Newsletter No. 358

No. 358, 19.5.2010 伍灼耀 Prof. Ng Cheuk-yiu 下回〈十方吐露〉將訪問醫科生鄺詠茵 Kwong Wing-yan, a medical student, will be featured in the next instalment of ‘TEN QUESTIONS FOR’. 預告 Coming 1 化學有何魅力，令你終身投入其中？ What attracted you to chemistry? 我專長的領域是化學物理，或稱物理化學，那是介乎化學和 物理的領域。身為科學工作者，我極渴望知道事物因何出現 現在的狀態，以及其發生過程。隨着研究工作步步深入，會 出現更多尚待解答的問題，而我畢生追尋的，就是這些未解 問題的答案。 My area of interest is chemical physics or physical chemistry, a field that combines chemistry and physics. As a scientist, I have a strong desire to find out why and how things happen. As you delve more deeply into a research project, more and more questions crop up. I have been chasing unanswered questions all my life. 2 當年為何會入讀中大化學系？ Why did you choose to enter CUHK? 我畢業於金文泰中學，那年代中文中學的畢業生一般都進入 中大。我的四十名同班同學，差不多全進了中大理學院。選 讀崇基化學系，因為它是當時中大最出色的學系之一。 I graduated from Clementi Middle School. At the time, students from a Chinese language high school were expected to go to CUHK. Nearly all 40 students in my class were admitted to CUHK. I chose the Chemistry Department because it was among the best at CUHK. 3 你在崇基學院的經歷，對你有何幫助？ How did you benefit from college life at Chung Chi (CC)? 我很感激老師們及崇基的優秀學習環境。對我影響最大的 是四年宿舍生活，讓我認識了近九成崇基的同學。室友成為 我一生最好的朋友，他們是唸數學、唸中文和唸物理的，我 從與他們的交往中學到很多。 I owe much to my teachers and the learning they inspired at CC. I stayed in the dormitory for all four years. This allowed me to get to know close to 90% of the students at CC. My roommates, who majored in mathematics, Chinese literature and physics, have become my best and lifelong friends. 4 你曾師從諾貝爾化學獎得主李遠哲教授，從他身上 學到甚麼？ What did you learn from your teacher Prof Y.T. Lee, a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry? 李教授在哈佛的博士後導師赫施巴赫稱他為「實驗化學物 理的莫札特」，因為他對機械設計很有天分，他製造的交叉 分子儀是獨一無二的。他做研究非常勤奮又充滿熱誠。我從 他身上學到勇於從事前沿和高難度實驗的精神。 Professor Lee’s postdoctoral adviser Dudley Herschbach at Harvard called him the ‘Mozart of Experimental Chemical Physics’. He is gifted in mechanical design, and the crossed beam apparatus that he devised was unique at the time. He is a very hard-working and passionate researcher. I learned from him the spirit of doing frontier experiments. 5 中國有條件培養出本土的諾貝爾獎得主嗎？ Will China have its home-grown Nobel Laureates? 當然有，只是時間問題而已。但現時中國的獎勵制度太強調 出版數目，也太着重要在頂尖期刊刊登。也許，應當更加鼓 勵為理想而從事研究，以培養出真正熱中研究和喜愛新知識 的新一代科學家。這樣對中國的科學事業和社會更有好處。 另外，社會把諾貝爾獎和當選為國際知名學會成員看得太 重。諾貝爾獎得主固然是出色的科學家，但還有許多應得而 沒有獲獎的科學家也很優秀。 It’s only a matter of time. However, it should also be pointed out that the current incentive system in China places too much emphasis on the number of publications and on publications in prestigious journals. It may be more beneficial to include a more idealistic component of academic research in order to nurture scientists who are truly passionate about research. I believe that our society places too much emphasis on the Nobel Prize and membership in academic societies. Nobel winners are of course outstanding researchers. But there are other scientists equally talented. 6 你在國外頂尖學府的經驗，有甚麼可供理學院借鑒？ You studied and taught in prestigious universities in the US. What can the CUHK Faculty of Science learn from them? 若要在科學教育和研究力爭上游，關鍵在於網羅優秀教員 和出色學生，還要有終身教職和完善的升遷政策，以及公 平、透明和高標準的評核政策。建立這樣的制度有助學術人 員拓展事業和提升大學聲譽。 在國外世界級大學，理學院的規模都是最優秀及最大的，因 為大部分理學院的課程都是基本的課程，而如工程學院、醫 學院及商學院等的學生都要到理學院的數學系、物理系、化 學系及生物系來修讀基礎課程。由於各種原因，中大在這方 面還不能完全做到，所以是值得中大借鑑的。 