From August 20th to 23rd, the fourth National College Student Chemistry Laboratory Innovative Design Competition, "Wei Rui Cup," was held at Zhejiang University. This competition was jointly organized by the Chinese Chemical Society and the National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education. A team from Lanzhou University, named "Tian Xing Team," consisting of students Jiang Yaole, Chen Yu, and Guo Rongjing from the 2020 Chemistry major, guided by their teachers Sun Chunlin and Pan Xiaobo, received the first prize. This marks the fourth consecutive special award that Lanzhou University has achieved in this competition.

In this competition, a total of 1,076 teams from 447 universities across seven regions in China participated. After preliminary competitions in the Northeast, North China, East China, Central China, South China, Southwest, and Northwest regions, 90 teams were recommended to compete in the national finals. In the end, 18 special awards, 32 first prizes, and 40 second prizes were awarded, along with recognition for the excellent organization of the competition by nine units.

The project "Construction, Performance Testing, and Practical Application of a Self-Made Open-Source Fluorescence Spectrometer" by the "Tianxing Team," under the guidance of Associate Professor Chunlin Sun and Professor Xiaobo Pan, successfully transformed the research achievements of their research group into an undergraduate experimental teaching project. They independently developed a set of small-volume, low-cost self-made open-source fluorescence spectrometers. They conducted comprehensive performance testing and integrated instrument applications based on this self-made instrument. This project transformed a single fluorescence analysis experiment into a comprehensive experiment that includes instrument development, organic synthesis, and fluorescence spectroscopy characterization.Through this experiment, students can gain a deep understanding of the construction and working principles of fluorescence spectrometers, strengthen their knowledge and experimental skills related to fluorescence, deepen their understanding of phenomena like aggregation effects and two-photon fluorescence, and enhance their awareness and confidence in creating domestically produced instruments with independent intellectual property.

Prior to this, during the Northwest regional competition of the fourth "Eurolite-WeiRui Cup" National College Student Chemistry Laboratory Innovative Design Competition held from June 24th to 26th, two teams from Lanzhou University achieved notable results. The "Chu Qi Zhi Hua Team" (Team Members: Guo Jiacong, Ma Mingyuan, Yang Yang; Advising Teachers: Zeng Huiying) and the "Tian Xing Team" both received first prizes in the Northwest regional competition. Additionally, the "Yi Guang WenJin Team" (Team Members: Huang Xinghua, Huang Yiyao, Gao Wu; Advising Teachers: Zhang Haixia, Liu Xiaoyan) earned second place in the Northwest regional competition.

The project "Achieving the Reductive Coupling Reaction of Indoles and Ketones under Aqueous Conditions Based on De-aromatization and Re-aromatization Strategies" by the "Chu Qi Zhi Hua Team" is based on the research achievements of Professor Huiying Zeng's research group. The project uses an exploratory teaching method to guide students in critically thinking about the nucleophilic substitution reactions of indoles they have learned and proposing challenges. It encourages students to use their existing knowledge and the "de-aromatization-re-aromatization" reaction strategy to solve challenging problems, thereby cultivating their innovative abilities.The project "Quantitative Determination of Metolachlor and Its Impact on Peroxidase Activity" by the "Yiguangwenjin Team" introduces sample pretreatment methods like QuEChERS and enzyme experiments into analytical chemistry teaching, enhancing students' awareness of societal issues and their comprehensive problem-solving abilities.

The Chemistry Laboratory Innovative Design Competition received strong support and high attention from the university. The guiding teacher teams were dedicated and well-prepared, conducting regular guidance and discussions, organizing multiple mock defense sessions, and encouraging teamwork among the participating students. The contestants devoted their spare time wholeheartedly to prepare for the competition. These efforts fully demonstrated the solid foundation in professional knowledge, strong practical skills, and excellent overall qualities of our university's chemistry majors.Participation in this competition is of great significance for deepening the reform of chemistry education at our university, enhancing the quality of core courses, and nurturing outstanding innovative talents in the field of chemistry.

During the competition, a national seminar on university chemistry laboratory teaching was also held with the theme of "Promoting Innovation in Chemistry Laboratory Teaching and Nurturing Outstanding Talent." Experts in attendance collaborated on the reform and innovation of chemistry laboratory teaching. The Director of the University Chemistry Laboratory Teaching Center, Yongwen Shen, was invited to give a presentation titled "Integration of Science and Education, Promoting Laboratory Course Development through Competitions." Teachers from the laboratory center, including Xiaolong Li, Jingfeng Lan, and Xiangyang Xu, as well as teachers who guided the competition projects, participated in the seminar.

During the closing ceremony, Professor Changgong Meng, Vice Chairman of the Competition Committee for the National College Student Chemistry Laboratory Innovative Design Competition, delivered a summary speech and announced that the fifth National College Student Chemistry Laboratory Innovative Design Competition finals would be hosted by Lanzhou University. Professor Xinping Hui, the Vice Dean of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Lanzhou University, accepted the competition flag and gave a speech on behalf of Lanzhou University.