Ningbo, China – Junbo Tong, a final-year Chemical Engineering student at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), has been awarded the Second Place in the China Regional Final of the 2025 Young Persons' Lecture Competition (YPLC), organised by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3). The competition attracted outstanding participants from over 40 top universities and institutions across China, with Junbo standing out for his innovative research and exceptional presentation skills.
Founded in 1869, IOM3 is one of the world’s leading professional engineering institutions, dedicated to advancing materials science, mining, and minerals engineering. UNNC is the only university in the Mainland of China to have its Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering programmes accredited by IOM3, reflecting the international standard of its curriculum and teaching.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the YPLC, which aims to inspire and recognise young scholars and early-career engineers who can communicate scientific topics effectively to broad audiences. Winners of national finals progress to the global stage-the Young Persons’ World Lecture Competition (YPWLC), which has traveled across four continents since its launch in London in 2005, offering a truly international platform for young innovators.
Junbo’s award-winning lecture was based on his research into multimodal sensing systems for agricultural and food applications. Supported by the Ningbo Science & Technology Bureau’s Commonweal Project and developed in collaboration with the Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the study focuses on creating wearable or portable devices to detect early ripeness in local fruits such as loquats, peaches, and waxberries, as well as identify juice adulteration during processing.
Under the supervision of Dr Yong Sun, Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering, Junbo Tong and numerous other undergraduate students (more than 20) have participated in the Faculty Undergraduate Research Programme (FURP), gaining hands-on experience in multimodal sensing, signal processing, and machine learning. This long-term research effort not only formed the foundation of Junbo’s lecture but also demonstrates the group’s commitment to technological innovation with societal impact.
“It’s a tremendous honour to receive this award,” said Junbo. “I’m deeply grateful for the support from my supervisor, Dr Yong Sun, and our Head of Department, Professor Philip Hall. This achievement is the result of collective effort, and the entire experience has been incredibly rewarding for my academic and personal growth.”
Dr Sun emphasised the broader value of the competition: “Participating in the YPLC opens a global arena for students to exchange ideas, broaden their horizons, and understand their research in a wider context. Engaging with international institutions like IOM3 helps them appreciate global engineering standards, professional networks, and diverse career pathways.”
Junbo’s success illustrates UNNC’s educational philosophy—combining international platforms, hands-on research, and holistic student development. As the university continues to foster innovation and global engagement, it is expected that more UNNC students will shine on the world stage in the years to come.
Published on 04 December 2025