On September 26, 2024, the Chinese Materials Research Society (C-MRS) and the Materials Research Society of Singapore (MRS-S) held a bilateral meeting via an online platform. The two-hour meeting aimed to strengthen cooperation in the field of materials science between the two countries and discuss collaboration details. The meeting was co-chaired by Professor Guangxian Li, Supervisor of C-MRS, and Professor B.V.R. Chowdari, Honorary President of MRS-S. Attendees included Professor Zengzhi Zhang, Secretary-General of C-MRS, Professor Ke Wang, Assistant, and Professor Hong Liu, Vice President of MRS-S.

The meeting began with an introduction by the Materials Research Society of Singapore on its development and recent achievements. Founded in 1999 as a non-profit organization, MRS-S has been dedicated to advancing materials science research and applications in Singapore, becoming an influential academic organization in the Asia-Pacific region. MRS-S has successfully organized renowned international conferences such as the International Conference on Advanced Materials and Technologies (ICMAT) and has established scholarships and awards to support young scholars. Through collaborations with research institutions worldwide, MRS-S has become a key bridge between Singapore and the global materials science community.

The Chinese Materials Research Society (C-MRS), founded in 1991, is now the largest materials research society in the world and serves as the core academic organization for China's materials science and new materials industry. With over 156,000 members, C-MRS covers a wide range of fields from fundamental research to industrial applications. It regularly hosts over 100 significant academic conferences, including the World Materials Conference and China Materials Conference, and publishes 13 Sino-English journals, three of which are currently being developed. These efforts have greatly advanced the internationalization of China's materials science. C-MRS also plays a leading role in various areas of social services, such as think tank initiatives, science communication, industry collaboration, international cooperation, training, evaluation, and standards in the new materials sector. MRS-S praised the recent developments of C-MRS, and both parties expressed their broad prospects for collaboration.

The two societies discussed co-hosting the China-Singapore-India Trilateral Conference on Advanced Materials and Technologies. MRS-S first initiated this series of conferences in 2010 to promote academic exchanges among China, India, and Singapore in the field of materials science. The first ten editions were successfully held in all three countries, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among researchers. The conference series was interrupted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this online meeting has revived the discussions, with plans to restart the conference in 2025. Initial consensus was reached to hold the first Advanced Materials and Technologies Conference in Singapore from March 24 to 28, 2025, followed by the 2026 conference in China. If the Materials Research Society of India (MRS-India) expresses interest in joining, the 2027 conference will be held in India, establishing a rotating hosting pattern. The conference will focus on cutting-edge research areas, including functional materials, quantum materials, semiconductor materials, and energy materials, with the aim of promoting deeper academic exchange and cooperation among the three countries.

Additionally, representatives from C-MRS will travel to India in December 2024 to attend the IUMRS-ICA 2024 meeting, where they will meet with MRS-India to further explore the possibilities of trilateral cooperation. The discussions will include whether to continue the bilateral collaboration between C-MRS and MRS-S or to expand it into a trilateral partnership with MRS-India. Should MRS-India express interest, a joint organizing committee will be established to oversee the preparation of the conference.

This meeting laid a solid foundation for future cooperation between the materials research societies of China, Singapore, and India. The deepened exchanges between the materials science communities of China and Singapore will not only foster collaboration among researchers but also drive joint innovation in the field of materials science across the three countries. This collaboration marks the beginning of a new phase of trilateral academic cooperation and presents new opportunities for the global advancement of materials science research.