The International Society for Salt Lake Research (ISSLR), together with Tianjin University of Science and Technology (TUST) and Ghent University (Belgium), successfully concluded The 1st Belt and Road International Conference on Salt Lake and Salt Industry Innovation and Technology on November 15-16, 2025. Held under the theme “Innovation Empowers Development · Green Wins the Future,” the hybrid event brought together a global community of scientists, engineers, and industry leaders for two days of fruitful exchange and collaboration. The executive chairs of the conference Prof. Tianlong Deng (Dean of College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, TUST, member of the ISSLR Board of Directors) and Prof. Liying Sui (College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, TUST; Director of Asian Regional Artemia Reference Center) did there best to organize this event.
The conference served as a dynamic platform, bridging research from across the Belt and Road Initiative and beyond. It featured a rich program of plenary lectures, keynote addresses, and a vibrant Young Scholars Forum, all focused on the sustainable management and technological advancement of salt lake resources.
Highlights from the Conference:
Opening with Vision: The ceremony featured welcome addresses from Prof. Fuping Lu, President of TUST, and Dr. Egor Zadereev, President of ISSLR, who both emphasized the critical importance of international cooperation in facing global challenges in resource sustainability and ecological conservation. A video address from Prof. Petra De Sutter, Rector of Ghent University, further strengthened the message of transnational academic partnership.
Plenary Presentations: The scientific program was launched by plenary talks. ISSLR President Dr. Egor Zadereev presented a crucial overview of “Summary of IUCN meeting outcomes and international salt lake society action plan,” linking global conservation frameworks directly to the society’s strategic goals.
This was followed by insightful talks from Academician Mianping Zheng on scientific responses to salt lake changes, Prof. Patrick Sorgeloos on integrated Artemia-salt farming, and Academician Buxing Han on green chemistry principles.
Global Knowledge Exchange: Keynote sessions showcased cutting-edge research from Malaysia, Belgium, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and China, covering diverse topics from halophilic biology and aquaculture to novel extraction technologies for critical raw materials from brines and geothermal sources.
Empowering the Next Generation: The Young Scholars Forum was a standout success, featuring promising research from early-career scientists on topics like green lithium extraction, neurotoxicity in Artemia, and advanced membrane technologies, highlighting the vibrant future of the field.
Strengthening Networks: The event provided invaluable opportunities for formal and informal networking, fostering new connections between European, Asian, and international participants from academia and industry.