Professor Jinghai Li has pioneered the comprehensive Energy-Minimisation Multi-Scale (EMMS) theory for gas-solid systems. The theory has been applied to many different complex systems, and generalised into the EMMS paradigm of computation featuring the structural similarity ranging from multiphase flow fundamentals to software and hardware application, leading to the construction of supercomputers with a capacity of 1 Pflops. His research outcomes have been widely used in the chemical and energy industries. He also plays an important leadership role in formulating policies for science and engineering in China, and fostering close research collaborations between Australia and China.