On the afternoon of September 12, 2025, the Joint Seminar on NSFC China-Ireland Collaborative Project was successfully held at the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, China (NCNST). Dr. Roisin Cheshire, Head of Individual-Led Research at Research Ireland, attended and engaged in in-depth discussions.

Chaired by Prof. Chen Wang of NCNST, the seminar focused on three collaborative projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) between 2017 and 2021. Presentations were delivered by Prof. Chen Wang, Prof. Run Long from Beijing Normal University, and Associate Prof. Sheng Zhou from Tsinghua University, highlighting their respective research outcomes:

Prof. Chen Wang shared progress on the project "Precision Engineering of Nanostructure Surface Architecture for Biological and Biomedical Applications", emphasizing advances in construction and application of the biomedical interfaces.

Prof. Run Long introduced theoretical breakthroughs in photoexcitation dynamics within condensed matter systems.

Assoc. Prof. Sheng Zhou presented the system design and implementation of SATORI (Smart Networking in the Era of AI), illustrating the integration of intelligent networking and artificial intelligence.

During the discussion section, Dr. Cheshire provided insights into the application and approval processes of NSFC-SFI collaborative projects, acknowledging the productive outcomes achieved so far. She underscored the essential role of basic research in fostering original innovation and outlined recent reforms within Ireland's research system, notably the establishment of "Research Ireland" which is a unified funding agency formed in August 2024 through the merger of SFI and the Irish Research Council (IRC), now also encompassing humanities and social sciences. Dr. Cheshire further shared Ireland’s experience in advancing oriented research to generate real impact and facilitate the translation of scientific results.

Dr. Cheshire commended the interdisciplinary achievements of the three projects in biomedicine, condensed matter physics, and artificial intelligence, and expressed strong interest in expanding collaboration between Research Ireland and NSFC into new fields.

The seminar not only showcased scientific outcomes of the China-Ireland partnership but also reinforced the foundation for future high-level research collaboration.

Research Ireland was officially launched on August 1, 2024, integrating the roles of SFI and IRC into a consolidated national research funding organization. Its mission is to enhance Ireland's research and innovation capacity by coordinating support across natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities.

Group Photo of the Joint Seminar on NSFC China-Ireland Collaborative Project (Image by Caoyu Yang, NCNST)