Friday, June 29, 2007
SD Top25
Chitin and chitosan: Properties and applications
• Review article
Progress in Polymer Science, Volume 31, Issue 7, 1 July 2006, Pages 603-632
Rinaudo, M.
Structural engineering of polyurethane coatings for high performance applications
• Review article
Progress in Polymer Science, Volume 32, Issue 3, 1 March 2007, Pages 352-418
Chattopadhyay, D.K.; Raju, K.V.S.N.
Structural and mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites
• Review article
Materials Science and Engineering R: Reports, Volume 53, Issue 3-4, 1 August 2006, Pages 73-197
Tjong, S.C.
One dimensional nanostructured materials
• Review article
Progress in Materials Science, 1 July 2007, Pages 699-913
Kuchibhatla, S.V.N.T.; Karakoti, A.S.; Bera, D.; Seal, S.
Synthesis and surface engineering of iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications
• Review article
Biomaterials, Volume 26, Issue 18, 1 June 2005, Pages 3995-4021
Gupta, A.K.; Gupta, M.
'Smart''nanoparticles: Preparation, characterization and applications
• Review article
Polymer, Volume 48, Issue 7, 1 March 2007, Pages 1815-1823
Ballauff, M.; Lu, Y.
A review on highly ordered, vertically oriented TiO"2 nanotube arrays: Fabrication, material properties, and solar energy applications
• Review article
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Volume 90, Issue 14, 1 September 2006, Pages 2011-2075
Mor, G.K.; Varghese, O.K.; Paulose, M.; Shankar, K.; Grimes, C.A.
Challenges and advances in nanocomposite processing techniques
• Review article
Materials Science and Engineering R: Reports, Volume 54, Issue 5-6, 1 November 2006, Pages 121-285
Viswanathan, V.; Laha, T.; Balani, K.; Agarwal, A.; Seal, S.
Stem cell-based tissue engineering with silk biomaterials
• Review article
Biomaterials, Volume 27, Issue 36, 1 December 2006, Pages 6064-6082
Wang, Y.; Kim, H.-J.; Vunjak-Novakovic, G.; Kaplan, D.L.
SD Top25
Carbon nanotubes - becoming clean
• Review article
Materials Today, Volume 10, Issue 1-2, 1 January 2007, Pages 28-35
Grobert, N.
SD Top25
Advanced functional polymer membranes
• Review article
Polymer, Volume 47, Issue 7, 1 March 2006, Pages 2217-2262
Ulbricht, M.
SD Top25
Progress and recent trends in biofuels
• Review article
Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, Volume 33, Issue 1, 1 February 2007, Pages 1-18
Demirbas, A.
Faculty Position
http://pubs.acs.org/email/cen/html/101206094042.html
Education
September 4, 2006 Volume 84, Number 36 pp. 102-104
10 Tips To Help You Get A Faculty Job
Faculty from around the country share stories to help candidates 'ace' the interview process
Susan R. Morrissey
Every year, numerous graduate students and postdocs carefully prepare their CVs, scour the classified ads looking for open academic faculty positions, and apply to those in their areas of expertise. For a lucky few, their application results in an on-campus interview and an opportunity to wow the hiring institution.
Getty Image
Nerve-Racking Earning a faculty position is not without stress.
Although preparing a knockout CV, blanketing institutions with applications, and waiting to hear about a job prospect are stressful pursuits, the campus interview presents a unique challenge. After all, candidates have only a day or two to convince a panel of established professors that they are up to the task of leading a research project, teaching various courses, and being a valued colleague.
Navigating the interviewing process takes some practice, but there are several things that candidates can do (or avoid doing) to increase their chances of succeeding. To help shed some light for first-time candidates on the dos and don'ts of academic faculty interviewing, C&EN asked several faculty members at large research universities around the country to share their advice based on stories about memorable interviews. The following are the top 10 tips offered by this group, in no particular order.
Tip 1: Use all available resources. It should come as no surprise that the more applications candidates send out, the greater their chances of getting a job. This wisdom holds true for all jobs, including those in academics. But in order to apply, candidates must first find an opening.
A candidate's academic mentor is often a great source of finding open positions in line with one's research interest. A common mistake made by students and postdocs, however, is assuming that their mentors can get them the job, points out Peter J. Stang, organic chemistry professor at the University of Utah. "A mentor can open doors, but the candidate must get the job," he says.
Tip 2: Spend some time learning about the faculty and the university you are visiting. Perhaps hiring a private investigator is going too far, but it's worthwhile to spend some time reading about the research interests of the department faculty and learning details about the university and its surrounding community.
"Not knowing some of the important scientific players in the department, whether the institution is public or private, and a little bit about the local history does not go over well," says Morton Z. Hoffman, chemistry professor emeritus at Boston University. For example, Hoffman notes that one of the candidates who interviewed in his department wasn't completely sure about the difference between Boston University and Boston College, leaving Hoffman to wonder if the candidate knew where he was that day.
Aside from simply knowing where you are, doing your homework on the faculty can come in handy. "One of my favorite anecdotes was when a candidate interviewed for a junior faculty position at Ohio State," says Alan G. Marshall, chemistry and biochemistry professor at Florida State University.
According to Marshall, the most renowned organic chemist in the department asked the candidate to justify the feasibility of one of the reactions in his proposal. "Without missing a beat, the candidate cited one of the faculty member's own publications as rationale," he says. The moral: Candidates should always prime themselves on the research of the faculty at the target institution.
Tip 3: Be polite, professional, and warm. It may seem obvious, but interviewing committees are looking for someone they can connect with and who will represent their department well. They want someone who is not only smart, but also friendly with at least some degree of social skills.
"One of my very good postdocs was having trouble with his interviews," explains Ronald Breslow, chemistry professor at Columbia University. After talking with his colleagues who took part in the interview, Breslow learned that his postdoc was "presenting his work and ideas with a reserved, cool manner."
Breslow worked with his postdoc to help him convey enthusiasm about his work, and after some practice, he was a "roaring success." Even though, as Breslow explains, his postdoc was then perceived as a bit "hyper," he was offered the job.
California Institute of Technology chemistry professor Harry B. Gray tells C&EN a similar story. Gray notes that it's often difficult to judge people in the short span of the interview, and sometimes brilliant people who are perceived as cold are ranked below others who may not be as accomplished professionally but come off well in the interview. The take-home message is to focus on connecting with the faculty in addition to showcasing your scientific knowledge.
Part of connecting with others involves social skills. "Although you can be forgiven for not knowing which fork to use in a multicourse dinner, don't be a boor who exhibits no evidence of any social graces," Hoffman says. "It might be helpful to know something about the world situation and local politics in the event that dinner conversation strays away from a discussion of your latest research result," he advises.
It's also important to be professional and to treat the interview seriously. While he was an organic chemistry professor at the University of South Florida, Douglas J. Raber, consultant with GreenPoint Science, tells C&EN that he once went to the airport to pick up a faculty candidate. As soon as the fellow landed, he asked how far it was to the Everglades. "We soon realized that he really had no interest in the position at USF, but he did want plane fare to visit Florida for a short vacation," Raber explains.
Tip 4: Use a mirror. Again, this may seem like common sense, but stories exist of candidates who gave presentations with their pants unzipped or food in their teeth. These simple faux pas can be distracting and cost a candidate a job offer.
"One candidate had neglected to cut the tacking on the vent in his new suit jacket," says Marcetta Y. Darensbourg, chemistry professor at Texas A&M University. "For some reason, the audience just couldn't focus on the chemistry, knowing that he could have been a little more with it," she notes.
Tip 5: Keep your presentation on target and on time. Aside from the standard presentation tips of not packing slides with lots of words and then reading them to the audience, many of the faculty contacted by C&EN stressed the importance of not running long during presentations.
