The Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOP CAS) held the 2019 Spring Forum for Young Scientists in the Songshan Lake Materials Lab, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province from May 22 to 26. The forum was organized by IOP's Laboratory for Advanced Materials & Structure Analysis (Laboratory of Electron Microscopy) under the guidance of IOP's Young Talent Working Group, and obtained strong support from the Songshan Lake Materials Lab. It consisted of two sub-forums, namely, the Forum for Overseas Young Scientists held on May 22- 24, and the Forum for Young Scientists of IOP held on May 24-26.

A total of more than 140 people attended the forum, including Li Ming, Deputy Secretary of IOP's Party Committee and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, Hu Jiangping, Deputy Director of IOP, Wei Hongxiang, Assistant Director of IOP, Zhang Shouzhu, Former Program Director of the Department of Mathematical & Physical Science of the National Natural Science Foundation, and IOP young researchers, managers of relevant departments, overseas young scholars, IOP colleagues from Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other local universities as well was IOP alumni from South China.

On May 23, the 2-day Forum for Overseas Young Scientists was the first to kick off. Hu Jiangping, deputy director of IOP, delivered an opening speech, in which he extended a warm welcome to the attendees and introduced IOP's basic situation, research areas, personnel composition, and the plan of "Zhongguancun and Three Lakes".  Twenty-four overseas young scientists later reported their latest research results. The reports delivered at the forum were impressive and informative, and the venue was immersed in a lively and warm atmosphere.

On May 25, the Forum for Young Scientists of IOP was officially launched. Deputy Director Hu Jiangping delivered an opening speech and then announced the winner of the "Award for New Stars in Science and Technology" this year, which went to Zhao Kun, a senior engineer in the Laboratory of Optical Physics. After the award ceremony, Zhao Kun gave a keynote speech entitled "A Historical Review of Ultra-fast Optics, Laser, and Attosecond Pulses," and introduced in detail the research directions and work contents of ultra-fast optics and attosecond physics.

On the recommendation of the editorial board of Chinese Physics Letters (CPL), Professor Meng Ziyang of IOP subsequently made the CPL Express Letters Invited Talk entitled "CPL help the rise of research on fueled quantum magnets". CPL Express Letters Invited Talk, first initiated in the fall of 2018, has become an integral part of the Forum for Young Scientists of IOP and aims to encourage Chinese physicists, especially young physicists, to quickly publish their important original works in CPL's Express Letters.

During the forum, young researchers from IOP and universities in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other places delivered 34 outstanding academic reports on the cutting-edge achievements in their respective research fields, and conducted extensive exchanges on hot issues. At the end of the forum, the "Best Report Award" was given to Qu Fanming, Zhao Huaizhou, Liu Miao and Fang Shaobo from IOP and Lu Haizhou from Southern University of Science and Technology. Li Ming presented certificates of merit to the five winners and made closing remarks. He also announced that the 2019 Autumn Forum for Young Scientists of IOP would be organized by the Department of Technology. Jing Xiunian, head of the Department of Technology, extended a warm invitation on behalf of the undertakers of the next forum.

The Forum for Young Scientists has developed into an influential and attractive branded event of IOP. Held twice a year (in spring and autumn), it is supervised by IOP's Young Talent Working Group and organized by IOP's Laboratories in turns. The forum has attracted more and more young researchers from IOP and other universities, providing an ideal platform for young researchers to carry out academic exchanges and cooperation across different research fields.

Hu Jiangping, Deputy Director of IOP, presents the "Award for New Stars in Science and Technology in 2019" to Zhao Kun

Li Ming, Deputy Secretary of IOP's Party Committee and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, present certificates of merit to the five winners of the "Best Report Award".

Group photo.