On December 10th 2016, the second “Lab of Science” was conducted in Huixian Building, Renmin University, by RUC Association for Science and Technology. Shing-Tung Yau, professor from Harvard university made a lecture entitled “History of Science--the Development of Fundamental Science in China.”
Professor Shing-Tung Yau was a famous mathematician, lifetime professor at Harvard University. He has won the Fields medal, Crafoord Prize, Wolf Prize and so on. Especially, He was the first Chinese scientist to win the Fields medal, known as “the Nobel prize in mathematics.” Professor Yau has proved the Calabi’s Conjecture, and the Clabi-Yau manifold, named after him, was a basic concept in string theory in physics.
Jin Nuo, the head of Renmin University, as well as other leaders of the university met professor Yau before the lecture. Jin Nuo pointed out that mathematics is the foundation of every science department, and developing mathematic science is a necessity to the peak of academic research. Professor Yau has not only made many notable contributions to the world’s mathematic development, but also cares a lot about the mathematic development in China, and has made great contributions to promoting the development of Chinese mathematic subject, training the talents and scientific research.
All seats were occupied in the lecture after the meeting. Some of the people even crowed in the pass way. Professor Yau discussed the development of fundamental science in China and interpreted the important meaning of fundamental science. He showed that the development of science is the most important part of sustained development in modern countries. The country who can take the lead of scientific development must be strong, and the country who can take the lead of fundamental science can maintain its strength. The fundamental science is a subject exploring the law of the universe and all the things in it. Philosophy governs the root of all problems, so the development of fundamental science needs the help of philosophic ideas to reach new achievements. Scientists are human beings, and they need humanities to cultivate their temperament and willpower to rise from obtaining knowledge by investigation of things to obtaining knowledge by probing into or trace to the very root of things and to explore the root of the truth with determination and endeavor.
Vice President Wu Xiaoqiu guided the lecture and concluded in the end. He said that professor Yau’s lecture was approachable and coping well with quite complicated subjects. Professor Yau took us through the history of scientific development, which inspired us to explore in science and seek the truth. A prosperous time must be a time with advanced development of science, and a great scientific time must be a wime with profound philosophic spirit. When doing scientific research, the researchers should have the interest in exploring human beings, nature and the society as the original motivation, explore with a suspicious thought, an open and torrent attitude, seek for breakthroughs and never stop. Everyone should devote to the innovation of scientific progress and the prosperity of the country.
After the lecture, Vice President Wu Xiaoqiu awarded a memorable certificate of lecture “Lab of Science”.
“Lab of Science” is a quality lab conducted by Renmin University association for science and technology facing all teachers and students from Renmin University and Zhongguancun region which invites great academic masters from domestic and overseas aimed at popularizing scientific knowledge and propagating spirit of science. The lab has made positive effects on school’s scientific works and the development of education.