LeRoy N. Sanchez/Los Alamos National Laboratory
Presenter Effective use of PowerPoint presentations is one key to navigating the interviewing process successfully.
"The candidate should have practiced his or her presentation for timing and content," Darensbourg advises. She recalls a presentation in which a candidate ran over the allotted time by 25 minutes. It was his first interview, she notes, adding that although everyone tends to give the candidates some leeway in their first interview, going too long reflected poorly on the candidate.
Underscoring this point, Hoffman says, "If your seminar is scheduled for a one-hour slot, plan your presentation for 45 minutes to allow for the fact that you are apt to be interrupted by questions and to leave plenty of time for discussion." He adds that "it's bad form to push the schedule so no one can ask questions," because the interviewing faculty might wonder if that was done deliberately.
"Nothing is more exasperating than a candidate who uses up all of his or her time trying to include every possible prior or proposed project and leaving no time for discussion," Marshall agrees. "The question-and-answer period is the best place for a candidate to show his or her ability to think on his or her feet and to demonstrate knowledge going beyond what is on the slide," he explains.
Tip 6: Don't be afraid to add some scientific theater to your presentation. Giving a presentation doesn't have to be a boring run-through of slides. In fact, Darensbourg says when she was interviewing for her position, she brought along a prop. "I carried with me a giant molecular structure that could be used to point out reaction spots, and it gave me a chance for eye contact with the audience as I explained it," she says. And, although PowerPoint presentations have become popular for their razzmatazz appeal, using a prop is still likely to be effective.
Scientific theater can also be brought into a presentation by including a mistake on one of the slides and correcting it during the presentation, notes Roald Hoffmann, chemistry professor at Cornell University. "This gives people the impression that this person is not just reading his or her slides, but that they're thinking as they're giving the talk," he points out.
Tip 7: Don't fake it. Although building in some scientific theater may be helpful, candidates should be careful not to go overboard. Stang tells C&EN that he sees a lot of young candidates using glitzy PowerPoint presentations. "A good PowerPoint is appreciated, but candidates must make sure the glitz doesn't overshadow the science," he cautions.
In the end, the interviewing faculty are looking for a candidate who knows his or her science. "Don't try to dazzle the interviewing committee," Hoffman notes. "Faculty, having dealt with students and colleagues for years, have seen it all, and can detect baloney and insincerity in a nanosecond."
Simply put, "if you don't know the answer to a question, say so-don't try to fake it," Marshall says. He adds that candidates should remember to keep answers to questions short and not to use them as an excuse to add several minutes to their presentation.
Tip 8: Work out the details. Developing a research proposal is not an easy task. It requires candidates to outline feasible research projects and provide some idea of the costs for doing the work. If either component is off, it could spell disaster.
Because no research proposal focuses on just one project, candidates should rank their proposed projects. "Make the first one achievable in one year, and also have some backup plans in case the hottest idea fails," Marshall suggests.
It's also important to be realistic about start-up packages. In interviewing a top prospect, Michael P. Doyle, chemistry professor at the University of Maryland, notes that although the research plan was excellent, the requested start-up costs were unreasonable.
When Doyle asked for a list of start-up costs, "the candidate reached into a folder and handed me a list whose bottom line exceeded any reasonable deliverable," he explains. "Obviously, the list had been prepared in consultation at the current institution without regard to what was available at Maryland and actual needs for a developing program." Doyle adds that they did make this candidate an offer with a revised start-up package, but he did not accept it.
Tip 9: Be your own person. It's important to remember that institutions are looking to hire you, not your mentor. "Demonstrate that you are not a clone of your research mentors with regard to your research ideas," Hoffman says. "Independence of creative thinking is sought in the world of academic scholarship."
Showing that you are a good researcher is also important to being your own person. "I can recall a particularly memorable seminar by a junior faculty candidate in the area of total synthesis," says Cynthia J. Burrows, chemistry professor at the University of Utah. "The candidate described numerous different synthetic routes—some quite elegant," she explains.
"But every one of them seemed to fail at the penultimate step, necessitating a completely new approach that essentially started over at the beginning," she says. Although she notes that he learned from these failures, it would have been nice to share some successes and end the presentation on a high note.
Tip 10: Always come prepared. In addition to knowing the details of past, current, and proposed research cold, it may not be a bad idea to bring along a granola bar.
ACS's assistant director of the Department of Career Management & Development, David E. Harwell, tells C&EN of an experience he had when interviewing for his previous academic position at the University of Hawaii. Harwell, who was traveling from mainland U.S. to Hawaii, arrived late in the evening. He was picked up by his host, who was going to take him to get something to eat, but as it turned out, it was a local holiday and everything was closed.
Harwell ended up staring down a pack of peanut butter crackers in the hotel vending machine. After scraping together some change, he was able to buy them. His experience shows that it never hurts to carry spare change.
EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT CONTENTS
Changing Times
Evolving The Doctorate Carnegie initiative inspires reshaping of Ph.D. programs to fit modern times.
Benefits
Maternity Leave For Graduate Students.
Lofty Goals
Describing The Doctorate.
Passport To Science Once outnumbered by humanities majors, science students are now studying abroad in force.
Global Science Corps
Program provides opportunities for established scientists to do research in developing countries.
Virtual Help
Study Abroad Web Resources.
No Substitute For Experience Chemical engineering students at all levels can benefit from 'learn and earn' opportunities.
10 Tips To Help You Get A Faculty Job Faculty from around the country share stories to help candidates 'ace' the interview process.
Chemical & Engineering News
ISSN 0009-2347
Copyright © 2006 American Chemical Society
Education
September 4, 2006 Volume 84, Number 36 pp. 102-104
10 Tips To Help You Get A Faculty Job
Faculty from around the country share stories to help candidates 'ace' the interview process
Susan R. Morrissey
Every year, numerous graduate students and postdocs carefully prepare their CVs, scour the classified ads looking for open academic faculty positions, and apply to those in their areas of expertise. For a lucky few, their application results in an on-campus interview and an opportunity to wow the hiring institution.
Getty Image
Nerve-Racking Earning a faculty position is not without stress.
Although preparing a knockout CV, blanketing institutions with applications, and waiting to hear about a job prospect are stressful pursuits, the campus interview presents a unique challenge. After all, candidates have only a day or two to convince a panel of established professors that they are up to the task of leading a research project, teaching various courses, and being a valued colleague.
Navigating the interviewing process takes some practice, but there are several things that candidates can do (or avoid doing) to increase their chances of succeeding. To help shed some light for first-time candidates on the dos and don'ts of academic faculty interviewing, C&EN asked several faculty members at large research universities around the country to share their advice based on stories about memorable interviews. The following are the top 10 tips offered by this group, in no particular order.
Tip 1: Use all available resources. It should come as no surprise that the more applications candidates send out, the greater their chances of getting a job. This wisdom holds true for all jobs, including those in academics. But in order to apply, candidates must first find an opening.
A candidate's academic mentor is often a great source of finding open positions in line with one's research interest. A common mistake made by students and postdocs, however, is assuming that their mentors can get them the job, points out Peter J. Stang, organic chemistry professor at the University of Utah. "A mentor can open doors, but the candidate must get the job," he says.
Tip 2: Spend some time learning about the faculty and the university you are visiting. Perhaps hiring a private investigator is going too far, but it's worthwhile to spend some time reading about the research interests of the department faculty and learning details about the university and its surrounding community.
"Not knowing some of the important scientific players in the department, whether the institution is public or private, and a little bit about the local history does not go over well," says Morton Z. Hoffman, chemistry professor emeritus at Boston University. For example, Hoffman notes that one of the candidates who interviewed in his department wasn't completely sure about the difference between Boston University and Boston College, leaving Hoffman to wonder if the candidate knew where he was that day.
