Cai Yuanpei served as the President of Jiao Tong University and implemented departmental reforms. The Department of Chemistry was established with Xu Mingcai as the first chair.

During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Jiao Tong University moved westward to Chongqing, and Xu Mingcai served as the director of the Chongqing branch.

Following the victory of the War of Resistance, Jiao Tong University returned to Shanghai, and the Chemistry Department was rebuilt. The Department of Chemical Engineering was established.

As part of the national reorganization of departments and institutions, the Chemistry Department was transferred to Fudan University and East China Normal University, while the Chemical Engineering Department participated in the establishment of the East China Institute of Chemical Technology.

Jiao Tong University began relocating, and the Chemistry Teaching and Research Office moved with the university to Xi’an, Shaanxi province.

During the reform and opening-up, Shanghai Jiao Tong University reconstructed fundamental disciplines and re-established the Department of Applied Chemistry.

The Nanyang Public School was founded by Sheng Xuanhuai, an educator devoting himself to promoting education. The Nanyang Public School offered courses such as Physics and Chemistry and General Chemistry.

The Applied Chemistry Department was relocated, becoming one of the first departments to move to the Minhang Campus.

As part of the national strategy to promote science and education, SJTU was selected for Project 211 and Project 985. The School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering was established in 1997.

SCCE published the first Science and Nature papers in the history of SJTU.

SJTU was selected for the “Double First-Class” national initiative, and both the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering disciplines were included in building the first-class disciplines.