2023年5月19日上午，萨里大学教授练国平应邀来我校明故宫校区A9号楼506会议室为师生们作题为“Multiscale modelling of particulate materials and processes”的学术报告。会议由国际前沿科学研究院副院长张助华教授主持，前沿院、航空学院及相关学院的师生参加了此次学术活动。
张助华教授首先对练国平教授的到来表示热烈欢迎，并简要介绍了练国平教授的学术背景、研究方向和科研成果。随后，练国平教授详细介绍了颗粒材料和过程的多尺度建模。他谈到纳米和微米大小的粒子在自然界、工程中和日常生活中无处不在，广泛应用于精细化工、制药、食品和采矿等加工行业。精密颗粒和胶囊越来越多地用于人类营养、健康、卫生和安全功能成分的控制释放和输送。
练国平教授团队在推导微纳米颗粒之间液桥破裂距离的理论关系方面取得了出色的进展，建立了纳米和微米颗粒间毛细力的近似封闭解，并推动了纳米微颗粒的弹性流体动力学碰撞理论分析，奠定了纳米微颗粒在生物基质如人体皮肤上的粘附和沉积的基础。
练国平教授的报告令在场师生们反响热烈、兴致盎然。在交流互动环节中，在场师生踊跃提问，练国平教授详细地回答了提问并与他们进行了深入交流探讨，师生们纷纷表示在此次报告中受益匪浅。张助华教授对练国平教授的精彩报告表示感谢，并鼓励大家要学习练国平教授在科研中的创新思维和深入钻研的刻苦精神，锐意进取，奋勇向前，积极开展学术交流与合作，在基础创新研究和国家重大需求方面做出重要贡献。报告结束后，练国平教授与前沿院在场教师合影留念。
报告人简介：
Guoping Lian is a Professor of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Surrey and Science Leader at Unilever R&D Colworth in the UK. He received his BSc from Hunan Agriculture University, MSc from China Agriculture University, and PhD from Aston University in the UK. Although, primarily working in industrial R&D, he has made significant contributions to scientific research. He spearheaded the application of multiphysics modelling and multiscale methods to investigate the complex multiphase materials and processes that are commonly encountered in the fine chemical, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Examples include the theoretical study of capillary force between nano/micro particles, DEM simulation of moist particulate systems, mathematical modelling of controlled release, and multi-physics modelling of crystallization, to name a few.
At Unilever, Professor Lian has been at the forefront of developing intersectoral collaborations with leading academic institutions in the UK, Europe, and China, and has served as an industrial supervisor for PhD students at several universities in the UK and China. He joined the University of Surrey in 2014 as a Professor of Chemical and Process Engineering, while still serving as a science leader at Unilever. At Surrey University, he instigated a new research group on multiscale modelling of transdermal permeation and developed collaborative PhD training with China Agriculture University and the Institute of Process Engineering. He has received more than £7m research funding from industry, UK research councils, and EU H2020. His research has also developed high-impact models, and many of his models have been used by industry and regulatory bodies.