"My Thoughts and Wishes for the 15th Five-Year Plan" Lay a more solid foundation for basic science Shiing-Tung Yau, Chair Professor of Tsinghua University and Dean of Qiuzhen College
In the spring of 1949, I was born in Shantou, Guangdong. My father was an educator, and from a young age, I witnessed him and his friends tirelessly pursuing the path to revitalizing China's scientific culture. This sentiment deeply influenced me.
At the age of 20, I went to the United States to pursue a PhD degree. My passion for mathematics drove me to immerse myself in research, and I successfully tackled world-renowned mathematical problems such as the "Calabi Conjecture" and the "Positive Mass Conjecture" in general relativity. This earned me the "Nobel Prize of Mathematics" - the Fields Medal. Throughout my studies abroad, I could never shake off my longing for my homeland.
In 1979, upon the invitation of Mr. Hua Luogeng, I returned to this land that had been haunting my dreams for academic visits. When the familiar accent of my hometown lingered in my ears, my desire to "develop Chinese mathematics" grew stronger and I put it into action.
In 2022, I joined Tsinghua University full-time to establish the Qiuzhen Academy, with the ambition of cultivating more mathematical talents in China. Now, the first batch of students trained by the Qiuzhen Academy have entered the research stage. I believe that in another three to five years, they will surely achieve outstanding results and make contributions to Chinese mathematics. We have also collaborated with middle schools across the country to organize youth classes, promoting many young people with solid mathematical and physical foundations. When they grow up, they will undoubtedly significantly enhance China's computing capabilities in application fields and industrial circles, contributing to high-quality development.
Looking ahead to the "15th Five-Year Plan", facing more opportunities and challenges, we must work together to lay a stronger foundation for basic science. The field of artificial intelligence is a "must-win" area in current scientific research, and mathematics is the foundation for the development of artificial intelligence. Only with a solid and robust foundation in basic scientific research can there be new breakthroughs in applied mathematics and engineering applications.
Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, amidst the rapidly changing international situation, we must demonstrate strategic foresight and determination to cultivate a group of young leading scholars in China who are capable, bold, and daring to challenge the frontiers. To achieve this, we must break the worship of "titles", reshape the evaluation system, reform the education model to stimulate students' interest, build a healthy academic ecology, abandon "utilitarian talent introduction", and focus on humanities education to cultivate comprehensively developed talents.
I envision a day when students from Qiuzhen Academy will take the stage at the International Congress of Mathematicians, making their voices heard as the new generation of Chinese mathematicians; I envision a day when China will ultimately lead the world in fundamental and crucial fields such as mathematics and artificial intelligence... To realize these dreams, I will carry on my father's aspirations and continue to contribute and dedicate myself to Chinese mathematics.
Interviewed and compiled by reporter Deng Hui and correspondent Niu Yun
Source: Guangming Daily