From November 2 to 3, 2024, the 21st Annual Conference of the Chinese Society of Rock Mechanics and Engineering was grandly held More than 100,000 people from universities, research institutes and related enterprises attended the meeting. Our institute set up a satellite venue of Zhejiang University of Science and Technology to organize graduate and undergraduate students to watch the whole process.

At the opening ceremony, Academician He Manchao, Honorary Dean of our institute, delivered a speech as the chairman of the conference, reviewing the glorious history of the Chinese Rock Mechanics and Engineering Academic Annual Conference, from the first session to the twenty-first now, each annual meeting is an important milestone in the development of the discipline. The chairman emphasized the importance of this annual meeting to deal with the current challenges in the field of rock mechanics and engineering, and this conference will provide new ideas and methods for solving complex rock mechanics problems in today's increasingly in-depth resource development and the continuous expansion of underground engineering construction scale.

During the panel discussion, various important topics were addressed, including the use of rock mechanics in emerging energy sectors, water conservation projects, and urban underground development. Scholars shared their perspectives and participated in lively debates on enhancing design and construction techniques. This exchange of ideas fosters diverse thinking and aids in solving intricate real-world challenges, ultimately advancing the discipline to a more profound level.

During the conference, graduate students listened carefully to the academic reports, and the conference focused on cutting-edge research in the field of rock mechanics such as new energy development, water conservancy engineering, and urban underground space utilization, and carried out a series of academic reports for the major needs and major engineering difficulties of national construction, and shared many cutting-edge scientific and technological achievements, which is of great significance for expanding the horizons of students and young scholars and understanding the frontiers of science and technology.