Newsletter No. 344

No. 344, 4.10.2009 下回〈十方吐露〉將訪問馮通教授 Prof. Fung Tung will be featured in the next instalment of ‘TEN QUESTIONS FOR’. 預告 Coming Prof. Henry N.C. Wong 黃乃正 1 是甚麼燃起你對化學的熱愛? Why are you fond of chemistry? 中學時代已開始熱愛化學，因為有幾位老師化學教得特別 有趣味，其中一位是崇基前校董會主席熊翰章博士的弟弟 熊凱章老師。我們還買材料到同學家做硫化氫實驗，當時 也不知道危險。後來考大學選讀物理卻沒考慮我，結果便 進了化學系。 I have been fond of chemistry since secondary school. I had a few teachers who taught it in an interesting way. One was Mr. Patrick H.C. Hung, younger brother of Dr. George H.C. Hung, former chairman of Chung Chi College Board of Trustees. We bought chemicals and did experiments at classmates’ homes, not realizing that it was dangerous. I applied to a physics programme in university but was not admitted. I ended up enrolling at the Chemistry Department. 2 你不時在大學參與球類活動，你怎樣看體育比賽? You are an active participant in University ball games. What’s your take on sports contests? 我的強項本是田徑，到了大學工作才玩羽毛球和足球，也 曾兩度當中大足球會會長。我視球類為團隊活動，每人都 要盡力，而且要尊重對手，友誼第一，比賽也要第一，禮讓 對手便是小看別人，所以千萬不可說比賽第二。 I was strong in track and field, and did not take up badminton and football until I joined the University. I was twice chairman of the CUHK football club. Ball games are team activities. Everyone must try his best and respect his rivals. Friendship and winning are equally important. If you pull your punches, you’re belittling your opponent. So don’t ever say winning is second in importance. 3 新亞書院以傳承中國傳統文化為特色，可會跟全球 化的大趨勢背道而馳？ The preservation of traditional Chinese culture is a feature of New Asia College. Would that run counter to the trend of globalization? 以為新亞只重視中國文化是一種誤解，錢穆先生當年命名 新亞，是說中國的傳統文化如何能在這個時代繼續生存壯 大，擴及整個亞洲—「新的亞洲」，和其他文化融合，與 中大所說「結合傳統與現代、融會中國與西方」是全然吻 合的。 It’s a misunderstanding to think New Asia College only attaches importance to Chinese culture. Dr. Ch’ien Mu, a founder of the College, named it ‘New Asia’ because he wanted it to stand for the strengthening of Chinese culture in the modern era, and its expansion to the rest of Asia. This ‘New Asia’ integrates with other cultures, which echoes the mission of CUHK: ‘To combine tradition with modernity, to bring together China and the West’. 4 新亞今年慶祝了六十周年，下一步有甚麼發展？ What new developments await New Asia College after its 60th anniversary this year? 我到明年7月底便會卸任，對繼任人寄以厚望。展望未來， 較迫切的發展有二：新亞的宿位是所有書院，包括新書院 在內最少的，希望能有一幢新宿舍，增加入宿的學生人數； 另外希望擴充飯堂，讓學生有更舒適的用餐環境。這兩方 面我們正和書院校董會密切籌措。 I will step down as the Head of New Asia College at the end of July 2010 and I have high expectations for my successor. Increasing the number of hostel places and expanding the canteen are two imperative issues. New Asia has the least number of hostel places among all the Colleges. We’re hoping to have a new hostel and to give students a more comfortable dining environment. We are discussing these with the College Board of Trustees to raise funds for the developments. 5 在學生的全方位培育方面又如何？ Are there new plans regarding the provision of an all-round education for students? 我們希望書院通識教育委員會可以討論在一年級通識教 育裏重新加入中國通史，現時的中學中史課程稍嫌欠完 整。六七十年代的校友都珍惜在新亞唸中國通史的經驗， 認為增進了他們對國家民族歷史的了解。 We hope the College Committee on General Education will reintroduce Chinese history as one of the subjects of College general education for freshmen. The syllabus of Chinese history in secondary school is incomprehensive. NA graduates of the ’60s and ’70s value having studied Chinese history in the College. They believe it enhanced their understanding of the nation and its history. 6 怎樣看身為統領研究的副校長這角色？ How do you see your role as the Pro-Vice- Chancellor in charge of the University’s research activities? 我會先審視大學現有的研究，將之加強。一兩年後，再看 看整所大學有哪些強項是欠缺統一領導的，同時考慮社會 需要，然後發揮強化作用，從上而下組織一些同事，鼓勵 他們在協作的基礎上，做出更好的成績。 