Three-way dream

Dr Sheldon L. Glashow, recipient of Nobel Prize in Physics, signs autographs for students of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics after his lecture there.

After standing on a lectern of the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA) for nearly two hours delivering a lecture, 75-year-old American Sheldon L. Glashow seems tireless and answers students' questions with a smile and humor.

"It's amazing and exciting," says the recipient of the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics, underlining that the Chinese youth understood what he said because they laughed and applauded at the right points during his speech.

In addition to his lecture on "The Necessity of Basic Science Research", the white-haired senior physics professor held a colloquium discussion on the Story of Neutrinos (elementary particles that travel close to the speed of light, lack an electric charge, are able to pass through ordinary matter almost undisturbed) and shared his experiences with faculty and students of BUAA as well as the university's affiliated high school during his one-and-a-half-day trip to China in April.

According to Wan Shanshan, a senior student with BUAA's School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, the lecture and the interactive activities were inspiring.

"The professor told us how important basic research is and encouraged us to have open minds," says Wan, adding that what impresses her most is his advice that "thinking about crazy problems is useful (to basic research)".

Glashow is one of the Nobel Prize winners invited by "Honeywell-Noble Initiative" to share academic and research experiences with university students and faculty worldwide. BUAA is one of the stations for the global program in China.

Honeywell International, a $36 billion diversified technology and manufacturing giant, and the Nobel Foundation support the program. The Nobel Foundation is a private institution established in 1900 based on the bequest of Alfred Noble and manages the assets for awarding the Nobel Prize in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace.

The Honeywell-Noble Initiative is a global education effort launched in 2006 designed to improve university education and nurture the innovative and creative minds of students. It is the only worldwide education campaign where the Nobel Foundation cooperates with a business corporation. In addition to China, it travels to the United States, India, Russia and Japan.

Shane Tedjarati, Honeywell's global vice-president and China and India president, refuses to disclose Honeywell's exact investment, saying that the project is not about money.

"Students learn from Nobel laureates how to promote the progress of human society using their own wisdom and scientific research achievements by interacting with Nobel Prize winners. That is the real value of it and the result is very tangible," says the vice- president.

Tedjarati says he was also inspired by Glashow's lecture, especially the focus on basic research.

According to Glashow, some scientists pursue well-defined research objectives: first they think and then they look. Others are more open-minded: first they look and then they think. But most successful scientists straddle these extremes.

He says a sound basic research environment supported by governments and businesses can facilitate scientists to be more open-minded and creative in order to promote technological and human progress.

Tedjarati says that the hi-tech manufacturer has been paying great attention to designed research and well-defined research, adding that Honeywell is committed to strengthening basic research and creating a more open environment for "unplanned and unexpected discoveries".

The Nobel-Honeywell initiative and its cooperation with BUAA dovetails with the hi-tech behemoth's business strategy and is conducive to its progress, says Gao Changlin, researcher with the National Research Center of Scientific and Technological Development.

As one of a global Fortune 500 companies, Honeywell's businesses cover a wide range of hi-tech sectors, including aerospace products, services, automation and control solutions, specialty materials, and transportation systems. Hi-tech research and development (R&D) is pivotal for the US-based corporation.

China is one of Honeywell's largest marketplaces. In 2007, the company's revenue in China, excluding imports, exports sourcing and manufacturing, exceeded $1 billion, with year-on-year growth at nearly 30 percent and three times that of 2004. The company's global revenue amounted to $34.59 billion last year.

Honeywell its Asia Pacific Headquarters in Shanghai, and established six technology R&D centers in China. Among its 5,000-plus staff in China, one fifth is engaged in R&D.

According to Tedjarati, Honeywell's aerospace sector has gained a prominent position in the global market since 1959, when all of NASA's (the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration) manned space flight programs adopted Honeywell's aerospace technologies.

"China is expected to be the third largest aerospace nation in the world soon," says Tedjarati, stressing the importance of cultivating qualified aerospace talents and supporting the development of China's aerospace industry.

Set up in 1952, BUAA is a multidiscipline, open and research- oriented university with a special focus on aerospace, engineering and technology. It is regarded as the country's top aerospace educational, R&D and facilities base.

Gao says cooperation between Honeywell and BAUU will help provide a talent supply pipeline for the company and help BAUU enhance its R&D capability and industrial appliances.

Besides the Honeywell-Noble Initiative, the bilateral collaboration covers a wide range of programs, including this year's Honeywell Innovation Scholarships, eight of which are granted to Chinese university students, including three from BUAA.

Gao also stresses that many multinational companies, such as Nokia, Toyota, L'Oreal and Canon, have set up relationships with leading Chinese universities to nurture high-quality talents and build a pool of professionals.

"That's a beneficial collaboration for both sides and it's expected to be a trend in the corporate social responsibility sector," adds the researcher.

(China Daily 04/28/2008 page8)