Alumni Lan Xiyuan and Yang Yuan Honored with the 2026 National May Day Labor Medal

On April 28, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions announced the recipients of the National May Day Labor Medal. Two alumni of Hunan University of Science and Technology (HNUST), Lan Xiyuan and Yang Yuan, were among the prestigious honorees.

Having devoted 19 years to vocational education at Xianning Vocational Technical College in Hubei Province, Lan Xiyuan has grown from an ordinary teacher to a professor, senior engineer and senior technician. He has led the establishment of a provincial key major, compiled and co-authored six professional textbooks, and mentored more than 100 graduates who have become key technical staff in enterprises. As the Deputy General Manager of Huaning Anti-Corrosion Technology Co., Ltd., he has pioneered a university-enterprise integration model. Leading his team to tackle key technical challenges in industrial anti-corrosion, wear resistance and environmental protection, promoted collaborative innovation between colleges and enterprises, and helped Huaning Anti-Corrosion earn recognition as a national-level specialized, refined, distinctive and innovative “Little Giant” enterprise and a Hubei listed reserve “Golden Seed” enterprise. His technological achievements have been transferred to multiple enterprises and have supported nearly 10 key enterprises in Xianning, setting an exemplary model for university-enterprise cooperation in the local area. Over the years, he has solved more than 10 critical industrial technical problems, obtained 11 invention patents and 41 utility model patents, and won the Third Prize in the Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award as well as the Hubei Provincial Staff Innovation Award.

Since joining Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical Company in 2023, Yang Yuan has worked on the frontline of refining coking, rising from a new recruit to a core member of the technical team in just three years. Through rigorous inspections and precise operations, he played a vital role in major tasks such as coking unit overhauls, online decoking, and online fractionator cleaning—accurately identifying 46 potential safety hazards and helping resolve 12 technical bottlenecks. By delving into equipment characteristics and optimizing parameters, he increased furnace thermal efficiency by 5.8%, thereby generating an estimated 3.5 million yuan in annual economic benefits. He has also contributed to the development of anode coke production, helping the company manufacture Class I prebaked anode coke for the first time. After winning first place in a national coking skills competition, he was named a Sinopec Technical Expert and Young Talent, exemplifying the spirit of craftsmanship: “Excelling in everything one does.”

(Translated by TAN Jingni and LI Mingyue)