To solidly advance the application work for the 2026 National Natural Science Foundation (NSF) projects and effectively enhance both the quantity and quality of submissions, the Energy Research Institute successfully convened its 2026 NSF Project Application Mobilization Meeting in the College Lecture Hall 1501 on the afternoon of September 10. Secretary Huang Zhonglai and Dean He Zhixia attended the meeting, which all faculty members attended. Vice Dean Yong Yangchun chaired the meeting.

In his report, Vice Dean Yong Yangchun emphasized that researchers should focus on significant national strategic needs and be courageous in tackling cutting-edge scientific issues. During the project topic selection and justification process, he highlighted the importance of a whole-chain design encompassing source innovation, mechanism exploration, method construction, and achievement transformation, systematically enhancing the refinement of scientific questions and the depth of argumentation. He also provided in-depth analysis and guidance from multiple dimensions, including application strategies, disciplinary planning, and personal development paths, taking into account recent changes in NSF review policies.

The successful convening of this launch meeting marks the comprehensive commencement of our institute's NSF application work for the new year. In the next steps, the institute will provide targeted, end-to-end application support for faculty through formats such as specialized workshops, expert reviews, and cross-disciplinary seminars, thereby driving the institute's fundamental research and innovation capabilities to new heights.