The 2018 International Symposium on Electrocatalysis and Electrosynthesis (ISEE) was held in Changsha between March 30 and April 1. It was sponsored by the Chinese Chemical Society (CCS), and organized by the Chinese Society of Electrochemistry (CSE) and Hunan University (HNU). The opening ceremony was chaired by ISEE co-chairman and HNU professor Wang Shuangyin. It was attended by CCS executive director and Academician Sun Shigang from Xiamen University, Academician Tan Weihong from HNU, and HNU Vice President Cao Yijia. Nearly 500 scholars engaging in electrocatalysis and electrosynthesis of more than 100 universities and research institutions from five countries and regions participated.

During the symposium, one keynote speech and thirteen plenary lectures were arranged at the main venue; twenty-one keynote speeches, fifty-one invited lectures, and fifteen oral presentations at the three sub-venues. Plenary lectures were given by Academician Sun Shigang, Prof. Zhuang Lin from Wuhan University, Prof. Lin Haibo from Jilin University, Prof. Lou Xiongwen from Nanyang Technological University, Researcher Tang Zhiyong from National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Prof. Tong Yexiang from Zhongshan University, Prof. Yao Xiangdong from Griffith University, Prof. Wei Zidong from Chongqing University, Prof. Jiang Sanping from Curtin University, Prof. Qiao Shizhang from the University of Adelaide, and Prof. Chen Shaowei from University of California, Santa Cruz.

The latest progress and outstanding achievements made by Chinese scientists in the field of electrocatalysis and electrosynthesis were shared at the symposium. The participants conducted in-depth discussions on the opportunities, challenges, and future prospects of the field, providing new ideas, new thoughts, and new measures for electrocatalysis and electrosynthesis research.