On April 8, the 21st Jinshan Academic Salon on Fluid Machinery Engineering was held in the seventh-floor conference room of the Fluid Center. Prof. Xu Di, Honorary Director of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage of the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research and former Director of the National Center for Efficient Irrigation Engineering and Technology Research-Beijing, was invited as the keynote speaker.

Prof. Xu delivered a special lecture titled “Progress in Scientific and Technological Innovation for Irrigation District Modernization.” Prof. Li Hong, Vice President of Jiangsu University, and Researcher Yuan Shouqi, Director of the National Research Center of Pumps, attended the lecture. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Pei Ji, Deputy Director of the Fluid Center.

In his report, Prof. Xu elaborated on multiple aspects of irrigation district modernization, including its diverse objectives and connotations, the difficulties and challenges it faces, key tasks for scientific and technological innovation, AI-enabled intelligent irrigation systems, and the application of cutting-edge technologies in irrigation districts.

Rich in content and systematic in structure, the lecture combined strategic perspectives with practical engineering insights, offering valuable inspiration to the faculty members and students in attendance.

After the academic lecture, Prof. Xu held an exchange session with faculty members and students. They discussed topics such as intelligent system models for irrigation districts and the cultivation of students’ interdisciplinary research capabilities for solving complex problems.

Drawing on his extensive research experience, Prof. Xu patiently answered questions from young faculty members and students. Participants said they benefited greatly from the lecture and discussion.