WUST News (Correspondent Ye Xianwei) Recently, the results of the 2026 China Youth May Fourth Medal and Pioneer Award for Youth in the New Era, jointly presented by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China (CCYL Central Committee) and the All-China Youth Federation (ACYF), were officially announced. Song Chang, a doctoral student at WUST’s School of Materials Science and Engineering, and Principal Researcher at the Wuhan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. Technology Center of the Baosteel Central Research Institute under China Baowu Steel Group, has been awarded the Pioneer Award for Youth in the New Era.

Song Chang has pursued all her bachelor’s, master’s and ongoing doctoral studies at WUST’s School of Materials Science and Engineering. Upholding the conviction that “core technologies of critical national importance must be firmly held in our own hands”, she has devoted more than a decade to the research and development of magnetic yoke steel for generator rotors, focusing on the needs of China’s major hydropower projects. She has led and participated in 12 major national and corporate scientific research projects, taken charge of the development of over 40 new products including 2 world-first launches. She has obtained 69 authorized invention patents, 1 authorized international patent, 7 provincial and ministerial-level scientific and technological awards, and has formulated a total of 2 national and industry standards. The 750MPa-grade magnetic yoke steel independently developed by Song Chang has been applied in the Wudongde, Baihetan and other hydropower stations with the world’s largest single-unit capacity, accounting for more than 80% of the market share. This breakthrough broke the long-term foreign monopoly in the field, and earned her the WIPO Best Women Inventor Award and the Gold Award at the 124th Paris International Invention Fair. The 900MPa-grade magnetic yoke steel she developed has been successfully applied to the Zala Hydropower Station, the world’s largest Pelton turbine hydropower station by single-unit capacity currently under construction. From campus to the production frontline, from student to pioneer, Song Chang has interpreted her aspiration of “serving the country through the steel industry” with solid actions. She has also been awarded the Hubei Provincial May 1st Labor Medal, Hubei Youth May Fourth Medal, and honorary titles including Jingchu Role Model and Wuhan Role Model.

It is reported that the Pioneer Award for Youth in the New Era is a major honor conferred by the CCYL Central Committee and the ACYF to outstanding young people in China. It aims to fully showcase the moral character and value pursuit of Chinese youth in the new era, encourage young people to integrate their youth endeavors into the cause of the Party and the people, and strive to be a pioneering force in advancing Chinese modernization. A total of 749 awardees were selected nationwide in 2026.