An essential aspect for maintaining a strong programme in scientific education and research rests in faculty hiring and student recruitment; and the tenure and promotion policies for faculty members. Assessment policies should be fair, transparent, and of a high standard. The establishment of such a system should help the career of academic staff and enhance the reputation of the university. All the science faculties in world-class universities in the West are excellent and big in size. Since the subjects taught by the mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biological science departments are considered fundamental for students of other faculties, such as the engineering, medicine, and business faculties, etc., their students are required to take courses from these departments. However, due to some reasons, our University has not completely adopted this common practice. 7 理學院推出「生命科學組別」至今將近一年，成效 如何？ The Faculty of Science launched the Life Sciences Programmes last year. Are they successful? 很成功。這是中大首次採用統一招生方式收生。理學院有個 學生組織，我和組織多番接觸，發現組閣的都是生命科學組 別的學生。因為該組別有六個課程，共二百三十多位學生， 彼此互動得很好，組閣時就比其他學系更成功。這點對學生 的教育已有好處。 我到任前，大學已重組生物化學課程。部分原屬生物化學系 的教員轉屬醫學院的生物醫學學院，餘下的與生物系的同事 一同加入理學院轄下的生命科學學院。這所新學院會在今 年8月正式成立，我們正在物色院長。 They are. It’s the first time for the University to adopt broad- based admission. I met members of the student society of the Science Faculty on many occasions. I found that most members of its cabinet are students of the Life Sciences Programmes, which comprise six programmes of about 230 students in total. Thanks to good interaction among themselves, they have been more successful than their counterparts in other departments in forming a cabinet. Before my arrival, the University started to reorganize the biochemistry programme. Some of the original faculty members in that department have been assigned to the School of Biomedical Sciences under the Faculty of Medicine. The remaining faculty members are merged with those of the Biology Department to form the School of Life Sciences (SLS) under the Science Faculty. There is an ongoing search for the director of the SLS, which will be formally established in August. 8 你現在擔任理學院全職院長，任內有何大計？ What are your plans as the first appointed dean of the Faculty of Science? 說到底，這全關乎人和意念。出色意念來自出色的人；出色的 人通力合作，所有問題都能迎刃而解。我的目標很簡單，如 果所有理學院的教職員和學生，每天早上醒來都很想回到理 學院，那我的目標就達到了。 我們最近新增了一位負責對外和校友事務的副院長，希望 令學院形成一個緊密團結的社群，有家的感覺。人雖然離開 了，但仍牽掛着。這是量度一個學院是否成功的準則之一。 It is all about people and ideas. Good people have good ideas and, when these people work together, they overcome obstacles. Many friends ask me what my goal for the Science Faculty is. It is very simple: My goal is fulfilled if all staff and students feel an urge to come to the Faculty every morning. Recently we appointed a new associate dean for external and alumni affairs. We hope to make the Faculty a closer- knit community with the atmosphere of a family. 9 你對理學院學生有何期盼？ What do your expect from your science students? 許多學生都着眼於畢業後覓得待遇優渥的工作，這點可以 理解。但我的忠告是，應當懷着理想，尋找自己的興趣所在。 如果你對你所做的事感興趣和有熱情，那生活就會很富足。 我希望學生在中大畢業後，會找到喜愛的工作，延續對科學 的興趣，擴大人類的科學知識。 Many students seem to be very concerned about finding a well-paid job after graduation, which is understandable. My advice to them is to identify your passions and to be devoted to your ideals. You will have a more fulfilling life if you are passionate about what you do. It is my hope that our graduates will find the passion to continue their interest in science. 10 工餘有何消遣？ What are your pastimes? 我喜歡和家人朋友行山，也喜歡繪畫、書法和聽音樂。自愛 上科學工作後，閱讀和科研也成了我的愛好。 I like hiking with friends and family. I also like painting, Chinese calligraphy, and music. Since becoming a scientist, reading and research have also become my hobbies.