Aside from simply knowing where you are, doing your homework on the faculty can come in handy. "One of my favorite anecdotes was when a candidate interviewed for a junior faculty position at Ohio State," says Alan G. Marshall, chemistry and biochemistry professor at Florida State University.
According to Marshall, the most renowned organic chemist in the department asked the candidate to justify the feasibility of one of the reactions in his proposal. "Without missing a beat, the candidate cited one of the faculty member's own publications as rationale," he says. The moral: Candidates should always prime themselves on the research of the faculty at the target institution.
Tip 3: Be polite, professional, and warm. It may seem obvious, but interviewing committees are looking for someone they can connect with and who will represent their department well. They want someone who is not only smart, but also friendly with at least some degree of social skills.
"One of my very good postdocs was having trouble with his interviews," explains Ronald Breslow, chemistry professor at Columbia University. After talking with his colleagues who took part in the interview, Breslow learned that his postdoc was "presenting his work and ideas with a reserved, cool manner."
Breslow worked with his postdoc to help him convey enthusiasm about his work, and after some practice, he was a "roaring success." Even though, as Breslow explains, his postdoc was then perceived as a bit "hyper," he was offered the job.
California Institute of Technology chemistry professor Harry B. Gray tells C&EN a similar story. Gray notes that it's often difficult to judge people in the short span of the interview, and sometimes brilliant people who are perceived as cold are ranked below others who may not be as accomplished professionally but come off well in the interview. The take-home message is to focus on connecting with the faculty in addition to showcasing your scientific knowledge.
Part of connecting with others involves social skills. "Although you can be forgiven for not knowing which fork to use in a multicourse dinner, don't be a boor who exhibits no evidence of any social graces," Hoffman says. "It might be helpful to know something about the world situation and local politics in the event that dinner conversation strays away from a discussion of your latest research result," he advises.
It's also important to be professional and to treat the interview seriously. While he was an organic chemistry professor at the University of South Florida, Douglas J. Raber, consultant with GreenPoint Science, tells C&EN that he once went to the airport to pick up a faculty candidate. As soon as the fellow landed, he asked how far it was to the Everglades. "We soon realized that he really had no interest in the position at USF, but he did want plane fare to visit Florida for a short vacation," Raber explains.
Tip 4: Use a mirror. Again, this may seem like common sense, but stories exist of candidates who gave presentations with their pants unzipped or food in their teeth. These simple faux pas can be distracting and cost a candidate a job offer.
"One candidate had neglected to cut the tacking on the vent in his new suit jacket," says Marcetta Y. Darensbourg, chemistry professor at Texas A&M University. "For some reason, the audience just couldn't focus on the chemistry, knowing that he could have been a little more with it," she notes.
Tip 5: Keep your presentation on target and on time. Aside from the standard presentation tips of not packing slides with lots of words and then reading them to the audience, many of the faculty contacted by C&EN stressed the importance of not running long during presentations.
LeRoy N. Sanchez/Los Alamos National Laboratory
Presenter Effective use of PowerPoint presentations is one key to navigating the interviewing process successfully.
"The candidate should have practiced his or her presentation for timing and content," Darensbourg advises. She recalls a presentation in which a candidate ran over the allotted time by 25 minutes. It was his first interview, she notes, adding that although everyone tends to give the candidates some leeway in their first interview, going too long reflected poorly on the candidate.
Underscoring this point, Hoffman says, "If your seminar is scheduled for a one-hour slot, plan your presentation for 45 minutes to allow for the fact that you are apt to be interrupted by questions and to leave plenty of time for discussion." He adds that "it's bad form to push the schedule so no one can ask questions," because the interviewing faculty might wonder if that was done deliberately.
"Nothing is more exasperating than a candidate who uses up all of his or her time trying to include every possible prior or proposed project and leaving no time for discussion," Marshall agrees. "The question-and-answer period is the best place for a candidate to show his or her ability to think on his or her feet and to demonstrate knowledge going beyond what is on the slide," he explains.
Tip 6: Don't be afraid to add some scientific theater to your presentation. Giving a presentation doesn't have to be a boring run-through of slides. In fact, Darensbourg says when she was interviewing for her position, she brought along a prop. "I carried with me a giant molecular structure that could be used to point out reaction spots, and it gave me a chance for eye contact with the audience as I explained it," she says. And, although PowerPoint presentations have become popular for their razzmatazz appeal, using a prop is still likely to be effective.
Scientific theater can also be brought into a presentation by including a mistake on one of the slides and correcting it during the presentation, notes Roald Hoffmann, chemistry professor at Cornell University. "This gives people the impression that this person is not just reading his or her slides, but that they're thinking as they're giving the talk," he points out.
Tip 7: Don't fake it. Although building in some scientific theater may be helpful, candidates should be careful not to go overboard. Stang tells C&EN that he sees a lot of young candidates using glitzy PowerPoint presentations. "A good PowerPoint is appreciated, but candidates must make sure the glitz doesn't overshadow the science," he cautions.
In the end, the interviewing faculty are looking for a candidate who knows his or her science. "Don't try to dazzle the interviewing committee," Hoffman notes. "Faculty, having dealt with students and colleagues for years, have seen it all, and can detect baloney and insincerity in a nanosecond."
Simply put, "if you don't know the answer to a question, say so-don't try to fake it," Marshall says. He adds that candidates should remember to keep answers to questions short and not to use them as an excuse to add several minutes to their presentation.
Tip 8: Work out the details. Developing a research proposal is not an easy task. It requires candidates to outline feasible research projects and provide some idea of the costs for doing the work. If either component is off, it could spell disaster.
Because no research proposal focuses on just one project, candidates should rank their proposed projects. "Make the first one achievable in one year, and also have some backup plans in case the hottest idea fails," Marshall suggests.
It's also important to be realistic about start-up packages. In interviewing a top prospect, Michael P. Doyle, chemistry professor at the University of Maryland, notes that although the research plan was excellent, the requested start-up costs were unreasonable.
When Doyle asked for a list of start-up costs, "the candidate reached into a folder and handed me a list whose bottom line exceeded any reasonable deliverable," he explains. "Obviously, the list had been prepared in consultation at the current institution without regard to what was available at Maryland and actual needs for a developing program." Doyle adds that they did make this candidate an offer with a revised start-up package, but he did not accept it.
Tip 9: Be your own person. It's important to remember that institutions are looking to hire you, not your mentor. "Demonstrate that you are not a clone of your research mentors with regard to your research ideas," Hoffman says. "Independence of creative thinking is sought in the world of academic scholarship."
Showing that you are a good researcher is also important to being your own person. "I can recall a particularly memorable seminar by a junior faculty candidate in the area of total synthesis," says Cynthia J. Burrows, chemistry professor at the University of Utah. "The candidate described numerous different synthetic routes—some quite elegant," she explains.
"But every one of them seemed to fail at the penultimate step, necessitating a completely new approach that essentially started over at the beginning," she says. Although she notes that he learned from these failures, it would have been nice to share some successes and end the presentation on a high note.
Tip 10: Always come prepared. In addition to knowing the details of past, current, and proposed research cold, it may not be a bad idea to bring along a granola bar.
ACS's assistant director of the Department of Career Management & Development, David E. Harwell, tells C&EN of an experience he had when interviewing for his previous academic position at the University of Hawaii. Harwell, who was traveling from mainland U.S. to Hawaii, arrived late in the evening. He was picked up by his host, who was going to take him to get something to eat, but as it turned out, it was a local holiday and everything was closed.
Harwell ended up staring down a pack of peanut butter crackers in the hotel vending machine. After scraping together some change, he was able to buy them. His experience shows that it never hurts to carry spare change.
EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT CONTENTS
Changing Times
Evolving The Doctorate Carnegie initiative inspires reshaping of Ph.D. programs to fit modern times.
Benefits
Maternity Leave For Graduate Students.
Lofty Goals
Describing The Doctorate.
Passport To Science Once outnumbered by humanities majors, science students are now studying abroad in force.
Global Science Corps
Program provides opportunities for established scientists to do research in developing countries.
Virtual Help
Study Abroad Web Resources.
No Substitute For Experience Chemical engineering students at all levels can benefit from 'learn and earn' opportunities.
10 Tips To Help You Get A Faculty Job Faculty from around the country share stories to help candidates 'ace' the interview process.
Chemical & Engineering News
ISSN 0009-2347
Copyright © 2006 American Chemical Society
Message from Nobel Laureates to Young People
http://www.iupac.org/publications/cei/vol7/0701x0an1.html
Chemical Education International, Vol. 7, No. 1, AN-1, Received October 21, 2006
To the Youth of the World Who Aspire to a Career in Chemistry
Message from Nobel Laureates to Young People (5)
Professor Ryoji Noyori, 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
INTRODUCTION
The Committee on Chemistry Education (CCE) of IUPAC edits and issues an electronic journal, Chemical Education International (CEI) (www.iupac.org/publications/ cei). For the benefit of those who aspire to a career in chemistry, each issue contains a short interview with a Nobel Laureate in chemistry. In this way, we hope to provide a profile of those who are at the forefront of chemistry and give aspiring chemists role models for their future endeavors.
The intended readership of the interviews published in CEI are senior high school students who are at a point in their life where they must make decisions about their future career, or first year university students in science and technology who must begin to specialize in a chosen field of study.
We are extremely grateful to Prof. Ryoji Noyori* for his appreciation of the idea of this series of interviews and for kindly sparing us his precious time.
This interview with Prof. Ryoji Noyori (left, on picture 1 above), by Prof. Yoshito Takeuchi and Prof. Masato M. Ito was carried out at the office of the President, RIKEN on March 16, 2005.
*The 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was shared jointly by Prof. Ryoji Noyori (Nagoya University), Dr. William S. Knowles (Monsanto Co.) and Prof. K. Barry Sharpless (Scripps Research Institute) by virtue of their achievement in catalytic asymmetric synthesis.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CEI: Chemical Education International
Prof. Yoshito Takeuchi (Titular member, CCE), Prof. M. M. Ito (Editor)
RN: Professor Ryoji Noyori
CEI: First, let me ask your background. Were there any special circumstances or a particular stimulus that led you to pursue a career in science?
RN: I was born in 1938 and I entered primary school in the year the Second World War ended. This period corresponds to a time in Japanese history when the country was in an economically difficult situation, and also in a state of confusion. This might have made a difference between me and Japanese children of my era with children who grew up in other countries. I suppose my desire to become a scientist was fostered in such an atmosphere.
My father was a graduate of the Faculty of Engineering, the Imperial University of Tokyo. After he graduated from the university he was employed by Kanegafuchi Spinning Company, and then Kanegafuchi Chemical Industrial Co. (now KANEKA) as a chemical engineer. So our house was full of chemical journals and technical books. In addition, there were samples of powdered polymers and fibers; in closets I could find beakers and flasks. This was the situation into which I was born and grew up.
The first cue to awaken in me a passion for science was the news that Prof. Hideki Yukawa was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1949. On this occasion I learned of the existence of the Nobel Prize. I was in the fifth grade at primary school. This news was very encouraging to Japanese people who were still suffering from postwar confusion.
CEI: I belong to much the same generation as yours. I also remember the impact of the news very vividly.
RN: Just after I was born, my father, accompanied by my mother, went to Europe to inspect research facilities there. He was lucky in that one of the passengers on the ship, the Yasukuni-maru, was a young Prof. Yukawa who was also going to Europe to attend the Solvey Congress. For one month my parents traveled on the ship and participated in dance parties and mahjong games. My father told me that Prof. Yukawa was asked to deliver a public lecture which turned out to be easy to follow though the topic was very difficult.
Soon after they arrived in Europe, the Second World War broke out. So my father had to return to Japan after visiting a couple of research institutes such as the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. The return trip was via the U.S.A. on the ship the Kamakura-maru; on which Prof. Yukawa also traveled.
When Prof. Yukawa received the Nobel Prize in 1949, my parents retold the episodes of their trip almost every night when we were dining. For this reason I felt that I knew Prof. Yukawa personally, and I also thought that I would like to enter Kyoto University.
Photo 2 This photo was taken in Hawaii in 1939. The Kamakura-maru stopped at Hawaii on her way from San Francisco to Yokohama. Prof. Yukawa (2nd from left; 32 years old at that time), Mr. Kaneki Noyori (3rd; 28 years old) and Mrs. Suzuko Noyori (24 years old).
CEI: Tell us about your primary school life.
RN: My primary school was attached to the Department of Education, Kobe University, and located at the foot of Mt. Rokko, which is rich in nature. Our school was a kind of experimental school, and there were many splendid teachers who taught us with care. I remember there was no particular subject which I was fond of, but I could say that I enjoyed studying in general.
During my primary school days, my time was mostly spent with friends, playing baseball, and strolling forests and woods nearby, rather than study. In those days, as a matter of fact, there were no TV or computer games; probably only the phonograph was around then. It was also an economically difficult period, and parents were busy with their work. So, I was in a circle of brothers and friends.
CEI: You entered Nada Middle School and then Nada High School, which is one of the leading secondary education schools in Japan. What were your experiences like there?
RN: I remember it was during the spring break before I entered middle school when an event took place which influenced my future career very significantly. I call the event "the Nylon case". For some reason or other, my father took me to the announcement of the new product, nylon, by the Toyo Rayon Co. (now TORAY). I attended to the meeting as a sole child among many adults. The President of the company told the audience something to the effect that the amylan (nylon) could be prepared from coal, water and air. I was very impressed, knowing that expensive materials such as nylon could be produced from very cheap raw materials. I was surprised to learn the power of chemistry.
This event took place in the midst of the postwar confusion, when economic reconstruction was a kind of national target. Though I was a child, I felt that I should study chemistry hard and contribute to society by producing useful materials as a chemical engineer. I may say that this experience was the first incentive to become a chemist.
In Nada Middle School I was taught chemistry by Dr. Kazuo Nakamoto who later became a professor of chemistry in the U.S.A. He was then a lecturer at Osaka University and taught us at Nada Middle School as a special teacher. I remember he was extremely smart. Because of the Nylon case, chemistry was my favorite subject, and I studied chemistry eagerly. Mathematics was also a favorite subject of mine.
Photo 3 Prof. Noyori when he was a student at Nada High School.
CEI: Judging from your story, we could say that you had pursued a career as a chemist from your middle school years straight through.
RN: This is so, though I am not sure which is better; to go straight through or to take a broader, less direct path. As for me, I made up my mind in my childhood to become a chemist.
As for extracurricular activities, I learned Judo. I remember I was a very active and naughty boy, although sometimes I was a little timid. At the entrance examination for Nada Middle School, I became a little nervous, and I misunderstood a mathematics problem, which had made me worry very much. I thought boys should be strong and tough, and this was the reason why I joined to the Judo club. At that time (1951), Japanese traditional sports (martial arts) were not allowed. However, the school had a deep connection with KODOKAN, and Japanese traditional sports were quite popular in Nada School. The Judo club was one of the most active. I belonged to the Judo club until the end of the second year of high school, which means that I played Judo for five years at school.
CEI: Please tell us about school life at Nada High School.
RN: The Kobe First Middle School (now Kobe High School) was famous for its severe discipline. It was said that pupils had to eat their lunch, without sitting on their stool, while other pupils on duty cleaned the classroom. On rainy days, one pupil ate his lunch while the other held an umbrella. After the war, excellent teachers from Kobe First Middle School moved to Nada Middle and High Schools mostly because of changes made to the educational system.
