On the afternoon of July 2, the College of Art and Design held the 15th Young Art Pioneer Academic Salon to explore connections between bio-based materials and art and design. Professor Dai Lin of the College of Light Industry Science and Engineering delivered the featured presentation. Vice Deans Cang Shijian and Zhang Xinyi, senior faculty and early-career faculty attended. Fang Shu, an early-career faculty member, moderated the event.

Bio-Based Materials and New Directions for Design

Dai discussed research on lignin biomass materials and his own professional development. He introduced the value of lignin from agricultural and forestry waste and reviewed work on lignin modification, micro- and nanoscale lignin colloids, and lignin-based functional materials. His presentation connected material properties and technical methods with potential applications in green design, sustainable design and functional innovation.

Research Practice and Faculty Development

Drawing on more than ten years of grant application experience, Dai described the process of drafting and revising more than 100 proposals, including applications to the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the National Key Research and Development Program. He encouraged early-career faculty to develop clear research directions and improve proposals and results through sustained revision.

Connecting Disciplinary Resources

Dai introduced research teams at the College of Light Industry Science and Engineering that work on cellulose, lignin and other bio-based materials. He noted potential connections between their work in functional materials and green manufacturing and the College of Art and Design's work in cultural and creative design, intangible cultural heritage, fashion design and spatial design. These shared interests could support interdisciplinary research and the application of results.

Discussion

Participants asked how bio-based materials could be used in Product Design, Visual Communication Design, Fashion and Accessory Design, Environmental Design and Animation. They also discussed defining interdisciplinary topics for National Natural Science Foundation applications, writing proposals and refining project plans. Dai responded with suggestions and examples.

Next Steps

The Young Art Pioneer Academic Salon supports faculty development, teaching-research integration and interdisciplinary work. The college plans regular exchanges with experts from other colleges and fields to strengthen collaboration between science, engineering and design.