World Celebrities Talk About Expo (Twenty-Four)

Pei Gang, a cell biologist and molecular scientist. President of Tongji University. Academician and researcher of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, member of the Third World Academy of Sciences, director of China Society of cell biology, chairman of Asia Pacific cell biology organization.

"Everything begins in World Expo". As an important way to promote the progress of human civilization, World Expo is walking along the footsteps of human progress. Over the past one hundred and fifty years, World Expo has been dedicated to the world with new ideas, new concepts and new technologies that contribute to the development of mankind. It embodies the enthusiasm and wisdom of different countries and nations, presenting different ways of thinking and cultural characteristics in different regions, and has greatly promoted the flow, convergence and blending of world civilization.

In 2010, World Expo, Shanghai, creatively took "city" as the theme and explored the wisdom of creating a better future for mankind through the concentrated display of global urban development and innovation. The five theme pavilions have more creatively constructed and spread the new concept and all dimensional perspective of "city man", "city life", "city planet", "urban civilization" and "urban future". Taking urban people as the basic elements of urban life, taking the city as an organic part of the earth's mother life body is not only a beautiful daydream stuck in the concept world, but also a cultural revolution and technological innovation.

From the perspective of human civilization, how can we achieve the theme of "Better City for better life" can not help but arouse people's imagination. How can people come to cities? How can cities evolve and inherit their uniqueness? How can cities co-exist with people? How does the rise and fall of cities affect the changes of the earth's life? These questions turn me from a molecular biology researcher looking down at the microscope to looking up at the starry sky and re enlightening my thoughts on the essence of life. From the perspective of molecular biology, the essence of life phenomena is interlinked. The ultimate meaning of our research on life science is to enable mankind to live better. This value recognition is the basis of the development of life science, and it can also help us to understand the source and change of urban life better. Although the new information technology, material science and energy models continue to influence the appearance of future cities, they can not change the essence of urban life. Today, in the age of globalization, whether we can be soberly faced with the challenges of energy, environment and resources and create the ideal and beautiful homeland depends on the deep understanding of the essence of city life.

Tongji University has made important achievements in enhancing human understanding of the nature of urban life. The city nurtured the University, Tongji was founded by Shanghai's opening port, and the University also nourished the city. For many years, Tongji strongly supported the national development strategy, actively integrated into the national science and technology innovation system, and actively served the regional economic and social development, and made a visible contribution to the urban construction and development of our country. In this sense, the university is like the "brain" of the urban life body, and is the "think tank" and "wisdom Valley" of the urban development. In the future, we will pay more attention to the cultivation of top-notch innovative talents, and train top-notch innovative talents with innovative spirit, creative ability and entrepreneurial quality according to the concept of "engineering foundation, scientific spirit, humanistic cultivation and social pillars". Such a talented person is at the top of the field and can take a broad view of the world. He can roam in the professional forest and be able to get a thorough understanding. He can occupy the forefront of Science in the fierce international competition and grasp the important direction of technological development, and achieve more pioneering results. We will further develop the fine tradition of engineering education, actively explore the international level of engineering education mode and engineering personnel training mode, and train innovative excellent engineers with solid knowledge, strong practical ability, comprehensive quality and international vision. They are the core strength of urban construction and the backbone of urban development.

It is precisely because of this pursuit and aspiration that Tongji University took Shanghai World Expo in 2010 as a part of its own business, integrating all disciplines, serving the Expo and supporting the World Expo. It is incumbent upon us to do our best. In 2010, Shanghai World Expo theme deduction consultant, World Expo Park Master Planner, chief planner of the city best practice area and other important positions were all taken up by Professor Tongji. In 2010, Shanghai World Expo Theme Pavilion, future Hall, a number of landmark projects planning and design and Expo project overall management tasks were also undertaken by Tongji. In addition, Tongji University has undertaken a large number of research and advisory projects related to the Expo. Tongji young students are also taking the initiative to promote the Expo and serve the world through volunteer service. World Expo, Shanghai in 2010, is a great opportunity for Tongji University to realize scientific development. It is also an international assessment of the quality of running schools and academic achievements. Together with all the Tongji people, I look forward to the opening of World Expo with excitement and meet the challenges and assessments with confidence.

The tide is wide and the wind is sailing. It is hoped that in 2010, World Expo, Shanghai, will fully demonstrate the human ideal of the city, promote the banner of the harmonious development of mankind, the city and nature, inject new vitality into Shanghai's urban development, and contribute to the unique "Chinese wisdom" for the progress of human civilization, thus becoming a glorious movement in the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.