Mingjin Tu is an academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering. He has dedicated himself to the teaching and research of metal materials, rare earth materials, nano-materials and composites for years. He is also the honorary chairman of Sichuan Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Sichuan Nano Technology Association.
In 1990, he was granted the title National Advanced Science and Technology Worker in Universities and was put in China’s Who’s Who in the Twentieth Century. Professor Tu has been focusing on the research and application of rare earth functional materials and nano-materials since 1988. More than ten of his research projects are listed as either the 10th Five-Year projects, the 11thFive-Year projects or “863”Plan high-tech projects. He is one of the applicants of 105 national invention patents. In 2006, he won a second prize of National Science and Technology Progress. So far, Professor Tu has published over 300 research papers and written or compiled several books. He has also trained nearly 50 PhDs and nine postdoctoral fellows.
In present day China, the State key laboratory of metal strength of Xi’an Jiaotong University is one of the most important research institutions that mainly studies the basic law of material mechanics behavior, specific phenomena and material service efficiency. Its founding was attributed to the hard work of Professor Mingjin Tu. At the age of 60, Professor Tu voluntarily stepped down from the post of director, indicating that the lab needed a young successor. In 1988, Mingjin Tu ended his retirement life and embarked on his journey to Chengdu University of Science and Technology (one of the three former universities of current Sichuan University). Here he was appointed director of the High-Tech Research Institute. This time, the 60-year-old professor would lead the Metal Material Department of Chengdu University of Science and Technology in its new endeavor in the research of functional materials.
When he first arrived at Sichuan University, Professor Tu did not have his own laboratory owing to incomplete discipline construction. He then managed to set up a 27-square meters laboratory in a warehouse nearby a restroom in current day West No. 5 Teaching Building. Without research projects or funding, he took the initiative to “go out” and sought cooperation with enterprises and other research institutions. Eventually, Professor Tu has succeeded in laying down a foundation for magnetic materials research at SCU.
With the development of research, Professor Tu has established the Rare Earth and Nano-Materials Research Institute of Sichuan University. With its different branches such as Sichuan Rare Earth Research and Application Center, Sichuan Nano Technology Application and Engineering Research Center, Sichuan Province Functional Materials Physical Chemistry and Engineering Key Laboratory, among others, the research institute has undertaken a large number of “985” and “211” state projects and national “863” Plan new materials projects and special science and technology topics.
