On 17 July, a series of events were held in Shanghai to commemorate the second anniversary of the passing of Academician Fujia Yang, including the naming ceremony of "Fujia Yang Star", the release of a "Pictorial Biography of Fujia Yang", the launch of the Fujia Yang Education Fund, and an academic symposium.
The events were jointly organised by Fudan University, the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC), the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP), Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC).
These events aimed to commemorate Academician Fujia Yang, honoring his outstanding contributions and carrying forward his scientific spirit, educational philosophy, and noble character.
The ceremony was attended by Xincheng Xie, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of UNNC, Madam Yafen Xu, Chair of UNNC Board, Weiqi Shen, Party Secretary of UNNC, Jie Lv, Executive Director of UNNC and Vice President of Zhejiang Wanli Education Group, Academician Fujia Yang’s family members, and leaders from Fudan University, NAOC, and SINAP.
The asteroid, discovered by NAOC and designated with the international number 85728, was named after Academician Fujia Yang, the renowned Chinese physicist and educator, and founding president of UNNC, with the approval of the International Astronomical Union Committee.
Jifeng Liu, Director and Deputy Party Secretary of NAOC delivered a speech and read the naming announcement and certificate. He expressed that the asteroid was selected to commemorate Academician Yang's steadfast dedication to education, his noble character of diligence, and pursuit of excellence in scientific research. The last three digits "728" of asteroid number 85728 correspond to Academician Yang's birthday.
Following this, Mr Hu Zou from NAOC introduced the discovery process and orbital details of the Fujia Yang Star. Mr Zhongyuan Yang, a family member of Academician Yang, and representatives from Fudan University accepted the "Fujia Yang Star" naming certificate and a bronze plaque depicting its orbit.
In 2004, President Fujia Yang promoted the establishment of the first Sino-foreign university in China, the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, and served as the founding president. 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of UNNC.
Weiqi Shen, Party Secretary of UNNC, remarked in his speech that under President Yang visionary leadership and with support from various sectors of society, UNNC has achieved significant advancements in all areas. Over the past two decades, UNNC has evolved into a comprehensive teaching and research university with over 9,000 students and over 1,000 staff coming from more than 70 countries and regions worldwide. UNNC’s overall strength has seen it consistently ranked among the top tier of Sino-foreign universities.
The success of UNNC is closely intertwined with President Yang's pioneering and unwavering pursuit of innovation, his steadfast commitment to a rigorous and pragmatic work ethic, and his dedication to patriotism and truth-seeking, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. The achievements of UNNC are deeply rooted in the spirit of founders like President Yang, who embodies the ethos of "pioneers in science and education."
At the academic symposium commemorating the second anniversary of Fujia Yang's passing, Haonan Li, Professor in Aerospace Engineering (Manufacturing) at UNNC, and other experts from Fudan University and SINAP delivered academic presentations.
Subsequently, the "Pictorial Biography of Fujia Yang" was officially released, with President Xincheng Xie and key representatives from Fudan University and SINAP participating in the unveiling ceremony.
Lastly, the "Fujia Yang Education Fund", established through a donation from Hybribio, was launched. In 2022, Hybribio was among the donor units that supported UNNC in establishing the "Yang Fujia Scientific Research Talent Development Fund", aimed at nurturing high-level innovative talents, further promoting President Yang's educational philosophy and contributing to cultivating international innovative talents.
Fujia Yang (1936-2022), a renowned nuclear physicist, educator, member of the China Central Institute for Culture and History, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, former president of Fudan University, former Chancellor of the University of Nottingham in the UK and the founding president of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China.
As a world-renowned nuclear physicist, Academician Fujia Yang established a first-class laboratory in China – the "Accelerator-based Atomic and Nuclear Physics Laboratory", which pioneered the research field of ion beam analysis in China and made outstanding contributions to applied physics research.
As an educator who had a rich knowledge of both Western and Chinese higher education, President Fujia Yang worked tirelessly to promote the development of China’s higher education throughout his life. He spoke and wrote actively on various occasions to promote the establishment of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, which opened a new model of Sino-foreign cooperative education.
President Fujia Yang once said that the difference between people lies in the "flame" in their hearts. He advocated the idea of liberal arts education and constantly encouraged students to explore and ignite the "flame" that seeks true knowledge. As a "spark-planter" of advanced educational concepts, President Fujia Yang had an extensive and far-reaching impact on the development of higher education in China.
Published on 21 July 2024