Reported by: LAN Rui, JI Xi, FENG Jian,LI Xiang, GONG Shiran, XIONG Yongyang
Translated by: CHEN Meng
Edited by: Jennifer Taylor
March 17 -18, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Dean of the School of Life Sciences of Tsinghua University, Dean SHI Yigong visited our school and had discussions with our school young teachers. Dean SHI was a guest in the "Scientists Forum" and the "201 Studio" and he brought teachers and students the academic report "Life Sciences and Structure" and an interview "A Scientist's Play".
President WANG Shuguo held discussions with Dean SHI. During the meeting, President WANG praised the science achievements of Dean SHI, and honored him as the first speaker of the "Scientists Forum". They talked and exchanged ideas about the future development trends in the life sciences and discussed the hot issues involved in life sciences in the 21st century. President WANG hoped that Dean SHI could visit HIT frequently to introduce the cutting-edge progress of modern science for teachers and students, to promote the rapid development of life sciences so that our university could play a greater role in the development and progress of human society. Assistant President AN SHI, the representatives of Personnel Office, Science and Engineering Institute and the school of Life Science and Technology attended the meeting.
HIT officially launched the "Scientists Forum" series of activities this year. As the first guest speaker of the forum, Dean SHI interacted with many teachers and students in the first campus Activity Center . He used the language of images and vivid humor throughout the speech. He shared his understanding of science and art from the aspects of the universe and human living environment, the microcosmic beauty of cells and proteins, life sciences and bio-pharmacy, structural biology and molecular pharmaceuticals. He also elaborated the mechanism of apoptosis in simple terms. It attracted the strong interest of teachers and students of different majors. Then, he used the example of the famous physicist Tsung Dao Lee’s four paintings to describe the view that science and art are inseparable. At the end of the lecture, Dean SHI answered questions from teachers and students.
Dean SHI also shared his academic life and the duty to be a scientist with the teachers and students in the second campus Activity Center. Before the interview, Professor HUANG Zhiwei of the School of Life Sciences and Technology introduced Dean SHI's outstanding achievements. During the interview, Dean SHI draws from his own schooling and upbringing, shared his study life and work experience at Tsinghua University, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Princeton University, the story about how he came back when his career reached its peak and the sense of social responsibility and patriotism he felt as a scientist. He also combined with his years of studying and teaching experience told students that research achievements require spending time on the road, without diligent efforts they cannot succeed. College students need to dare to question, have the courage to challenge authority and stick to their own ideas. In interaction with students, Dean SHI used "doing honest science, doing honest man," his motto to encourage the majority of students to climb the heights of science and to be a patriot.
Dean SHI held discussions with our school teacher representatives of youth-related disciplines. He talked about questions related to the young teachers' growth, development planning and the promotion of the development of cross-disciplinary issues. Vice President HAN Jiecai presided over the forum. Dean SHI said that in the scientific development and basic research process, questions are important, but the establishment of the system cannot be ignored. Even a lot of time spent looking for a major scientific discovery system is more worthy than the questions. With the right systems, we would not worry about where to find scientific issues worth studying. On the growth of young teachers taught this topic, Dean SHI combined his accumulated knowledge, development and breakthroughs to share with his four times "reborn" experience on the academic road, resonating with the young teachers.
After the forum, Dean SHI visited the HIT museum.
President WANG meets with Dean SHI
Group Photo of Meeting participants
Dean SHI at the “Scientists Forum”
Dean SHI shared his experience at the “201 Studio”
