The Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on October 7 conferred the title of "role model of the times on Chen Junwu, an expert on oil refining engineering technology.

Chen, an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, has devoted himself to China's petrochemical industry for 70 years. As the founder of catalytic cracking engineering technology, and a prestigious specialist in oil refining engineering and coal-chemical technology, he has made groundbreaking contributions to advance the country's oil refining industry, according to a decision of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee in granting the title.

During the past decades, Chen has cultivated a large number of high-level petrochemical experts and offered economic assistance to several poverty-stricken students and outstanding young people.

Chen's dedication has earned him many awards, including the first prize in national sci-tech progress awards and first prize in national technology invention awards.