The Inauguration Ceremony of the Central China Center for Nuclear Theory (C3NT) and International Workshop on the Frontiers of Nuclear Theory Held Successfully at Central China Normal University

From May 17 to 18, 2025, the inauguration ceremony of the Central China Center for Nuclear Theory (C3NT) and the International Workshop on the Frontiers of Nuclear Theory were successfully held at Central China Normal University (CCNU). Over 100 experts and scholars in the field of nuclear theory from China, the United States, Germany, France, Poland, Japan, South Korea, and other countries gathered in Wuhan to discuss frontier topics in nuclear theory and explore opportunities for international cooperation and development.

Several distinguished guests were specially invited to the conference, including Academician Luo Minxing of Peking University, Academician Ma Yugang (Vice President of Fudan University), Professor Xu Nu of CCNU, Academician Zhang Huanqiao of the China Institute of Atomic Energy, Academician Zou Bingsong of Tsinghua University, Professor Larry McLerran of the University of Washington and former Director of the Institute for Nuclear Theory (INT), Professor Ulf-G. Meissner from the University of Bonn in Germany, Professor Krzysztof Redlich from the University of Wroclaw in Poland, and Senior Scientist Jean-Paul Blaizot from the Institute of Theoretical Physics (IPhT) at CEA-Saclay in France—who is also an editor of Physics Letters B and former director of the European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas (ECT*). Other honored guests included Dr. Ji Peiwen, former Executive Deputy Director of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Department of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and Professor Wang Enke, former President of South China Normal University.

At the opening ceremony, Professor Xia Lixin, Party Secretary of CCNU, delivered a welcome speech on behalf of the university. He warmly welcomed all the guests and emphasized that fundamental science is a core engine driving the progress of human civilization. Among them, nuclear and theoretical physics play a crucial role in exploring the mysteries of the universe, advancing scientific and technological development, and serving national strategic needs. As a “Double First-Class” university directly under the Ministry of Education, CCNU has long prioritized the development of physics. Since the establishment of the Institute of Particle Physics (IOPP) in 1977, the university has achieved internationally recognized results in fields such as high-temperature and high-density nuclear matter and hadronic physics.

Professor Wang Xinnian, Director of the Central China Center for Nuclear Theory, introduced the background and future plans for the center. He stated that C3NT is based on the Institute of Particle Physics at CCNU and integrates a wealth of existing research resources and platforms, including the Key Laboratory of Quark and Lepton Physics (Ministry of Education), the International Cooperation Center on Quark Matter and Detection Technology (Ministry of Science and Technology), the Pixel Laboratory at CCNU (PLAC), and the Nuclear Science Computing Center (NSC3). In the future, the center will focus on nuclear structure, extreme nuclear matter, hadronic physics, nuclear astrophysics, and interdisciplinary applications of nuclear theory with quantum computing and artificial intelligence. It aims to build an open and inclusive international academic platform, promote the generation of original research achievements, and cultivate high-end talent.

Professor Sanjay Reddy, Director of INT (USA), and Professor Bira van Kolck, Director of ECT* (Italy), also delivered speeches at the event. They warmly congratulated the founding of C3NT and expressed their hopes to deepen future international collaborations with the center. Professor Urs Wiedemann, incoming Director of the CERN Theory Division, remarked that the establishment of C3NT is not only a milestone for CCNU but also of great significance to the global nuclear theory community. He expects it to become an important international research hub for nuclear theory akin to INT and ECT*.

During the workshop, in-depth discussions and exchanges were held on six major frontier topics: extreme nuclear matter and heavy-ion collisions, nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics, and interdisciplinary applications of AI and nuclear physics. A total of 20 international experts presented exciting reports, sharing their latest research findings and exploring future research directions. The inauguration ceremony of the center and a joint meeting of the Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Committee were also held. The committee reviewed and approved the themes and regional collaboration plans for the 2026 workshop.

The founding of the Central China Center for Nuclear Theory marks a major strategic initiative by CCNU in the field of fundamental scientific research. It also provides a new platform and opportunity for global cooperation and development in nuclear theory. C3NT will actively respond to China’s national strategy of integrating “Education, Science & Technology, and Talent,” with Wuhan as its central hub. The center will collaborate closely with institutions such as the University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui University, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Zhengzhou University, Henan University of Technology, Henan Normal University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Hunan Normal University, University of South China, Hunan University, and Central South University. Through long- and short-term seminars, the annual CCNU QCD Lecture Series, and Asia-Pacific regional meetings, the center aims to foster international exchanges and cooperation, promote coordinated development between theoretical and experimental nuclear physics, and contribute to innovation and progress in global nuclear theory research.