I will scrutinize and strengthen existing research. After one or two years, I will identify which of the University’s research strengths lack well coordinated leadership. I will also consider the needs of society, line up colleagues and encourage them to enter into collaboration and achieve even better results. 7 香港的研究文化和內地相比，分別在哪裏? How is Hong Kong’s research culture different from the mainland’s? 香港的研究可以比得上很多先進國家，可惜政府的投入太 少了，只是國民生產總值的百分之零點七九，外國是百分之 一甚至是百分之二以上。本地很多投資者都很短視，但是 高科技或者研究的投資需要耐性，今年投資了一千萬，明 年不一定有所收成。內地反而有遠見，教育部、科技部和 很多政府機構都有很大的研究投資。 Hong Kong’s research is comparable to that in many advanced countries. But the government invests too little resources in it—only 0.79% of our GNP versus over 1% or 2% overseas. Many local investors are short-sighted, but investing in high technology and research requires patience. Your $10 million investment this year may not bear fruit next year. On the mainland, investors and the government are more willing to devote resources to research. 8 具體來說，甚麼是知識轉移?是否可以賣錢的研究 成果便是知識轉移? What is knowledge transfer? Is all sellable research output the product of knowledge transfer? 錯。以前，教學和研究是大學的兩個支柱，知識轉移等如 第三個支柱，希望學者在教研之餘用知識服務社會，從象 牙塔走向社會。以一所理工大學來說，技術轉移是知識轉 移裏最重要的一部分。中大是研究型綜合大學，知識轉移 便不局限於技術轉移，也包括一些不可立刻量化、不能以 多少種專利多少間公司計算、不一定與經濟拉上關係的成 果。例如文學院構建一個文學資料庫，開放讓外人搜尋，又 例如一場音樂會、一些公開講座也是服務社會、知識轉移 的一部分。 No. Teaching and research are regarded as the two pillars of a university, and knowledge transfer is the third. It is hoped that researchers can lend their expertise to society, besides teaching and research. For a polytechnic university, technology transfer is the most important aspect of knowledge transfer. At a research-based, comprehensive university such as CUHK, knowledge transfer is not limited to technology transfer. It includes research output that cannot be quantified or measured by the number of patents acquired, and that is not necessarily tied to money. It can be the building of a literary database, the holding of a concert or a public lecture. 9 中大將怎樣推動知識轉移? 知識轉移成為大學政策 後，對研究人員有甚麼影響? How will CUHK promote knowledge transfer? After it becomes university policy, how will researchers be affected? 已延聘一位經理和一位行政主任統籌全大學知識轉移事 宜，兩位已在9月底上任。中大的網頁將有專頁介紹，讓外 界對我們為社會提供的服務一目了然。教資會將每年撥給 中大約一千二百萬經費，為期三年，這些款項將下放給各 學院和單位，加強技術和知識轉移。其實知識轉移在中大 行之已多年，每所學院都投放了不少錢，但大家可能甚至 不知道自己正從事知識轉移。從現在開始，這個圖像將比 較清晰和有系統。 CUHK has recruited a manager and an administrative officer to co-ordinate all work related to University knowledge transfer and they reported to duty in September. A designated page on the CUHK website will give an overviewof the services we provide. TheUniversity Grants Committee will allocate HK$12 million a year to CUHK for three years, which will go to the Faculties and departments for the enhancement of technology and knowledge transfer. CUHK has long engaged in technology transfer, but Faculties and departments may not have been aware that this was what they were doing. From now on, it will be carried out more systematically and the picture will be clearer to all. 10 對投身研究者有甚麼忠告？ What advice do you have for the researchers? 研究本身是很孤獨的，不能忍受孤獨、忍受別人的不了 解，便不要搞研究。一炮而紅，達到突破，譽滿全球的情 況，萬中無一。做研究的人不會怕辛苦，因日以繼夜做研究 是我們的樂趣。而且若能自得其樂，縱不為人所了解，在過 程中已有得着。你做的可能是第一步，弟子做第二步，他的 弟子又踏着腳蹤做第三步，一步一步下來，總會有進境。 Research is a lonely journey. If you can’t bear the loneliness or people’s lack of understanding for what you do, don’t become involved. Rarely does it happen that a researcher makes a breakthrough and shoots to fame overnight. Researchers are hardy folks because we enjoy burying ourselves in the lab day and night, even if no one else understands why. You take the first step, your student the second, and his student, the third, and thus bring us all closer to the truth.