On June 1st, the opening ceremony of the "Building Dreams in Chemical Engineering, Cultivating Dreams through Humanities Program" was held in the lecture hall of the Duxue Building. Wu Shenghong, Deputy Secretary of the University Party Committee, Gao Feng, Dean of the School of Literature at Nanjing Normal University, and Xu Shenglin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Environmental Studies at Nanjing Normal University, attended the ceremony. The event was presided over by Ju Yonggan, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Chemical Engineering.

Secretary Ju Yonggan introduced the purpose and significance of implementing the "Building Dreams in Chemical Engineering, Cultivating Dreams through Humanities Program." Deputy Secretary Wu Shenghong presented the "Dream Mentor" appointment letter to Dean Gao Feng and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. Deputy Secretary Wu emphasized that the light of humanistic thought can ignite the passion and hope for scientific dreams, enhance the vision and realm of scientific cognition, and he hoped that through the program, students can associate with sages, walk alongside classics, draw from the essence of Chinese excellent traditional culture, further cultivate a sense of patriotism, strengthen cultural confidence, uphold the virtues of a gentleman, become morally upright individuals, and establish a foundation for their life journey with cultural accumulation.

After the opening ceremony, Dean Gao Feng delivered a special lecture titled "Reflections on Su Dongpo." Through describing the life experiences and personality traits of Su Shi, a great literary figure of the Northern Song Dynasty, the lecture deeply conveyed the free and unrestrained spiritual charm emanating from Su Dongpo, as well as his enduring love for life. The lecture provided valuable insights on how individuals in modern society should conduct themselves, face the challenges and setbacks of fate, and maintain a positive and optimistic attitude toward life.

Leaders of the School of Chemical Engineering, along with more than 600 undergraduate and graduate students, attended the lecture through a combination of online and offline methods.

Author: Tang Weizhi (School of Chemical Engineering); Review: Ju Yonggan, Ji Qingchun