Teachers at Nada Middle and High School were truly excellent. All-around education was the motto of the school. For instance, Mr. Masanori Maino, a mathematics teacher, taught us lots of things, such as Chinese poetry for example, other than mathematics during class. Teachers of other subjects also guided us in a similar manner. By simply attending classes, we could acquire enough knowledge to pass the entrance examination for Kyoto University.
CEI: Now tell us about your life in Kyoto University. We were most interested in the process by which you chose your research supervisor.
RN: I was attracted by the reputation of Prof. Ichiro Sakurada and this was the reason why I entered Kyoto University. In the first two years of general education, I must admit I was not very diligent. I joined the rugby football club though I was not a regular member. Drinking alcohol and having fun with friends were my main activity during this period.
Prof. Sakurada belonged to the Department of Fiber Chemistry, while I was a student of Department of Industrial Chemistry. There were, however, several lectures common to both departments.
When I became a third year student, I began study in my major. Because I had not been very diligent, the initial stage was rather tough for me. I did like experiments though, and took the initiative to carry out experiments. I joined the group of Prof. Keiiti Sisido for the graduate research program. Prof. Sisido was very fond of baseball, and he was an elderly gentleman with many hobbies. He taught us in very nice way.
At that time there were not so many students who continued their study in the graduate school, but I began to think about further study at graduate school because I was then regretting somewhat my laziness in the initial stage of university life. I asked Prof. Sisido to accept me as a graduate student, telling him that I would like to study chemistry from the beginning. Prof. Sisido accepted and told me that I would be supervised by Associate Professor Hitosi Nozaki, who was known to be most strict with students.
I bowed to Prof. Nozaki, adding, "I am very immature, but I will try my best. Please supervise me." and I was accepted.
In his office a large number of abstracts of papers was neatly filed. Prof. Nozaki told me that I could read any of these I chose. It was only me who was allowed to use these. He supervised me very closely, and I studied very hard so that I could meet his demands. Gradually I realized there was nothing more interesting than chemistry and I became absorbed in it. Though my knowledge was limited, I had the vitality and health to compensate for this lack of experience. At least twice a week I did overnight experiments. I was really serious and intense. It was indeed the union of a bright professor and an average student! Life is indeed incomprehensible!
As for the topic of my research, Prof. Nozaki wanted me to help him with his study on the mechanism of organic reactions, especially on reaction intermediates. In those days we were not equipped with sophisticated instruments to prove the structure of the intermediates. What we could do then was just to imagine the structures in your mind.
Thanks to these experiences I mastered the fundamentals of organic chemistry, and established a way to think problems through in a thorough manner. Later, when I was investigating the chemistry of catalysts, I noticed that the power of thinking and the methodology I obtained in Nozaki's laboratory were very useful in developing new systems of catalysts. I could imagine something that no one had ever thought of.
CEI: You then began to investigate your main theme, asymmetric synthesis.
RN: A turning point in my career as a chemist was my appointment as an assistant, a junior faculty member. I intended to continue my study to obtain a higher degree after I finished my research for the MS degree. Then Professor Nozaki was promoted to full professor and intended to organize a new research group. Prof. Nozaki wanted me to be his assistant instead of continuing on with graduate study. My original intention was to obtain a PhD and then to enter the chemical industry as a senior industrial chemist. I was, however, persuaded by him, and finally accepted his offer.
Photo 4 At Kyoto University with young students.
Prof. Nozaki (standing) and Prof. Noyori (2nd from right) (1964).
The theme of my research was the study of carbenes, which are short-lived reaction intermediates. Carbenes, which are generated by thermolysis or photolysis of diazoalkanes, can exist in triplet or singlet forms with the reaction proceeding non-selectively.
It was already known that if one adds some copper compound during decomposition the reaction proceeds smoothly and selectively as the singlet. Some investigators attempted to explain this behavior by a physical phenomenon such as spin relaxation. I guessed, however, that a chemical bond might be formed between the carbene and copper.
How could I confirm my hypothesis? I thought that if we use a chiral (optically active) copper catalyst, the product of the reaction between carbenes and alkenes, a cyclopropane derivative, might be optically active.
One day we combined an optically active Schiff base with copper ion, and used this complex as the catalyst. If an optically active cyclopropane derivative would be formed, this would prove that a complex between copper and the carbene :CHCOOC2H5 was formed. With this assumption, we started the reaction.
Fig. 1 (new page) Formation of cyclopropane derivatives from alkenes and carbenes
Two nights' work was necessary to obtain enough sample to measure its optical rotation. Though the work was tough, I vividly remember the elation I felt when we found that the expected results were obtained.
CEI: Were you already aiming in your mind at asymmetric synthesis?
RN: Not at all. This experiment was aimed to prove the existence of the complex between carbene and copper ion. I hadn't yet thought of asymmetric synthesis at that time.
The result was submitted to the Journal of American Chemical Society, but was rejected. We had to accept their decision since the optical yield was only ca. 10 %. The paper was later accepted by Tetrahedron Letters to our satisfaction.
I immediately realized that what we had obtained was the general principle of asymmetric catalytic reactions. The asymmetric catalytic reactions was the first step in the challenge of Pasteur's principle, "Dissymmetry is the only and distinct boundary between biological and non-biological chemistry."
CEI: In a word, it was an attempt to challenge nature, was it?
RN: Indeed, exactly so. What I aimed at was not "catalysts as they are", but "catalysts as we want them to be." We believed that it should, in principle, be possible to design and synthesize any compound. My idea was to incorporate appropriate electronic and steric effects into molecules and to use them as catalysts. This was in 1966. Around that time, although some homogeneous catalysts such as metal carbonyls were known, the notion of molecular catalysts which would make use of the characteristics of molecules was not yet developed.
CEI: How you could succeed in the challenge to Pasteur?
RN: After this I moved to Nagoya University, but there were campus troubles at that time and I was allowed to study abroad at Harvard University with Prof. E. J. Corey*1 as my supervisor during this period. There I encountered hydrogenation reactions.
The reason why the asymmetric catalytic reaction was not highly estimated was the low optical yield of the reaction. Furthermore, the formation of a cyclopropane ring was a special reaction without the possibility of wider use at that time. I thought that I had to devise a reaction that was more general and with a higher optical yield.
The project given to me by Prof. Corey was to investigate the hydrogenation of an intermediate necessary for the synthesis of prostaglandin. It was necessary to hydrogenate selectively the cis double bond of a compound which also had a trans double bond. I became friendly with Assistant Prof. J. A. Osborn, the former student of Prof. G. Wilkinson*2. We talked everyday, and I attended his lectures on inorganic chemistry. Mr. R. R. Schrock,*3 one of his students, once gave me a newly synthesizd rhodium catalyst.
*1 Corey, professor of Harvard University, U. S. A. Received Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1990 for his contribution to organic synthesis.
*2 Wilkinson, professor of Imperial College, London, U. K. received Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1973 for his contribution to the chemistry of organometallic compounds.
*3 Schrock received Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2005. Now Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Just at that time, Dr. W. S. Knowles, with whom I later received the Nobel Prize, and Prof. L. Horner discovered asymmetric hydrogenation. The optical yield was about 10% and hence the significance was not very great from the viewpoint of synthetic chemistry. This was the second example of asymmetric synthesis by means of an organometallic molecular catalyst. I believed that the reaction should be developed, and made up my mind to continue investigating asymmetric synthesis.
(Asymmetric synthesis is a synthetic reaction in which unequal amounts of (+)- and (-)-enantiomers are formed. If one enantiomer is formed in a 100 % yield then the reaction is called perfectly enantioselective. See reaction schema)
Photo 5 The Nobel Prize diploma awarded to Prof. Noyori.
