Qian Peiyuan
Building a maritime power is a major strategic task to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. According to the "Nansha Plan", Nansha will promote the scientific research institutions of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to jointly organize and implement a number of scientific and technological innovation projects to jointly carry out key core technology research. At the same time, it will promote the gathering of marine scientific and technological forces and accelerate cooperation with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. The Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Provincial Laboratory (Guangzhou) was established.
Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Provincial Laboratory (Guangzhou) (referred to as "Guangzhou Marine Laboratory") is a provincial laboratory jointly established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences , the Guangzhou Municipal Government and the Nansha District Government. Its Hong Kong branch is located in Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Recently, Professor Qian Peiyuan, Director of the Hong Kong Branch of Guangzhou Marine Laboratory, accepted an exclusive interview with a reporter from Guangzhou Daily to share his views on deepening scientific and technological cooperation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Text/Guangzhou Daily All-Media Reporter Long Kun Picture provided by the interviewee
Use talent training to consolidate the foundation of mainland and Hong Kong science and technology cooperation
Guangzhou Daily: There are many cooperative interactions between the Guangzhou Marine Laboratory headquarters and the Hong Kong branch, such as visiting scholars Important content. What will mainland and Hong Kong scientists gain from this interaction?
Qian Peiyuan: I think young scholars on both sides can benefit a lot.
First of all, their scientific research ideas can be further opened up. Because the way Hong Kong trains scholars is different from that in the Mainland, HKUST is also unique compared with other universities in Hong Kong. In addition, Hong Kong has very frequent international academic exchanges. The " brainstorming " held by the world's top scientists will be of great help to young scholars in choosing their research direction in the future.
Secondly, in academic exchanges, young scholars can learn many new methods and methods, helping them break the inherent scientific research methods in order to better integrate with international standards.
Finally, marine scientists from the mainland and Hong Kong can establish a mechanism for cooperation and exchange on this platform. The Department of Marine Science of HKUST also has many young teachers who have lived abroad for many years and are not familiar with mainland rules such as the application methods of the National Natural Science Foundation of China. I very much hope to see young scientists from the mainland and Hong Kong establish a trusting relationship through positive interactions, and they will apply for mainland and international research funds together in the future.
Regarding the scientific questions raised by some young scholars, if neither the mainland nor Hong Kong laboratories can provide solutions, Hong Kong can play the role of a "super contact" and contact overseas scientific research resources to solve scientific problems together. This will further help young scientists grow into chief scientists. In a few years, the foundation for cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong marine science communities will be more solid, and a long-term cooperation and exchange mechanism will be gradually established.
At present, research funding in the mainland is very generous, but high-quality doctoral students in provincial laboratories are still very scarce. We launched a joint training plan for doctoral students last year. Firstly, we will draw on the international reputation and teaching quality of HKUST to attract high-quality students. Secondly, we will break through the postgraduate enrollment quota in Nansha through HKUST enrollment. This year we will promote a joint postdoctoral training program to provide mainland postdoctoral personnel with overseas work experience.
The successful allocation of cross-border scientific research funds gives Hong Kong scientists hope
Guangzhou Daily: In 2019, the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) successfully allocated 38 million yuan (RMB, the same below) to the Hong Kong branch on August 1 Scientific research funds, this is the first successful cross-border disbursement of scientific research funds in Guangzhou. What is the background and significance of this cross-border allocation? Could you please talk about what problems we will encounter in the use of cross-border funds?
Qian Peiyuan: This money is mainly used to build the Hong Kong branch. In terms of cross-border scientific research fund allocation, the provincial laboratory’s financial support to the Hong Kong branch has played an exemplary role and set a precedent. When the country is creating conditions to encourage Hong Kong science and technology workers to participate in mainland science and technology projects, funding across the river has given Hong Kong scientists hope. It turns out that if they win research funding from the mainland, the funds can really cross the river and can really be used in the mainland. Used in Hong Kong.
I have undertaken many national research projects. Except for the State Oceanic Administration, which opened a special channel to allocate my scientific research funds to HKUST, other scientific research funds cannot cross the river, causing Hong Kong scientists to have many difficulties in using these funds. One of the important reasons is that the main expenditures of research funds in the Mainland are equipment and consumables, etc., and the control of expenses for "personnel" is very strict. The main expenditure of research funds in Hong Kong is labor costs, so we cannot hire enough personnel to assist with the research funds in the Mainland. Research. When
was first established in Hong Kong, we had many exchanges with provincial laboratories to discuss specific ways of using funds. The agreement also further clarified the management and use method of transit funds - that is, it will be implemented in accordance with the fund management and use method of Hong Kong Research Grants Council and the existing financial system and system of HKUST. Scientists can adjust the use of funds according to project needs and make the best use of funds without ending up spending money just for the sake of spending money.
Of course, there are indeed some difficulties in using cross-border scientific research funds. This is also due to the differences in the financial management systems of the mainland and Hong Kong. For example, in terms of project management, Hong Kong SAR Government -funded projects and branch-funded projects have different report submission frequencies. There are also differences in financial fund management. There is a certain lag in project fund allocation from the headquarters to the branches. For example, funds from the Mainland are allocated a few months after the laboratory is established, but at HKUST, as long as the funds are not in place, the project cannot be started. At present, the problems caused by these differences have been solved with the support of the provincial laboratory.
The development of marine science and technology requires patience and precipitation
Guangzhou Daily: The current "Nansha Plan" proposes to build Nansha into a marine science and technology innovation center in southern my country. What do you think of Nansha's development prospects in marine science and technology?
Qian Peiyuan: HKUST is the only university in Hong Kong that has the marine science major. HKUST has made great achievements in marine research, and I have been working on it for nearly 30 years. It can be seen that the development of marine science and technology requires time. Among the marine science and technology forces in southern China, the Guangzhou area has considerable strength. A number of maritime-related institutions such as the South China Sea Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the South China Sea Bureau of the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey are located here. Guangzhou’s The talent advantage is also very obvious.
Whether Nansha’s marine science and technology can be developed depends on many factors, but the most fundamental factor is talent. Without world-class talents, we cannot build a world-class marine institution. I very much hope that Guangzhou and Nansha can support the Guangzhou Marine Laboratory to open up its hands and attract world-class marine science and technology talents.
Guangzhou Daily: You joined HKUST in January 1993. HKUST was like a blank sheet of paper, attracting you to conceive and build disciplines according to your dreams. What do you think of HKUST (Guangzhou) today?
Qian Peiyuan: At different stages of life, people will have different dreams. I spent ten years of hard work building the marine laboratory of HKUST, and then spent another ten years improving our marine environment curriculum. It took me many years to establish the Department of Marine Science at HKUST, so the establishment and development of the discipline is a step-by-step process of realizing dreams. I have no regrets about coming to HKUST.
But sometimes dreams don't come true right away. For the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) in Nansha, in order to build a world-class discipline, pioneers need to be mentally prepared in this way. I also believe that the government will give Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) sufficient time to develop.
Regarding the scientific questions raised by some young scholars, if neither the mainland nor Hong Kong laboratories can provide solutions, Hong Kong can play the role of a "super contact" and contact overseas scientific research resources to solve scientific problems together. This will further help young scientists grow into chief scientists.
In terms of cross-border scientific research fund allocation, the provincial laboratory’s financial support to the Hong Kong branch has played an exemplary role and set a precedent.
Whether Nansha’s marine science and technology can be developed depends on many factors, but the most fundamental factor is talent. Without world-class talents, we cannot build a world-class marine institution.
——Qian Peiyuan
