Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2003

Citation Prof. L u Yongxiang, Dr-Ing, DEng (Hon), LLD P r o f. L u Y o n g x i a ng is an e x p e rt of international renown in the field of fluid p o w e r t r a n sm i s s i on and c o n t r o l. He is c u r r e n t ly the p r e s i d e nt of the Ch i nese Academy of Sciences, executive chairman of the P r es i d i um of the Academy, and a vice- chairman of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress. A native of N i ngpo in Zhejiang, L u grew u p i n a scholarly f am i ly as the son of t wo physicians. The early exposure to an academic atmosphere augered well for the exceptional career ahead. Wh i le still at school, he was already reading un i ve r s i t y - l evel books on d y n am i cs and ma t hema t i c s, and h a v i ng completed school w i t h t op results he was admitted, at the age of 17, to the Faculty of E n g i n e e r i ng at t he f a m o u s Z h e j i a ng University. He was not merely given to books, but was active in extracurricular pursuits and a member of the Un i ve r s i t y 's soccer team d u r i ng his five years as a student. He also represented the University in aviation model aeroplane competitions, i n wh i ch creativity and aerodynamics we nt h a nd i n h a nd to produce innovative designs. If a side interest could predict future success, then Prof. Lu's brilliant career was already foretold when he was young. I n 1964, L u Yongxiang graduated f r om Zhejiang University and stayed on as tutor and then lecturer until 1979. The intervening years witnessed the devastations of the Cu l t u r al R e v o l u t i o n , a n d y e t r e s e a r ch w e n t uninterrupted for Lu, despite great scarcity of material resources. He published a number of papers d u r i ng these years, w h i c h were to provide the basis and orientation for his future research. I n 1979 scholars were a l l owed to pursue higher studies in Europe and America for the first time, as the country began its policy of o p e n i ng u p and r e f o rm. Prof. L u was recommended by the Chinese Ac ademy of Sciences to seek postgraduate training at the Institute of Fluid Power Drives and Controls of the Technical Un i v e r s i ty of Aachen as a H umb o l dt Fellow. D u r i ng the t wo years i n Germany, Prof. Lu was much impressed by the scientific and technological advancement he saw, and he resolved to c omm it himself to Chinese University Bulletin Autumn • Winter 2003 56