Copyright © The Nobel Foundation 2001
I returned to Japan and was so involved in so many things that it was difficult for me to start research on asymmetric synthesis. Prof. H. B. Kagan and Dr. Knowles advanced their research into asymmetric hydrogenation and Monsanto Co. successfully developed the industrial synthesis of L-DOPA. (DOPA = 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine)
Fig. 2 The structure of DOPA. L-DOPA is the left-handed enantiomer.
I was unable, however, to even start my research along these lines. Many chemists thought that there was not much left to be investigated in the field of asymmetric hydrogenation, but it turned out in contrast that the study had only just begun.
When I started my research on asymmetric hydrogenation, I made up my mind to achieve a perfect asymmetric synthesis. For this purpose I chose a compound called BINAP. (BINAP = 2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl)
I was enchanted by the beauty of the structure of BINAP. Any chemist can appreciate its beauty if one draws its structure.
CEI: Indeed. We can say that splendid functions come from beautiful structures.
RN: I believe so. The dictum of the "Bauhaus" movement of Germany tells the truth. "The beauty of that molecule is brilliant". I started research on this molecule from 1974. We encountered a series of difficulties, and many Japanese and foreign chemists withdrew from such study. In 1980, we finally managed to publish a paper on the asymmetric synthesis of amino acids based on the BINAP chemistry. One of my coworkers on this project was the late Prof. Hidemasa Takaya who was at the Institute of Molecular Science and Kyoto University. Sadly, he passed away in 1994 while he was on a lecture tour in Germany.
Fig. 3 The structure of BINAP.
Notably, as we continued the study, it became clear that the complex of rhodium (Rh) and BINAP as catalyst was the worst possible combination in view of the reaction mechanism. The result looked nice since nearly a 100 % enantiomeric excess was obtained. However, this result was beside the point as Prof. J. Halpern pointed out. The hydrogenation reaction proceeded via complexes between the BINAP-Rh catalyst and an alkene substrate. Two equilibrating intermediates were formed; one was the major, favored complex and the other a minor isomer. The point is that the minor intermediate was more reactive and gave the desired enantiomeric isomer, whereas the major complex was less reactive to result in the wrong enantiomeric product. BINAP is very selective, and only the main complex could be observed using NMR. This complex was, however, not very reactive, and its minor isomer, which was not detectable by NMR, was active. This meant that a very strict control of the reaction condition was required to form the necessary minor complex. How you could form in sufficient quantity a compound which was hardly detectable? The suitable reaction condition was obtainable only with a very dilute solution and under a reduced pressure. Two years were necessary to find that appropriate reaction condition.
Nevertheless, the BINAP-Rh complex became famous not because of asymmetric hydrogenation, but because of its successful application to the asymmetric synthesis of menthol which was carried out in a joint collaboration with Prof. Otsuka's group (Osaka University) and Takasago International Corporation.
The turning point which allowed us to conquer the difficulty involved in the asymmetric hydrogenation was achieved when we changed the metal from Rh to ruthenium (Ru). With the aid of this new complex, the asymmetric hydrogenation of a variety of alkenes became possible, and a new dimension to asymmetric hydrogenation opened up. It was 1986 when the first report of that attempt was published. More than ten years had passed since the synthesis of L-DOPA by Monsanto Co., but our findings opened up a whole new dimension to the study of asymmetric hydrogenation. At present, the BINAP-Ru complex has been employed in numerous fields of study. It is now possible to asymmetrically hydrogenate a variety of C=C and C=O bonds, and the technique has been widely applied to industrial synthesis of fine chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs. The key was the unique reaction fields provided by BINAP.
CEI: Was the competition hard?
RN: Not necessarily. The essence of research is how to reply to the questions cast by chemistry. Hence I did not care at all about competition with other chemists.
CEI: Anyway, you solved the problem successfully. How did you achieve success?
RN: There were two problems to be solved in asymmetric hydrogenation. One was how to achieve high ratios of (+)-enantiomer to (-)-enantiomer as close as possible to 100:0. This could be solved by designing the shape of the catalyst. This success attracted considerable attention.
The second problem was more important. How could one make the reaction rate higher; in other words, how could the activation energy of the reaction be lowered? The catalytic reaction is multi-step in general. Which step should be accelerated? The prediction was very difficult and not all chemists could do that. One has to use insight to "see" what could not be seen by experiments. Without belief supported by rationality one could not achieve that.
Not many chemists have attempted to solve rationally such a problem. People tend to rely upon luck! There are many chemists in this field who are satisfied with imitating or modifying what has been discovered by other pionieers. In this regards, the competition with myself, or rather, with nature or the system of chemistry, was severe. I hardly paid any attention to competition with other chemists, but rather I relied upon my belief, and continued study, always thinking of a way to prove my hypothesis. This is most amusing!
Fig. 4 The characteristic asymmetric structure of BINAP is due to the twist of two naphthalene rings from the coplanar structure. For simplicity, the Kekulé structure (a) and a molecular model (b) of binaphthyl, which consists of two naphthalene rings. The Kekulé structure seems to indicate that the molecule has a planar structure. In fact, two naphthalene rings are largely twisted because of the repulsion between two hydrogen atoms indicated by arrows. A pair of enantiomers will be obtained depending on whether the twist is clockwise or anti-clockwise. In the case of the BINAP-Rh complex, the angle of twist is 74.4o.
CEI: What we have heard is really very valuable and useful for young people. The way you carry out research seems to have been influenced by the training you had received in Kyoto University concerning your research on reactive intermediates.
By the way, how did you come to change the metal you used for the complex?
RN: It was already discovered by Wilkinson and others that Ru as well as Rh could cleave hydrogen molecules and might be suitable for the hydrogenation catalyst. Famous chemists such as Kagan and Knowles had already obtained excellent results using Rh catalysts. Hence many chemists were tempted by these findings to study Rh.
Science itself is objective. The research is done, however, by scientists. I have understood over a long period of study that research is strongly influenced by the mindset of scientists.
Fig. 5 (new page) Changes over time to catalysts used in asymmetric hydrogenation. All these catalysts are useful depending on the structures of substrates.
CEI: Can you tell us about some lessons you have learned over your long research career that might be helpful to young people.
RN: After more than thirty years' studying hydrogenation, I realized that "fact is the enemy of truth". This is the dialog of Don Quixote in the musical "Man of La Mancha" written by Dale Wasserman. Facts are valid only under limited conditions while the truth is something general that is behind the facts. The facts known when we initiated the study of hydrogenation were scientifically correct at that time, but it was only a very small part of the world of asymmetric hydrogenation. The truth about asymmetric hydrogenation is very deep and expansive.
What chemists in the 1970s were doing was something like a "dot". I felt I could make that "dot" into a "line". Yet it remains as a line. The principles and possibilities of chemistry might be extended to a "plane" or even to a three-dimensional world. Facts should be respected as facts, but we should not just accept facts which are limiting and thereby overlook the great truth behind facts. Otherwise development of science will be retarded. You should consider alternative possibilities and think carefully about your work.
CEI: This is really the crucial point. We tend to be satisfied when we feel we have identified the facts. It is difficult to go on further from this point.
By the way, there is a worldwide concern that young people are not interested in science in general, and in chemistry in particular. Can you provide a personal message for aspiring chemists?
RN: The world of science will expand infinitely. However, scientific research today tends to be too special and fragmental. What is needed of science is 'generality'; that all fields are combined into one universal science. So far scientists have not been particularly eager for this. Scientists must have a wider view of nature. As I have said before, scientists must make a line from a point, expand to a plane from a line and then design and construct a space. Chemistry is a science of matter and is the basis of modern civilization. Generality is particularly important for chemistry.
