On the afternoon of April 11, the Lecture Hall of Chen Ruiqiu Building and the branch venue were packed with audience who were listening to the lecture given by the winner of the State Supreme S&T Award, Academician Wang Zhenyi, which opened another academic feast in SJTU-the Master Forum. SJTU President, Academician Zhang Jie attended and addressed the opening ceremony.
The Master Forum is independently operated and managed by a student committee, mainly catering to graduate students. The forum will invite academic masters, famous scientists and scholars both home and abroad to guide the students' academic heading as successful examples, aiming at building the most popular "scientific spirit palace" among SJTU students.
Zhang Jie extended his congratulations to the opening of Master Forum. He pointed out that the questioning spirit was the foundation of innovation ability. "We set up the Master Forum and encourage your participation by asking questions and challenging in the hope that you can acquire the ability to question in science."
Academician Wang Zhenyi gave his lecture in three chapters: Innovation & Exploration, Cultivate Students by Virtue, Get Close to the Master. Though Academician Wang Zhenyi is already 88, he insists on learning-making slides by PPT, using the computer, even speaking a foreign language.
"People say that I suffer a loss by giving the flouring institute to my students, but they don't know that when the institute makes achievements I will be the founder of it." Academician Wang said humorously.
"The most important thing of being a doctor is to set up the correct view of life." He showed a photo of a traditional Chinese realistic painting of pure white and elegant peony at his home. He told the students that we should be passionate in the pursuit of our dreams like blooming peony, but we should not demand of the gorgeous colors of the peony, because all the honors only belonged to the past.
He cited the stories of Bethune, Lei Feng, Guo Mingyi and the armless "piano prince" Liu Wei and summarized one thing in common of these people, the constant universal love. "Universal love is the essential quality of a doctor." said Wang Zhenyi.
The Master Forum will collect the handprints of every guest to make a "Master Wall" and a "Master Road" on campus, which will become scenery of academic culture at SJTU, to inspire more students to make academic achievement following the examples of the masters.
The students were deeply moved after listening to the lecture of Academician Wang Zhenyi. Lai Xiaoyun, a student from School of Medicine said "As a medical student, I will redouble my efforts with Prof. Wang as my goal." Many students said that like all the masters, Academician Wang Zhenyi illuminated the most profound truth in simple words.
Translated by Wang Jie | Reviewed by Tian Cong