On the morning of April 22, the first National Postgraduate Metallographic Experimental Analysis Competition, hosted by the Chinese Society of Metallurgical Education, Beijing University of Science and Technology, and the Central Iron & Steel Research Institute, was held at Beijing University of Science and Technology. Over 30 postgraduate students from 27 domestic universities and research institutes, including Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Dalian University of Technology, participated in the event. Our university's team, led by two teachers from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Wang Qi and Ma Feng, took part in the competition.

The final of the first National Postgraduate Metallographic Experimental Analysis Competition was divided into two stages: online and offline. The online stage utilized the virtual simulation experiment from the top-tier national course "Integrated Design Virtual Simulation Experiment of Metal Material Composition, Process, Structure, and Performance". Participants conducted virtual simulation experiments for 2 hours in the smart classroom of the Material Experiment Center at Beijing University of Science and Technology. In the offline stage, all participants used unknown samples. They were allowed to select up to 5 sheets of emery paper, choose between manual grinding, machine grinding, or a combination of manual and machine grinding for pre-grinding. Within the specified 45 minutes, participants were required to complete the sample surface grinding, polishing, corrosion, and observe the microstructure under an optical microscope. They needed to determine the composition, structure, and heat treatment status of the unknown sample, judge the possible heat treatment process of the material, and complete the metallographic experimental analysis report.

All competition samples underwent confidential processing before evaluation to ensure the fairness, impartiality, and openness of the competition. Judges who were experts working in universities and research institutes, assessed participants one by one based on factors such as the quality of metallographic images, sample cleanliness, surface smoothness and operational habits. The final scores of participants were the sum of online and offline competition scores, including virtual simulation experiments, metallographic sample preparation experiments, and unknown sample metallographic analysis. After intense competition, master student Liu Zebang from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, enrolled in 2022, won the first prize in the inaugural National Postgraduate Metallographic Experimental Analysis Competition, and Instructor Wang Qi received the Outstanding Mentor Award.