Updated April 17th 2014Academician Zhu Yuxian Joins WhU
reporter Fu Xiaoge
Published: 2014-04-08 08:29 Author: Source: Journal of Wuhan University
"I shall encourage a dynamic student life and express my strong dedication to Wuhan University."
In April 4th, academician, Zhu Yuxian, member of the Academy of Sciences joined Wuhan University, employed by the Higher Institute of WuDa to build an interdisciplinary, high level, innovative research platform.
WhU’s Party Secretary Han Jin, Faculty Principal academician Li Xiaogong, Vice Principal, academician, Shu Hongbing and academician Zhu Yingguo, have made speeches at the ceremony, offering Prof. Zhu Yuxian a warm welcome. The appointment ceremony was presided by the Executive Vice President, Feng Youmei. Vice Secretary of the University Party Committee, Luo Yuting Huang Taiyan, Vice President Tan Guangming, the Chief Accountant of the Party Resources Committee, Ying Weiwei, member of the Resources Committee, Organization Department director Zhao Xuemei also attended. Prof. Li Xiaogong presented the letters of appointment for Prof. Zhu Yuxian. The Students Association’s representative Zhu Yuxian offered our new member the school badge. The College of Life science, the School of Mathematics and Statistics, the School of Physics, Science and Technology, the School of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and other related departments sent representatives to the ceremony.
"Today, WuDa adds another academician to her staff. This is an important event for our university." Li Xiaogong points out. The University is planning to form the Institute for Advanced Study, which will carry on the research produced within the departments, towards accomplishing Wuhan University’s target: the convergence of creative talents, interdisciplinary papers, international cooperation; etc. The Institute will become a new showcase research institute. In addition, an Institute of Medical Research will be established. The two institutes will work together to promote more disciplines to an ESI level and reach high ranking.
"For Wuhan University, is only a matter of willing to do what’s right," Zhu Yuxian said, then cited "the Analects of Confucius" in the regard that "when good folks cooperate to do good deeds, the villains fail." The spirit of unity will play the key role in the Institute for Advanced Study. He emphasized the Confucians ideals of collaboration and peace, pointing out those who think scientists should specialize in one subject only, taking on research single handedly are most likely to fail than those who seek new fields of research and form or join teams to push scientific discovery.
In his speech, Zhu Yuxian, thanked all WhU staff for their efforts and asked the extended Wuhan community to join in support for the University. He pointed out the need to bring together high-level talent as this is the key to the development of Wuhan University and Wuhan city in general. Giving full support and room to express creativity is essential to any quality research. This year, the University focus is to strengthen the reform and offer a subject construction mechanism.
The Institute for Advanced Study of the Wuhan University will operate independently, promoting research mainly in the fields of Mathematical Sciences, Life Sciences, Science of Materials, Information Science and Engineering, Physics, Social Science and Management Studies. Researchers will follow their own research direction, flexibility and independent work ability are desired, however the most relevant abilities are creative thinking coped with an interest for interdisciplinary research, and team-work/cooperation ability. The Institute will not resume to the disciplines already listed. Other fields of research will be encouraged, according to the merit of the research output.
Professor Zhu Yuxian, was born in December 1955. He is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is mainly engaged in Plant Molecular Biology, Genomics, Gene Regulation research. In 1982, he graduated from the Zhejiang Kasetsart University. In 1989, he received a Doctor's degree in Cornell University USA, Department of Plant Science. He continued research work in the Biology Department of the University of Washington. After returning to China in 1991, he joined the College of Life Sciences, of the Peking University. He became Director of the National Laboratory of Protein and Plant Genetic Research and Deputy Director of the Office of the Chinese Botanical Society. He participated in many important scientific research projects of national significance, such as the National Textbook "Modern Molecular Biology" etc. Prof. Zhu Yuxian is the winner of two national natural sciences prizes.
(photography: Min Yifan; editor: Yang Xinxin)