From July 14 to 20, the International Summer School on Melts, Glasses, and Magmas was held at the Hangzhou International Campus of Beihang University. Nearly 70 faculty members and students from six countries gathered for a week-long study, exchange, and discussion on core topics such as structure and dynamics of melts, melt and magma rheology, equation of state, calorimetry and thermodynamics, magma strength and fragmentation, and CMAS applications in aviation safety.
This summer school was organized by the International Research Center for Geological and Planetary Sciences (GEOLAB), Hangzhou International Innovation Institute (H3I) of Beihang University. Eminent scholars, including a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the chief scientist of GEOLAB, were invited to give special lectures and exchange with participants on related cutting-edge topics, fostering interdisciplinary and international academic exchange.
In the discussion section, participants delved into cutting-edge topics such as the application of interdisciplinary methods in Earth and planetary sciences; state changes and thermodynamic properties of melts at different temperatures; experimental modeling of corrosion and diffusion processes; experimental and simulation studies of liquid diffusion in geological/rock systems; and thermo-mechanical-chemical multi-physics coupling models. Elizaveta Grigoreva from Peking University offered insights into the discrepancy between laboratory conditions and real-world material properties, prompting a lively discussion on experimental data processing. Mathieu Warnier from Sorbonne University shared the research directions and application cases in his professional field. The on-site discussions were vibrant and intellectually stimulating.
During the laboratory tour, the GEOLAB research team showcased instruments, including the densimeter, the room-temperature/high-temperature contact angle meter, the laser levitator, XRD, DSC, TG, and the optical microscope. They explained the basic principles, operating procedures, and applications in materials science, familiarizing participants with key techniques for material characterization and analysis.
Following the short course, the organizers arranged cultural experience activities to deepen cultural exchange and understanding between Chinese and foreign students, while broadening their horizons and enhancing their cultural literacy.
At the successful conclusion of the summer school, participants expressed appreciation for this precious time of learning and reluctance to leave. They spoke highly of the program's innovative design across disciplines, which expanded their research perspectives and methodological toolkit. They agreed that insightful, up-to-date lectures from renowned scholars were both enlightening and highly rewarding.
This summer school established not only an interdisciplinary platform for learning but also a bridge for academic exchange, offering fresh perspectives for exploring diverse pathways of interdisciplinary development in geology and materials science.
As a flagship event in Earth sciences, the Short Course on Melts, Glasses, Magmas has been held for 24 successful editions in Munich, Germany. It has become a widely influential academic brand. Each year, the course attracts a diverse cohort of participants worldwide, including undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, professors, and corporate R&D personnel, thereby creating an international exchange platform that integrates academia, the industry, and education.
At the Hangzhou International Campus of Beihang University, GEOLAB will carry this excellent tradition forward. The laboratory will continuously refine the curriculum system, deepen the mechanism of international industry-university-research collaboration, and expand the international cooperation network. Through innovations in the model of talent development, it will train interdisciplinary innovators with a global vision.
Approved by Dong Zhuoning, Zhang Wei, Xu Ran
Edited by Yuan Xiaohui
