1. General information:The Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Program at Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST) was established in 1958 with the major of Casting Technology and Equipment and the major of Metallic Materials and Heat Treatment, was accredited to offer Master’s degree in 1982 and Doctorate degree in 1998, the first-level discipline doctoral program in 2005, and was among the first batch of national first-class undergraduate program construction sites awarded in 2019. Its 123 full-time faculty members include 48 full professors, 10 with titles of the national talents, and 40 with provincial and ministerial honorary titles. It possesses 2 national level research platforms and 10 provincial level research platforms, 4 provincial-level scientific research innovation teams. Within this evaluation period, the MSE faculty have been awarded 384 scientific research projects such as national key research and development plans with a total amount of research funding about 140 million RMB, published 1,611 academic papers accepted in SCI and EI, filed 454 invention patents being authorized, and published 27 national planning textbooks and monographs, won 2 second class awards of National Research or Teaching Achievements, and 17provincial and ministerial awards on scientific research and teaching, entered top 1% in global ESI ranking in materials, engineering and chemistry.

2. Research areas, Characteristics and Advantages:The MSE program at KUST have been rooted in the borderland, serving non-ferrous metal industry, and striving to cultivate outstanding talents and fostering the green development. It focuses on 4 distinctive and advantageous research directions: (1) The research direction on non-ferrous rare and precious metals features π-structured aluminum honeycomb plates, high-end tungsten-based materials, continuously extruded copper-cladded steel wire; (2) The research direction on advanced material forming and controlling features Al2O3/Fe-based composites synthesized with interface reaction-impregnation coupling, three-dimensional network interpenetrating configuration, compositing and forming integration; (3) The research direction on advanced coating material design and application direction features new ultra-high temperature rare earth tantalite thermal barrier coating materials developed in combination of scientific computation and experimentation; (4) The research direction on new preparation technology & application of photoelectric functional materials focuses on the exploring and developing of new multi-band, long afterglow rare-earth luminescent materials. It won 2 second class awards of National Research or Teaching Achievements, 3 first prizes at provincial and ministry level and established 1 new national level research platform, transferred technologies to more than 30 companies. Developed products weresuccessfully used in Beijing Daxing International Airport, the lunar orbiter Chang'e, satellites, launch vehicles, hypersonic missile sand warcrafts, large vertical grinding rollers and others in the military and civil industry sectors.

3. Educational objectives:MSE devotes itself to cultivate the senior personnel for the non-ferrous metals, new materials and green manufacturing industries with focuses on non-ferrous and rare precious metals, advanced coating materials, photoelectric functional materials, advanced materials forming and controlling, with technical skillsets in scientific research, development and applications, quality control, and with novel patriotism, social responsibilities, innovative spirit, and international overlooks, all-round talents with good morals, intelligence, physically fit, aesthetics, and diligence, serving the social and economic development of mid-west of the country.

4. Postgraduate Enrollment and Influence in domestic and overseas:MSE has enrolled some Ph.D. candidates and Master Degree candidates who received previous degrees from 985 key universities such as Tsinghua University and University of Science and Technology of China, and 27 international students from 8 countries including India, representing a diverse background and development goals. MSE enjoys a good reputation and influence in China and overseas. Research results receive more than 30 good reviews by professors from the United States and other countries. A good number of professors have been invited to make plenary lectures in international conferences. Several faculty members serve as reviewers, guest editors, deputy editors, editorial board in the Chinese and international journals such as Current Nanoscience and Scientific Report. The MSE Faculty have established good relations on the joint training of talents and research cooperation with premium universities and institutes in China and abroad including Clausthal University of Technology in German and Central South University. The MSE Faculty have been awarded 2 international research projects of national key research and development plans.