1. Overview
The Department of Measurement & Control and Information Technology is an integral part of the A+ disciplines included in the "Double World-class Project" - Instrument Science and Technology at Beihang University. It currently offers undergraduate programs in Measurement & Control Technology and Instrumentation, as well as Master Programs in Instrument Science and Technology (Testing), Electronic Information Engineering (Instrumentation), and Doctoral Programs in Measuring and Testing Technologies and Instruments, Precision Instruments and Machinery, Vision Measurement and Image Remote Sensing, Smart Medical Instruments, etc.
2. Historical Development
In 1952, the “Aircraft Equipment Teaching and Research Section” was established with the born of Beihang University (originally named as Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics)， and started to recruit undergraduate students majoring in "Instrumentation and Automation". In response to the urgent need for inertial guidance and testing technology for the "Two Bombs and One Satellite" project, under the proposal of Dr. Qian Xuesen, specialties such as "Aeronautical Gyroscope and Inertial Navigation" and "Aeronautical Instrumentation and Sensors", were created in 1956. Beihang University integrated resources and established the School of Instrumentation and Optoelectronic Engineering, with the establishment of the Department of Measurement & Control and Information Technology in 2003. Over the past 60 years of development in disciplines and specialties, it has always focused on aerospace characteristics, targeting major national defense and economic construction needs, achieved several significant results, trained many professional and technical personnel engaged in instrumentation and testing, optoelectronic technology, and information processing fields, and is the birthplace of airborne test technology and the cradle of talent training in China.
3. Discipline Construction
The Department of Measurement & Control and Information Technology currently holds the first-level doctoral degree award in "Instrument Science and Technology". This discipline is a National key First-level Discipline, ranking first in the 2012 Ministry of Education's First-level Discipline Assessment and ranked A+ in the 2022 Ministry of Education's First-level Discipline Assessment. The department has strong research capabilities, having won a total of 7 National Awards for Technological Inventions and Scientific and Technological Progress since 2006, including 1 First Prize for National Technological Invention. The department has one provincial and ministerial key laboratory: the Key Laboratory of Precision Opto-mechatronics of the Ministry of Education.
4. Faculty
The Department of Measurement & Control and Information Technology currently has 42 full-time faculty members, including 18 full professors and 18 associate professors. It has two provincial and ministerial innovation teams, including 1 academician, 4 Changjiang Scholars, 4 outstanding young scholars, 2 distinguished young scholars, 2 overseas distinguished young scholars, 2 individuals selected by the Thousand Talents Plan, 2 Beijing Municipal Teaching Famous Teachers, 1 Outstanding Award for Moral Education in Beihang University, 1 winner of the Baogang Outstanding Teacher Special Award, and 2 Baogang Outstanding Teacher Award. The department has two Ministry of Education innovation teams: "Precision Opto-mechatronics Technology" and "Advanced Aerospace Sensing Technology", as well as a Ministry of Education curriculum ideological and political teaching team.
5. Teaching
The purpose of this major is to cultivate professionals in measurement and control technology and instrumentation. The major adheres to the undergraduate talent training policy of "strengthening foundation, highlighting practice, focusing on quality, and promoting innovation", aiming to cultivate students with a high sense of social responsibility and good scientific and cultural qualities. Students will systematically and firmly grasp the essential knowledge, theory, and skills in the fields of natural science foundation, engineering foundation, instrumentation science and technology. They will have innovative consciousness, independent learning ability, practical ability, the ability to design comprehensive instrument systems, implement them on site, apply them, solve complex engineering problems, and have strong communication and teamwork abilities. They can work in related fields such as engineering design, system analysis, information processing, scientific experiments, development, economic or technological management, etc.
The main courses offered in this major include: Sensor Technology and Applications, Signal Analysis and Processing, Error Theory and Data Processing, Digital Image Processing, Photoelectric Testing Technology and Systems, Automated Testing Principles and Systems, and Automatic Control Components. The department enrolls about 50 undergraduate students per year, about 60 master candidates per year, and about 20 doctoral candidates per year. Graduates of master's and doctoral programs mainly work in well-known high-tech enterprises, aerospace research institutes, universities, and become senior leaders and professional technicians.