I like to advise young people that though the role of chemistry is the synthesis of materials, it should not remain its only role. Chemistry should open new fields or create new fields. There have been a large number of scientific/technological developments across many fields of science. In chemistry, technical advances that have had large ripple effects did not merely involve the synthesis of materials, but the creation of new fields of thought.
Sure, the synthesis of matter is important, but chemists should consider how new materials affect our society. If chemistry is satisfied simply with the synthesis of materials, then chemistry will be subordinate to other technologies, which would indeed be a pity!
The National Academy of Engineering (USA) ranked the 20th century as the century of technological innovation, and selected twenty great technological achievements. The greatest innovation they considered to be electricity, the others being automobiles, airplanes, water supply, electronics, radio and television, mechanization of agriculture, computers, telephones, air-conditioning and freezing, highways, space ships, the Internet, imaging, electrification of housework, medicine, petroleum and petroleum chemistry, laser and optical fibers, atomic power and high-functional materials.
The list clearly indicates the great contribution of chemistry. We can also see that most of these items are innovations of new fields when considered as social technologies. Cellular phones provide a good example. These are composites of materials, but create an innovation and change society. It is important to carry out research with such an idea in view, and to design the system for research.
CEI: I am afraid that it is rather difficult, under the present educational system, for young people to grow up with such a wide perspective. Perhaps you have some advice for schoolteachers that might be useful.
RN: I expect teachers will understand the reason why human beings devote time to science, and convey this point to their students. Scientists devote themselves to science not because of bread, but because science will bring them spiritual fulfillment.
I was enchanted by the beauty of the logic of science, and have tried to do what is important and fundamental. I also expect that if the results of my study will be useful to many fields of science, and furthermore, to society, then I should be pleased. Basically I did science for the sake of spiritual fulfillment and the realization of my hopes. To achieve this, both sensibility and intelligence are necessary. I hope people will cultivate these virtues when they are young.
Fig 6 The telephone card produced in tribute to the Nobel Prize awarded to Prof. Noyori. He loved the beautiful structure of BINAP.
My motto is "Research should be fresh, simple and clear." I would advise young people to consider the way to promote science in the right direction, and tackle problems as legitimate and fundamental as possible.
CEI: The challenge to solve legitimate and fundamental problems is indeed a challenge to create a new field!
RN: From my forty years' experience as a researcher, I learned that a research project has its own lifetime. In most cases this is from twenty to thirty years. A new jump, making the results obtained thus far as the foundation for further expansion, is required when the project is fully grown.
I hope young people will try to find a project which will be widely developed and open a new field. If young people in their late twenties or early thirties could find such a project, they will become the core researchers in this field after twenty or thirty years. In this regard, it is not advisable to choose currently popular topics as your project. This is not interesting, anyway.
Photo 6 Prof. Noyori was enthusiastic about speaking with us for this interview series which has been put together for the benefit of young chemists.
When you tackle with a new project, at first you will be in a minority group. Originality tends to be a lonely existence. I hope young people will not fear loneliness. Rather, I hope they will be proud of it. There seems to be a kind of misunderstanding of the meaning of democracy; thus it tends to be accepted that the majority is mighty and correct while the minority is wrong. People tend to belong to the majority because it is safer. Such a tendency is by all means not good for science.
I hope that science teachers appreciate the wonder of science and teach it to children. A textbook is something like a jewel box. Teachers should master the textbooks and convey this inspiration.
CEI: There seems to be an increase in the number of high school teachers who have studied at graduate school. Such teachers have practical experience of research and can tell lively stories of their own experiences to students.
RN: Indeed, it is most important that teachers who have learned the wonder of science by themselves will share their experiences with students. One of the reasons why science is not so popular among young people is that science is treated much too objectively, which ends in disregard of the people involved. Humans are interested in humans. Einstein is an overwhelmingly famous scholar. Many people are enchanted by him not only because of his great scientific achievement but also because of his unique personality and physical features.
Scientific research is by all means human. I hope teachers will tell students about this aspect of science. One of the reasons for the lack of popularity of science is "the absence of humanity", at least in Japan. There are many people who like literature but do not like science. However, few people do not like literature. Most scientists like literature probably because human beings are always involved. I hope teachers who have good memories of research will make this point to their students.
CEI: Finally, can you send a message to young people who will read the transcript of this interview?
RN: So far scientists have pursued the truth about nature while engineers have solved practical problems faced by society. Hereafter scientists are expected to not only have specific abilities related to their research, but also have an ability to foretell the trends of future society. Both teachers and students should know and understand this point. The crucial point is to create and maintain a sustainable society for our offspring. Science and technology must contribute to this.
CEI: Thank you very much for your valuable comments.
Last modified 13.04.07
Chemical Education International, Vol. 7, No. 1, AN-1, Received October 21, 2006
To the Youth of the World Who Aspire to a Career in Chemistry
Message from Nobel Laureates to Young People (5)
Professor Ryoji Noyori, 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
INTRODUCTION
The Committee on Chemistry Education (CCE) of IUPAC edits and issues an electronic journal, Chemical Education International (CEI) (www.iupac.org/publications/ cei). For the benefit of those who aspire to a career in chemistry, each issue contains a short interview with a Nobel Laureate in chemistry. In this way, we hope to provide a profile of those who are at the forefront of chemistry and give aspiring chemists role models for their future endeavors.
The intended readership of the interviews published in CEI are senior high school students who are at a point in their life where they must make decisions about their future career, or first year university students in science and technology who must begin to specialize in a chosen field of study.
We are extremely grateful to Prof. Ryoji Noyori* for his appreciation of the idea of this series of interviews and for kindly sparing us his precious time.
This interview with Prof. Ryoji Noyori (left, on picture 1 above), by Prof. Yoshito Takeuchi and Prof. Masato M. Ito was carried out at the office of the President, RIKEN on March 16, 2005.
*The 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was shared jointly by Prof. Ryoji Noyori (Nagoya University), Dr. William S. Knowles (Monsanto Co.) and Prof. K. Barry Sharpless (Scripps Research Institute) by virtue of their achievement in catalytic asymmetric synthesis.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CEI: Chemical Education International
Prof. Yoshito Takeuchi (Titular member, CCE), Prof. M. M. Ito (Editor)
RN: Professor Ryoji Noyori
CEI: First, let me ask your background. Were there any special circumstances or a particular stimulus that led you to pursue a career in science?
RN: I was born in 1938 and I entered primary school in the year the Second World War ended. This period corresponds to a time in Japanese history when the country was in an economically difficult situation, and also in a state of confusion. This might have made a difference between me and Japanese children of my era with children who grew up in other countries. I suppose my desire to become a scientist was fostered in such an atmosphere.
My father was a graduate of the Faculty of Engineering, the Imperial University of Tokyo. After he graduated from the university he was employed by Kanegafuchi Spinning Company, and then Kanegafuchi Chemical Industrial Co. (now KANEKA) as a chemical engineer. So our house was full of chemical journals and technical books. In addition, there were samples of powdered polymers and fibers; in closets I could find beakers and flasks. This was the situation into which I was born and grew up.
The first cue to awaken in me a passion for science was the news that Prof. Hideki Yukawa was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1949. On this occasion I learned of the existence of the Nobel Prize. I was in the fifth grade at primary school. This news was very encouraging to Japanese people who were still suffering from postwar confusion.
CEI: I belong to much the same generation as yours. I also remember the impact of the news very vividly.
RN: Just after I was born, my father, accompanied by my mother, went to Europe to inspect research facilities there. He was lucky in that one of the passengers on the ship, the Yasukuni-maru, was a young Prof. Yukawa who was also going to Europe to attend the Solvey Congress. For one month my parents traveled on the ship and participated in dance parties and mahjong games. My father told me that Prof. Yukawa was asked to deliver a public lecture which turned out to be easy to follow though the topic was very difficult.
