November 4, 2025, Beijing–The Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES) hosted a ceremony today to mark the renewal of the tripartite cooperation agreement for the "Joint Laboratory for Electron Microscope Analysis of Atmospheric Particles". The signing parties include CRAES, the R.J. Lee Group, Inc. (USA), and Beijing Met High-Tech Co., Ltd.
The ceremony was attended by Mr. Chen Sheng, Vice President of CRAES; Mr. Gary S. Casuccio, Vice President of R.J. Lee Group; Dr. Li Long, Senior Scientist of R.J. Lee Group; Mr. Chen Feng, Chairman of Beijing Met High-Tech Co., Ltd; and Mr. Li Jiang, Managing Director of Beijing Met High-Tech Co., Ltd. Presiding over the event was Dr. Hu Jingnan, Director of the Institute of Atmospheric Environment at CRAES.
The renewed cooperation agreement was signed by Mr. Gao Jian, Deputy Director of the Institute of Atmospheric Environment at CRAES; Mr. Gary S. Casuccio, and Mr. Li Jiang, representing their respective organizations. This agreement initiates a new five-year collaborative phase for the Joint Laboratory.
In his welcome address, Mr. Chen Sheng expressed his warm welcome to Mr. Gary S. Casuccio and his delegation. He highlighted the significant achievements of the first five-year collaboration phase since the joint laboratory's establishment in 2020. The core facility, intelligent scanning electron microscope for environmental particle analysis system (IntelliSEM EPAS), has been instrumental in precise particle source identification and formation mechanism studies. This work has driven important research progress and provided robust scientific support for regional air quality improvement efforts. Mr. Chen emphasized that the renewal signifies a deepening of the trilateral partnership and stands as a testament to the enduring scientific collaboration. Looking ahead, CRAES aims to further integrate the strengths of all parties, leverage complementary advantages, address national strategic needs, and promote the broader application of intelligent electron microscope in atmospheric environmental research.
As China's first laboratory dedicated to intelligent electron microscope analysis and source apportionment of environmental particulate matter, the Joint Laboratory has conducted sample analysis and single-particle source tracking in numerous cities across the country. It has fostered extensive collaboration with enterprises, institutions, and research organizations. The laboratory provided critical support for microscopic source apportionment observations during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in key host cities and contributed to scientific missions during the Mount Everest expedition. Its work has been featured in prominent Chinese media outlets, including China Environmental News, CCTV News, and the Beautiful China program. To date, the Joint Laboratory has published over ten SCI-indexed papers and filed ten national patents.
Mr. Gary S. Casuccio commended the work accomplished by CRAES during the initial five-year period. He acknowledged that despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, key tasks—including laboratory design, equipment commissioning, and operator training for the IntelliSEM EPAS software—were successfully completed through online collaboration, demonstrating a strong cooperative spirit. This visit marked his first on-site inspection, where he expressed admiration for the laboratory's construction standards and fully recognized the significant contributions made by the Chinese partners. Mr. Chen Feng noted that the IntelliSEM EPAS installed at the Joint Laboratory meets leading international standards in both hardware and software. He expressed confidence in the laboratory's potential to yield further high-quality research and application outcomes and looked forward to deeper cooperation and exchange among the three parties.
During the accompanying academic exchange session, Mr. Gary S. Casuccio delivered a presentation titled "The Development and Application of Intelligent Scanning Electron Microscope." Drawing on over 40 years of experience in research and project management, and as a long-standing proponent of CCSEM technology innovation, his presentation comprehensively reviewed the development of the IntelliSEM EPAS and its diverse applications, with a particular focus on its success in environmental particle analysis. A subsequent discussion allowed participants to delve into practical applications of the technology, with Mr. Casuccio providing detailed responses to questions.
Following the signing ceremony and academic exchange, Mr. Gary S. Casuccio and his delegation visited the Comprehensive Experimental Center and the Supersite for Urban Air Comprehensive Observation and Research.
