On August 29, 2008, at the invitation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr. Hirano Shin-ichi, President of Nagoya University, visited SICCAS and given a brilliant lecture. President Hongjie Luo and vice President Lidong Chen of SICCAS received the guest and exchanged views on development trends in ceramics and future cooperation between two sides.

Dr. Hirano is a world renowned scientist in ceramic area. He has published more than 300 reviewed original papers and books. He served as president of the International Ceramic Federation (ICF) (1997-1999) and president of the Ceramic Society of Japan (2003-2004) and president of the Asia-Oceania Ceramic Federation (2003-2005).  He was offered a number of awards and prizes such as the Academic Award (1989, Chemical Society of Japan), the Richard M. Fulrath Award (1989, American Ceramic Society), the Memorial Award (1991, Ceramic Society of Japan), the International Prize (2000, Japanese Fine Ceramic Association), the Distinguished Life Membership Award (2006, American Ceramic Society), etc.

His visit is a part of the Einstein Lecturer Profession Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences. According to the program, CAS will invite 10 world top scientists to make a lecture tour each year in China. The purposes of the lecture tour are to strengthen Chinese scientists' contacts and exchanges with top scientists throughout the world and to raise innovation among Chinese scientific and technological researchers.

Dr.Hirano’s lecture, titled “Challenge to Novel Materials-Learn from Nature”, introduced some research results of ceramics with interesting features, of which microstructures are realized after nature. The new and unique views of the lecture won an unprecedented number of audience and they gave a warm and prolonged applause when the lecture ended. In view of its original perspectives, the lecture will surely provide a guideline for the future development of ceramics and give inspirations to research staff in SICCAS.