The Department of Measurement & Control and Information Technology provides diverse international exchange opportunities for graduate students. To ensure the long-term effective implementation of international education for graduate students, it has established a joint dual-degree program with the Politecnico di Milano for many years. Every year, 2-3 students are sponsored by the National Overseas Studies Fund Commission to study in Milan. After completing their studies, students can obtain both a Master's degree from Beihang University and a Master's degree from Politecnico di Milano. In talent training and employment guidance, they focus on integrating the spirit of serving the country through space exploration. The employment rate of graduate students in the past five years has reached 100%, with more than 60% of graduates entering China Aviation Industry Group, China Aerospace Science and Technology Group, etc.
In the past five years, more than 90% of undergraduate graduates have continued their studies, with an average of about 23% of students entering prestigious foreign universities to pursue doctoral or master's degrees each year. This major adopts a flexible three-level degree training plan, relying on the advantages of excellent faculty members, strong research capabilities, and integration of research teams and teaching teams. In the undergraduate stage, it strengthens the quality training of students; a system is implemented for outstanding students to be recommended for postgraduate studies (including master's programs and direct doctoral programs) without taking an entrance examination.
The Department of Measurement & Control Technology and Information has created several first-class courses at or above the university level: Sensor Technology and Applications, Error Theory and Data Processing, etc.
6. Scientific Research
The Devision currently has over 200 research projects underway, funded by sources such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Military Science and Technology Commission, the Armament Development and Production Command, the Science and Technology Bureau, and research on aerospace model missions. Each year, it publishes more than 300 academic papers in domestic and international journals and conferences, publishes multiple monographs and textbooks, and is authorized over 300 patents.
The main research areas include:
1) Space Optical Measurement Technology and Systems
2) Advanced Sensing Technology
3) Vision Measurement and Intelligent Perception Technology
4) Electromagnetic Tomography Imaging and Detection Technology
5) Laser Radar Intelligent Perception Technology
6) Future Medical Instruments
7) Dynamic Testing, Metrology, and Calibration
8) Computational Optical Imaging
7. Laboratory Conditions
The Department has the "Precision Opto-Mechatronics Integration Technology" innovation team of the Ministry of Education, the "Aerospace Advanced Sensing Technology" innovation team of the Ministry of Education, the "Advanced Sensing and Measurement and Control System Technology" Blue Sky Innovation Team, and is the core force of the "Precision Opto-Mechatronics Integration Technology" Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education. It provides indispensable support for high-level teaching and research in the Department.
8. Main Achievements
u National-level scientific and technological awards:
Ø Small High-precision Celestial Body Sensor Technology, won the 2008 National Technological Invention First Prize.
Ø High-dynamic Star Sensor Technology and Engineering Applications, won the 2016 National Science and Technology Progress Second Prize.
Ø Key Technologies and Applications of High-performance Resonant Sensors, won the 2013 National Technological Invention Second Prize.
Ø High-precision High-dynamic Visual Measurement Technology and Systems, won the 2012 National Technological Invention Second Prize.
Ø ** Integrated Metrology and Rapid Diagnosis Key Technologies and Equipment, won the 2010 National Science and Technology Progress Second Prize.
Ø Sensing Technology and Testing System for **, won the 2008 National Science and Technology Progress Second Prize.
Ø Laser Visual Online Dynamic Testing System and Key Technologies, won the 2006 National Technological Invention Second Prize.
u Provincial-level scientific and technological awards:
Ø High-dynamic Pose Visual Measurement Technology, won the 2021 Science and Technology Progress First Prize of the Chinese Metrology and Testing Society.
Ø Multi-layer Oilfield Development Injection-production Cross-section Complex Fluid Measurement Key Technologies and Applications, won the 2019 Ministry of Education Technological Invention First Prize.
Ø High-dynamic Star Sensor Technology, won the 2015 Ministry of Education Science and Technology Progress First Prize.
Ø High-precision Dew Point Temperature Testing and Metrology Key Technologies and Applications, won the 2021 Henan Province Science and Technology Progress Second Prize.
Ø High-precision Quartz Resonant Dew Point Sensing Technology and Engineering Applications, won the 2017 Henan Province Science and Technology Progress Second Prize.
