtained from fossil resources (obtaining energy materials from lignocellulosic biomass, obtaining fine chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass) and obtaining substances that are different from those derived from fossil raw materials but have the same commercial performance; (2) Discovering new substances with new functions that have not yet been prepared from fossil resources; (3) Conducting research on new chemical reactions and the synthesis of new substances based on biomass raw materials; (4) Developing new theories, new technologies and new methods based on the characteristics of biomass conversion.

6. What advice would you give to young scholars engaged in catalysis research?

With a view to the sustainable development of all mankind, we must choose the right direction, make continuous efforts, and conduct genuine research.

We wish Prof. Dr. Changwei Hu every success in his new position, and we look forward to seeing his contributions to the journal.