On January 9, 2017, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council held the 2016 National Science and Technology Awards Conference in the Great Hall of the People to honor a group of outstanding scientific and technological achievements. Prof. Wang Haifu, School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, and won the second prize of the 2016 National Technology Invention Award.

Who is Wang Haifu?

Wang Haifu, professor, doctoral supervisor. In 1989, he graduated from the Beijing Institute of Technology for pyrotechnics. In 1992, he obtained a master's degree in safety technology. In 1996, he obtained his PhD in Engineering. He and his team won the second prize of the 2016 National Technology Invention Award.

Unlike general innovation results, the achievements of national defense science and technology can only be applied to valuable equipment in order to reflect its true significance and value. However, for a highly original defense science and technology achievement, from the concept to the protection of the country by practical applications, there are too many technical problems that need to be solved. The faith of Wang Haifu and his team members were strong and solid for ten years and eventually they delivered an practical application. "With the deepening and advancement of this innovative technology in engineering application research, it can be predicted that there will be more new equipment equipped with such active damage materials, which will increase the hardness of national defense and sharpen the burden on the country."

“The achievements of this national defense technology have undergone more than ten years of research, and the process was tough. The application of equipment in research and development has given an important impetus to the building of national defense, increased the hardness of national defense, and increased the stability of the people. This is both a career pursuit and a great relief, Wang Haifu said.

In 1985, Wang Haifu was admitted to the Beijing Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, to study the pyrotechnics. When he first entered the university, he faced a slightly mysterious professional. “I have gradually realized the importance of the pyrotechnics to the country by contacting the professors and teachers of our discipline and the top experts and research groups at home and abroad.” Wang Haifu sighed.

As the first science and engineering university established by the Communist Party of China and the first national defense industrial college in New China, BIT has always been facing the country's major strategic needs and striving for national defense. It has formed glorious traditions and distinctive features. The BIT people have internalized the ethos of the determined military industry and externalized it. "Yan'an Root." wrote Professor Wang Haifu's heart.

At the beginning of the day, Wang Haifu was faced with difficulties and failures in the process of conducting research on national defense science and technology. He was never discouraged. Even if he had doubts, he could calmly face it. A firm, down-to-earth, supporting him out of an equipment cutting-edge innovation research.

In the past 20 years, Prof. Wang Haifu has successively presided over more than 20 key and major national technology projects and has trained more than 50 doctors and masters. In his research and teaching process of national technology, he always put technology heritage at the top of his class. In his view, the reason why first-class disciplines are first-rate is that they often require the inheritance and sedimentation of several generations to form, without good inheritance. Innovation will not be able to talk about.

“The well-known old professors in our discipline are well worth learning, such as Mr. Ding Hao, Mr. Chen Fumei, Academician Xu Gengguang, Academician Duo Yingxian, Mr. Ma Baohua, Professor Feng Changgen, Professor Cui Zhanzhong, Professor Feng Shunshan, and Professor Huang Fenglei and so on, it is with this accumulation and inheritance that they have achieved the reputation of our school today." Wang Haifu talked about the pyrotechnics of BIT with proud. At the same time, he is also carrying the initial focus and observance of the discipline of pyrotechnics, in the field of technology innovation, with the enthusiasm and sweat.

He and his students

This time, he won the National Science and Technology Award. Among the winners, there are three doctoral students of Wang Haifu. The oldest is 36 years old and the youngest is 31 years old. Wang Haifu always believes that the students drive the work and made significant contributions.

Wang Haifu always show special emphasis on team building and student development. He often told the students, "You must be able to live in comfort. You must be calm, sincere. Since you have chosen a master's degree or a doctoral degree, you must cherish and seize the opportunity and not waste your time."

In the eyes of students, Mr. Wang is the “example” of what he does.

Associate Professor Yu Qingbo is the second contributor of the award-winning project. He admitted that obtaining this national award is particularly difficult. “In the course of the project, we encountered a lot of problems. At this time, Wang always showed the strong calmness and led us to break through and tackle the problem. On one of my business trips, Mr. Wang closed his eyes on the train. We all thought he was asleep, and as a result he shared his thoughts with us on the train. All thinking about how to solve these problems."

The award-winning fourth contributor, Zheng Yuanfeng, said: “Mr. Wang is an expert in scientific research. He has a lot of experience, and his sense of smell is also precise. His dedication and enthusiasm for research seem to become a habit.”

Prof. Wang devoted himself to the training of graduate students. In his office, projection equipment was installed all the time, specifically for the graduate students to correct the papers and discuss the research program. "He will revise the thesis, point out the shortcomings, guide how to improve, and often leave the school building at the latest," said PhD student Ji Baoqun.

He Shuming graduated from another academy and used to be a master's graduate student of Prof. Wang. He said: “Mr. Wang’s academic style is not advertised but actually profound. Mr. Wang calls every week to have a group meeting. We will discuss the research plan with us and encourage everyone to speak up, but it must be said that in the team, we can feel our value and importance from time to time.” PhD student Lin Shibin said: “Mr. Wang often warns us research is like digging wells looking for water with the help of tools. It is necessary to learn how to apply various tools and methods. After breakthroughs in heavy rock formations, the springs will spring up. If one encounters rock formations and replaces sites, the result can only be daily recovery. One day, year after year, even if you dig the whole mountain, you will only end up in the mountains but no water.

Every student in the research team, as seen from Professor Wang Haifu, is both at the beginning and end of the scientific research, and it is both physically and socially responsible to innovate and dedicate themselves.

This is an unfinished story!

The story of Wang Haifu, the teacher in the pen and thinks, is an extraordinary story of a person and a result, but it is also a common story of the Beijing Institute of Science and Technology, a national academy that came from Yanan and is committed to accelerate the national development. This kind of hundreds of ordinary and unconventional stories may never be well expressed, but the small regret of the BIT story is the pride of every BIT person!

The time can be frightened and the fire has never been extinguished. Since 1940, Beijing Institute of Technology has never stopped preparing for the protection of the country and national rejuvenation. Regardless of ordinaryness and loneliness, the BIT people will always bear in mind the mission and the responsibility. He, he, he, and others are striving to write the most advanced science and technology in the history of peace!