Li Kunjiao, a young researcher, is a doctoral candidate at the College of Materials Science and Engineering, Chongqing University, and serves as the chief technology officer (CTO) of a new materials company. Throughout her extensive research, she has focused intently on the global energy and environmental crisis — specifically the accumulation of persistent pollutants such as microplastics, heavy metals, antibiotics, and dyes in water and soil. Meanwhile, in vast rural areas, the excessive use of conventional chemical fertilizers has led to soil compaction and severe non-point source pollution. Finding a low-cost, sustainable, and highly efficient "green" material for environmental remediation became the central challenge she pondered day and night.

Driven by the commitment to "apply her research to the land of her motherland," Li Kunjiao turned her attention to an ancient and remarkable natural material: diatomite. Under the guidance of her mentor, she led a team to delve into the development of diatom-based environmental remediation materials. Addressing the limitation of low natural reactivity in diatomite, the team pioneered a multi-scale structural regulation concept — termed "simultaneous nucleation and etching" — to integrate diatomite with functional materials via nanotechnology. This breakthrough resulted in a range of high-performance environmental remediation materials, offering innovative solutions for addressing water and soil pollution.

To bridge the gap between scientific research and commercial value, Li and her team transformed diatomite powder into user-friendly, granular, multifunctional water purification agents. They also developed a novel diatom-based organosilicon fertilizer, which not only provides crops with essential, highly bioavailable silicon but also effectively blocks heavy metals, thereby increasing yields and improving the quality of crops such as rice. Through university-industry collaboration — where the team provides core material technologies and product solutions, while the corporate partner handles production and promotion — the barriers to adopting these environmental technologies have been significantly lowered.

To date, the innovative solutions developed by Li Kunjiao and her team have been successfully implemented and adopted across various regions. In the Liangping Demonstration Area in Chongqing, a year-long field trial demonstrated that this technology boosted the yields of aquatic products and vegetables by 13.7% and 12.1%, respectively. In 2023, the demonstration area achieved an impressive 80% removal rate for nitrogen and phosphorus. At present, the team has established far-reaching collaborations with various universities, research institutes, and enterprises.

From the microscopic scale of diatom frustules to the grand endeavor of rural revitalization, Li Kunjiao and her team have leveraged their solid scientific expertise and keen business acumen to transform these tiny natural organisms into "green guardians" of the environment. Through their efforts, these young scientific minds are injecting a sustainable new momentum into the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas.