Recently, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) announced the list of funded projects under its newly established Basic Research Program for Young Students (Doctoral Students Category) for 2023. Rui Zhang, a doctoral candidate from our research group, has been awarded funding for his research project titled:
“Design and Fabrication of Th₃P₄-type Superhard Thin Film Materials.”

This prestigious program is designed to support outstanding doctoral students in independently conducting fundamental research within the NSFC’s funding scope. It aims to foster young researchers’ scientific capabilities, stimulate innovation, and build a strong foundation for developing high-level talent in basic research.

The selection process for this competitive program follows a “recommendation + peer review” model, involving candidate self-nomination, rigorous selection by the affiliated institutions, and expert evaluation by NSFC through both written review and panel interviews. Rui’s successful application reflects his strong academic foundation and great potential in cutting-edge materials science research.

About Rui Zhang
Rui Zhang received his B.S. degree in Materials Physics from Jilin University (2018–2022) and was admitted to the doctoral program in our group through recommendation in 2022. His current research focuses on the design of tough and durable thin film materials for applications in extreme environments. He has published two first-author papers in journals such as Advanced Materials and Journal of Inorganic Materials. He is the recipient of multiple prestigious honors, including:

• Third Prize in the 5th National Undergraduate Material Design Competition

• QiCai Education Foundation Outstanding Student Award

• Fuhua Machinery Scholarship

• Outstanding Undergraduate Graduate of Jilin University

This award underscores Rui's promising future as an independent researcher and marks a significant milestone for our group’s efforts in nurturing innovative, research-driven young scholars.