On May 14, the Fourth Shandong Talent Innovation and Development Conference and the 14th "Shandong International Fair for Investment and Trade" were held in Jinan. Under the theme "Talent Drives Innovation; Openness Empowers Development," Professor Werner Nau, a guest professor at China University of Petroleum (East China) from Constructor University, Germany, was invited to attend the event and was awarded the Qilu Friendship Award honorary certificate on site.
Professor Werner Nau received an honorary certificate from provincial leaders
Professor Nau, a recipient of the Qilu Friendship Award, has maintained long-term cooperation with China University of Petroleum (East China) since 2011 and has actively served as a bridge between Europe and Shandong. During the conference, he gave exclusive interviews to Shandong Television and Dazhong Daily（the official newspaper of Shandong Province）.
"I have a deep affection for China, particularly Shandong's sincerity, hospitality, professional competence, and long-term vision, which have left a profound impression on me. Shandong is like my second home," Professor Nau said. "Several of my students returned to Shandong after completing their studies and settled in Qingdao; seeing them thrive in a supportive environment has bolstered my confidence in Shandong's research ecosystem."
Professor Nau also praised Shandong's solid foundations in chemistry, biomedicine, and marine science, noting that its boron cluster delivery technology aligns closely with the region's biopharmaceutical industry. "In the future, I hope to deepen cooperation with Shandong's universities and enterprises to advance research toward clinical translation," he added.
Professor Werner Nau was interviewed
An internationally renowned supramolecular chemist, Professor Nau previously served as Director of the Institute of Natural Sciences, Dean of Academic Affairs and Vice President at Constructor University in Germany. He has published over 300 papers with an H-index of 80. In 2015, he was appointed a guest professor and led national foreign expert grants for eight consecutive years. During 2023-2024, he was awarded the National Foreign Expert Team Grant, through which he has vigorously advanced substantive collaboration between China University of Petroleum (East China) and European universities. In February 2026, Professor Nau was invited to attend the New Year symposium for foreign experts hosted by Premier Li Qiang of the State Council.
