To celebrate the 70th anniversary of Henan University of Technology (HAUT), foster a strong academic atmosphere, and broaden the international research perspectives of faculty and students, the International Academic Forum on "Pollutant Behavior Regulation and Resident Health" was held on October 12 in Room 9237, Weixin Hall. The forum was jointly organized by the School of Environmental Engineering of HAUT, the Henan International Joint Laboratory of Environmental Pollution, Remediation and Grain Quality Safety, the Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Water Security and Water Ecological Technology, the Zhengzhou International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Carbon Neutral Technology of Organic Solid Waste Conversion, among other units, and the Carbon Neutrality Research Institute of HAUT. Professor Chen Hanyu, Vice Dean of the School, attended and delivered a welcome speech. Professor Li Liping, Director of the Henan International Joint Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Remediation and Grain Quality Safety, moderated the discussions. More than 100 faculty members, graduate students, and online participants from the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Henan University of Engineering, The Ohio State University, and other institutions attended the forum.

At the opening ceremony, Vice Dean Chen Hanyu extended a warm welcome and sincere thanks to the experts from home and abroad on behalf of the School. She briefly introduced the School's latest achievements in discipline development and international research cooperation, and expressed the hope that this forum, as part of the 70th anniversary series, would serve as an opportunity to deepen multidisciplinary collaborative research and contribute HAUT's wisdom to ecological environmental protection and grain health security. During the morning academic presentations, five experts gave excellent talks on the latest advances in their respective research fields. Professor Shengguo Xue from Central South University systematically elaborated on "Technology and Reflections on Soil Formation from Red Mud"; Professor Xueling Zheng from HAUT analyzed in depth "Common Contaminants in Wheat and Their Effects on Processing and Quality"; Professor James Ippolito from the Ohio State University gave a special academic presentation on " Soil Remediation and Soil Health Changes in Nonferrous Mining Areas"; Professor Fayuan Wang from Qingdao University of Science and Technology reported on "Ecological Effects of Microplastics in Soil–Plant Systems"; and Professor Liping Li from HAUT focused on key heavy metals and delivered a talk entitled "Cadmium — From Soil to Our Food." The presentations were rich in content and highly inspiring, with particular attention to the impacts of pollution on food and human health. After the presentations, the experts answered questions from the audience. In the afternoon, the forum held a special seminar on "Soil Pollution, Human Trace Element Intake, and Resident Health." Professors Liping Li, James Ippolito, Fayuan Wang, Shengguo Xue, and Xueling Zheng conducted in-depth discussions and interdisciplinary exchanges with participating faculty and students on topics such as frontiers in environmental soil science, the effects of wheat processing on trace element nutrition, and emerging pollutants, and discussed possible future collaboration.

Follow-up surveys showed that both online and offline audiences responded enthusiastically to the forum and generally believed that its content was of great significance for deepening their understanding of related fields and promoting their research work. The School of Environmental Engineering and the International Joint Laboratory have long attached great importance to academic exchange and intellectual introduction. This forum successfully built a high-level international academic exchange platform and played a positive role in broadening the international academic horizons of faculty and students and boosting the construction of high-level research platforms and high-quality disciplinary development of the School.

Vice Dean Chen Hanyu delivering the welcome address

Professor Shengguo Xue from Central South University giving a presentation

Professor Xueling Zheng from Henan University of Technology giving a presentation

Professor James Ippolito from The Ohio State University giving a presentation

Professor Fayuan Wang from Qingdao University of Science and Technology giving a presentation

Professor Liping Li from Henan University of Technology moderating the academic forum

Group photo of the experts with faculty and students of our School

Written by: Huang Xinjun, Li Liping; Photos by Liu Xiao, Yang Xi, Zhou Zitong; Reviewed by: Zhang Liangbo; Approved by: Wan Dongjin)