The World Laureates Forum (WLA Forum) opened in Shanghai's Lin-gang Special Area on Oct 25, showcasing the synergy between top scientists and entrepreneurs in building a robust ecosystem for technological and industrial innovation.

At the Intelligent Science Forum, a sideline event of the WLA Forum, Wang Zhengyuan, a senior researcher at the PetroChina (Shanghai) Advanced Materials Research Institute, highlighted the applications of artificial intelligence in materials science. The audience included numerous distinguished laureates, such as Turing Award, Wolf Award, and Fields Medal winners, alongside global experts in intelligent science.

"The World Laureates Forum is a prestigious platform for exchanging ideas with international academic leaders and showcasing China's cutting-edge research in new materials," Wang said. "Our institute is rapidly developing, and we hope to attract more top-tier international talent through this platform."

Since its inception seven years ago, the WLA Forum has fostered a symbiotic relationship between scientific advancement and urban development in Lin-gang, which features the Sci-Tech Innovation Headquarters Bay, the Laureates Community, and the Sci-tech Innovation City, providing an all-encompassing environment for researchers with labs, conference centers, and residential facilities.

An aerial view of the Sci-Tech Innovation Headquarters Bay in Shanghai's Lin-gang Special Area. [Photo/Jiefang Daily]

From pioneering innovation to fostering a sci-tech ecosystem, top scientists and entrepreneurs are converging in the Lin-gang Special Area as it strives to build a development environment that brings together scientific and industrial innovation.

In recent years, Lin-gang has seen significant investments in R&D, focusing on integrated circuits (IC), aerospace, and controlled nuclear fusion. This has fueled industrial growth, with the region's output reaching 423 billion yuan ($59 billion) last year, accounting for one-tenth of Shanghai's total. Industries such as IC, biomedicine, and AI have seen over 60 percent growth.

The PetroChina (Shanghai) Advanced Materials Research Institute in Lin-gang Special Area, Shanghai. [Photo/Jiefang Daily]

Looking to the future, Lin-gang will continue to expand its focus on smart hardware, future energy, and aerospace, attract high-caliber scientific projects, and enhance its innovative capabilities, according to the Lin-gang Special Area Administration.