The 2025 Tsinghua-Princeton-CI Summer School on Combustion was successfully held at the Tsinghua University campus from July 6 to 12. This year, the summer school invited renowned professors from the field of combustion, including Prof. Paul Clavin from Aix-Marseille University in France, Prof. Philippe Dagaut from the CNRS-Orléans in France, and Prof. Mark Linne from the University of Edinburgh in the UK, Prof. Hong G. Im from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, and Prof. José L. Torero from University College London in the UK. The lectures covered fundamental knowledge such as the physics of flames and detonations, as well as advanced topics like turbulent combustion, advanced laser diagnostics in reaction flows, and combustion science in fire safety. The summer school attracted 158 participants from 14 countries/regions, including undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, university professors, and engineers in related fields. In addition to five days of combustion courses, the participants also engaged in a variety of enriching activities, including campus tours, visits to an art museum, academic salons, research poster presentation, career panel, and lab tours. The event received positive feedback from participants, and with the long-term support of the Combustion Institute and all participants, the Tsinghua-Princeton-CI Summer School on Combustion will continue to provide cutting-edge courses in combustion for researchers, promote international exchange and education, and support the development of advanced combustion science and technology.
On the registration day on Sunday, July 6, graduate student volunteers from Tsinghua University set up a registration booth at the northeast entrance of the Lee Shau Kee Building of Science and Technology, guiding domestic and international participants to collect the event handbook and items, and providing comprehensive consultation on accommodation, food, transportation, and other aspects to prepare for the next six days of life on campus.
On the evening of July 6, a welcome reception was held at the Lee Shau Kee Building, where Vice President Peixue Jiang of Tsinghua University delivered a speech. Vice President Jiang first expressed gratitude to the five international leading scholars who came to Tsinghua University to teach and help promote international exchange in combustion research through the summer school. Professor Chung K. Law, founding director of the Center for Combustion Energy at Tsinghua University, also gave a speech, expressing sincere thanks to the previous leaders of Tsinghua University and Vice President Peixue Jiang for their continuous support over the past ten years. He hopes that this year's participants will cherish this opportunity to learn well and lay a solid foundation for future research and innovation in combustion and energy. Professor Philippe Dagaut (former president of the Combustion Institute) stated that the Combustion Institute has long supported high-quality summer schools like this one, and looks forward to the participants making outstanding contributions to the intergenerational development of the field of combustion.
During the banquet, the Tsinghua University Student Symphony Orchestra and members of the Tsinghua University Chinese Music Society performed string quartets and solo guzheng performances, creating more opportunities for cultural exchange between teachers and students.
This year's summer school courses were held at the Jianhua Building, with two morning and three afternoon parallel sessions each day, with each session lasting three hours. Participants were required to complete five days of course activities. Below are the highlights of the five classroom sessions.
To facilitate networking between lecturers and students, the summer school organized academic salons and career panel. The academic salon provided opportunities for students to discuss research progress with lecturers through lunch and dinner. The career panel is a signature activity of the summer school, where lecturers shared their career paths and key decisions, and students raised questions about challenges in their research or career development. Lecturers then addressed these questions in sequence. This year's discussions included topics such as the basic qualities required for graduate students, how to get started in combustion research, how to advance combustion theory, and the career challenges faced by female researchers in the field.
The research poster activity provided domestic and international participants with opportunities for academic networking. Research posters covering research in combustion and other interdisciplinary fields were presented by the authors during specific times.
The summer school arranged campus tour for participants to learn about the rich cultural heritage and historical development of representative buildings on campus through the guidance of volunteers, providing a profound on-site experience of the Tsinghua motto, "Self-improvement, Bearing All Things with Great Virtue." The lab tour was the last activity of the summer school, scheduled for the morning of July 12. The Center for Combustion Energy provided nine laboratories for the summer school participants to visit, with graduate students giving English explanations and answering questions from participants.
Below are the anonymous feedbacks from the summer school participants：
“Thank you, Professor Clavin, for delivering an insightful and engaging lecture on dynamics of flames and detonations. Your expertise and passion for the subject were evident throughout the presentation, making complex concepts accessible and fascinating.”
“Dear Prof. Philippe Dagaut, It was a great honor to listen to your lecture and I really enjoyed your teaching style. I have learned a lot about chemical kinetics from your lectures. Also, your answers to my questions about the design of ignition structures and the selection of chemical reaction path stages were very helpful to me as a beginner.”
“Professor Linne’s lectures are exceptionally well-organized and logically structured, guiding students step by step into the subject with a natural, layered flow. His classes are not only vivid and engaging but also marked by a thoughtful adaptability. Before each session, he invites students to share brief self-introductions—detailing their academic backgrounds, prior knowledge, or learning goals—allowing him to tailor his teaching methods to fit the class’s unique needs.”
“Dear Respected Professor Torero, It is my great honor to attend your course. Your remarkable ability to simplify complex concepts has illuminated my understanding, and your profound theoretical foundation has deeply inspired me. You are a true role model for my academic journey.”
“To Prof. Im: I would like to sincerely thank you for your excellent teaching. Your course clearly explained the physical insights behind turbulence and turbulent combustion models. The content was vivid, well-structured, and emphasized the key concepts, which helped me step into the field of turbulent combustion with confidence. I am truly grateful for your inspiring lectures.”
Provided by：Organizing Committee of 2025 Tsinghua-Princeton-CI Summer School on Combustion
Approved by: Yu Cheng Liu, Xiaoqing You
