IISRP to honor synthetic rubber industry leaders

Houston, TX — The International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers, Inc. (IISRP) to honor Mr. Bowei Lee of LCY Group as the recipient of the prestigious IISRP General Award, and Professor Zhang Liqun of Xi’an Jiaotong University will be honored with the coveted Technical Award at its upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM). The presentation of both awards will be formally made on April 8th, 2025, during the 65th IISRP Annual General Meeting in Dublin, Ireland.

Mr. Bowei Lee – Mr. Lee actively supports the synthetic rubber community through his involvement with the IISRP. In 2017, he co-sponsored the IISRP’s Annual General Meeting in Taipei. In 2016, LCY actively facilitated the meetings for the 183rd Technical Operating Committee and the 158th Environmental Health Committee in IISRP APS at LCY’s Research and Development Center in Taiwan. Lee firmly believes that a better world can only be realized through a strong commitment to sustainability. Driven by LCY’s guiding principle of “Catalyze Innovation,” he established a Green R&D Center under the U.S. LEED Green Building Rating System standards to further reduce carbon footprint. During his 17-year tenure as the Managing Director of the Taiwan Responsible Care Association (TRCA), Lee dedicated his efforts to the responsible care and social responsibility of the Taiwanese chemical industry since 1998. In addition, Lee’s advocacy for circular economy in Taiwan was unequivocal during his 6-year tenure as President of the Taiwan Chemical Industry Association (TCIA). Mr. Lee is a fervent advocate for Green R&D within the Group, leading to numerous granted patents. Under Lee’s commitment to net-zero goals, the Group has made significant investments in the development of environmentally friendly products. An exemplary achievement is the self-crosslinking SIS water-based latex, which offers solutions for natural latex allergies and medical waste management, marking a pioneering achievement in Taiwan. Mr. Lee’s unwavering focus on advancing green elastomer materials development within the LCY Group will further enhance the quality and convenience of everyday life. Nurturing the Future Talents Mr. Lee is deeply committed to promoting sustainable development and nurturing talent within the materials industry. He actively engages in industry advocacy and has held roles in 3 various educational organizations, including the LCY Education Foundation. Throughout his career, he has sponsored numerous scholarships to support outstanding young individuals in Taiwan in pursuing their education at leading international institutions, including sponsoring a Nobel prize level conference (the Bowei Research Conference, BRC) in Chemistry annually.

Professor Zhang Liqun – Professor Liqun Zhang has made contributions to the realm of polymer materials and engineering, particularly in the field of synthetic rubber, achieving globally recognized accomplishments and status. His exemplary achievements have been recognized with prestigious awards in the United States, Japan, United Kingdom, and the global community. These accolades, often steeped in history and limited to one recipient per edition, recognize his contributions, along with several important awards from associations and societies in the fields of polymer and chemical engineering in China. Evidently, Professor Zhang’s influence extends beyond accolades, as reflected in his extensive record of over 100 Plenary and Invited lectures at international conferences. As the corresponding author of more than 400 SCI-indexed papers, his publications have amassed over 43,000 citations, attaining an impressive H-index of over 100. Professor Zhang undoubtedly ranks as the top citation in the field of rubber worldwide. Additionally, he holds over 200 Chinese patents and PCT patents.
Professor Zhang may be considered one of the most outstanding scientists in the field of rubber materials science and engineering worldwide today. In China, he is the only Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in the field of rubber materials science and engineering and is the leading academic figure in this field. Because of his innovative research including bio-based rubber, recycled waste rubber, epoxidized rubber such as synthesized epoxidized SSBR, epoxidized NR and epoxidized BR, thermoplastic vulcanizate and so Professor Zhang not only made significant technical contributions, but also, remarkably pushed forward the rapid progress of the worldwide synthetic rubber industry and production.