We are delighted to share a major milestone for our programme at Queen Mary Engineering School (QMES) in Xi'an China. Last week, our students took part in their first Polymer Chemistry practical conducted in a dedicated Chemistry laboratory.

The practical, run by Dr Sulafudin Vukusic and organised by Dr Yamin Abdouni, introduced students to polymer chemistry through the preparation of polyacrylamide hydrogels. Students observed the polymerisation process and compared the stiffness of the resulting gels, gaining a first-hand understanding of how crosslinking affects material properties.

This initiative follows a request from Dr Wang Yongxin, Vice-Dean at QMES, who emphasised the importance of expanding practical hours in preparation for a future Chinese Ministry of Education audit. The success of this first lab was only possible thanks to close collaboration between teams in the UK and China. Dr Yamin Abdouni, working from the UK, designed and planned the experiment, while Meng Jiarong from the QMES office liaised closely with the local Chemistry Department to source all the required chemicals and materials.

Our students are now working on their first reports, where they will connect their experimental observations with the fundamental theory of free radical polymerisation. This is not only an important academic step, but also a proud moment for our QMES department as we expand our laboratory teaching into new territory.