Soon after they arrived in Europe, the Second World War broke out. So my father had to return to Japan after visiting a couple of research institutes such as the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. The return trip was via the U.S.A. on the ship the Kamakura-maru; on which Prof. Yukawa also traveled.
When Prof. Yukawa received the Nobel Prize in 1949, my parents retold the episodes of their trip almost every night when we were dining. For this reason I felt that I knew Prof. Yukawa personally, and I also thought that I would like to enter Kyoto University.
Photo 2 This photo was taken in Hawaii in 1939. The Kamakura-maru stopped at Hawaii on her way from San Francisco to Yokohama. Prof. Yukawa (2nd from left; 32 years old at that time), Mr. Kaneki Noyori (3rd; 28 years old) and Mrs. Suzuko Noyori (24 years old).
CEI: Tell us about your primary school life.
RN: My primary school was attached to the Department of Education, Kobe University, and located at the foot of Mt. Rokko, which is rich in nature. Our school was a kind of experimental school, and there were many splendid teachers who taught us with care. I remember there was no particular subject which I was fond of, but I could say that I enjoyed studying in general.
During my primary school days, my time was mostly spent with friends, playing baseball, and strolling forests and woods nearby, rather than study. In those days, as a matter of fact, there were no TV or computer games; probably only the phonograph was around then. It was also an economically difficult period, and parents were busy with their work. So, I was in a circle of brothers and friends.
CEI: You entered Nada Middle School and then Nada High School, which is one of the leading secondary education schools in Japan. What were your experiences like there?
RN: I remember it was during the spring break before I entered middle school when an event took place which influenced my future career very significantly. I call the event "the Nylon case". For some reason or other, my father took me to the announcement of the new product, nylon, by the Toyo Rayon Co. (now TORAY). I attended to the meeting as a sole child among many adults. The President of the company told the audience something to the effect that the amylan (nylon) could be prepared from coal, water and air. I was very impressed, knowing that expensive materials such as nylon could be produced from very cheap raw materials. I was surprised to learn the power of chemistry.
This event took place in the midst of the postwar confusion, when economic reconstruction was a kind of national target. Though I was a child, I felt that I should study chemistry hard and contribute to society by producing useful materials as a chemical engineer. I may say that this experience was the first incentive to become a chemist.
In Nada Middle School I was taught chemistry by Dr. Kazuo Nakamoto who later became a professor of chemistry in the U.S.A. He was then a lecturer at Osaka University and taught us at Nada Middle School as a special teacher. I remember he was extremely smart. Because of the Nylon case, chemistry was my favorite subject, and I studied chemistry eagerly. Mathematics was also a favorite subject of mine.
Photo 3 Prof. Noyori when he was a student at Nada High School.
CEI: Judging from your story, we could say that you had pursued a career as a chemist from your middle school years straight through.
RN: This is so, though I am not sure which is better; to go straight through or to take a broader, less direct path. As for me, I made up my mind in my childhood to become a chemist.
As for extracurricular activities, I learned Judo. I remember I was a very active and naughty boy, although sometimes I was a little timid. At the entrance examination for Nada Middle School, I became a little nervous, and I misunderstood a mathematics problem, which had made me worry very much. I thought boys should be strong and tough, and this was the reason why I joined to the Judo club. At that time (1951), Japanese traditional sports (martial arts) were not allowed. However, the school had a deep connection with KODOKAN, and Japanese traditional sports were quite popular in Nada School. The Judo club was one of the most active. I belonged to the Judo club until the end of the second year of high school, which means that I played Judo for five years at school.
CEI: Please tell us about school life at Nada High School.
RN: The Kobe First Middle School (now Kobe High School) was famous for its severe discipline. It was said that pupils had to eat their lunch, without sitting on their stool, while other pupils on duty cleaned the classroom. On rainy days, one pupil ate his lunch while the other held an umbrella. After the war, excellent teachers from Kobe First Middle School moved to Nada Middle and High Schools mostly because of changes made to the educational system.
Teachers at Nada Middle and High School were truly excellent. All-around education was the motto of the school. For instance, Mr. Masanori Maino, a mathematics teacher, taught us lots of things, such as Chinese poetry for example, other than mathematics during class. Teachers of other subjects also guided us in a similar manner. By simply attending classes, we could acquire enough knowledge to pass the entrance examination for Kyoto University.
CEI: Now tell us about your life in Kyoto University. We were most interested in the process by which you chose your research supervisor.
RN: I was attracted by the reputation of Prof. Ichiro Sakurada and this was the reason why I entered Kyoto University. In the first two years of general education, I must admit I was not very diligent. I joined the rugby football club though I was not a regular member. Drinking alcohol and having fun with friends were my main activity during this period.
Prof. Sakurada belonged to the Department of Fiber Chemistry, while I was a student of Department of Industrial Chemistry. There were, however, several lectures common to both departments.
When I became a third year student, I began study in my major. Because I had not been very diligent, the initial stage was rather tough for me. I did like experiments though, and took the initiative to carry out experiments. I joined the group of Prof. Keiiti Sisido for the graduate research program. Prof. Sisido was very fond of baseball, and he was an elderly gentleman with many hobbies. He taught us in very nice way.
At that time there were not so many students who continued their study in the graduate school, but I began to think about further study at graduate school because I was then regretting somewhat my laziness in the initial stage of university life. I asked Prof. Sisido to accept me as a graduate student, telling him that I would like to study chemistry from the beginning. Prof. Sisido accepted and told me that I would be supervised by Associate Professor Hitosi Nozaki, who was known to be most strict with students.
I bowed to Prof. Nozaki, adding, "I am very immature, but I will try my best. Please supervise me." and I was accepted.
In his office a large number of abstracts of papers was neatly filed. Prof. Nozaki told me that I could read any of these I chose. It was only me who was allowed to use these. He supervised me very closely, and I studied very hard so that I could meet his demands. Gradually I realized there was nothing more interesting than chemistry and I became absorbed in it. Though my knowledge was limited, I had the vitality and health to compensate for this lack of experience. At least twice a week I did overnight experiments. I was really serious and intense. It was indeed the union of a bright professor and an average student! Life is indeed incomprehensible!
As for the topic of my research, Prof. Nozaki wanted me to help him with his study on the mechanism of organic reactions, especially on reaction intermediates. In those days we were not equipped with sophisticated instruments to prove the structure of the intermediates. What we could do then was just to imagine the structures in your mind.
Thanks to these experiences I mastered the fundamentals of organic chemistry, and established a way to think problems through in a thorough manner. Later, when I was investigating the chemistry of catalysts, I noticed that the power of thinking and the methodology I obtained in Nozaki's laboratory were very useful in developing new systems of catalysts. I could imagine something that no one had ever thought of.
CEI: You then began to investigate your main theme, asymmetric synthesis.
RN: A turning point in my career as a chemist was my appointment as an assistant, a junior faculty member. I intended to continue my study to obtain a higher degree after I finished my research for the MS degree. Then Professor Nozaki was promoted to full professor and intended to organize a new research group. Prof. Nozaki wanted me to be his assistant instead of continuing on with graduate study. My original intention was to obtain a PhD and then to enter the chemical industry as a senior industrial chemist. I was, however, persuaded by him, and finally accepted his offer.
Photo 4 At Kyoto University with young students.
Prof. Nozaki (standing) and Prof. Noyori (2nd from right) (1964).
The theme of my research was the study of carbenes, which are short-lived reaction intermediates. Carbenes, which are generated by thermolysis or photolysis of diazoalkanes, can exist in triplet or singlet forms with the reaction proceeding non-selectively.
It was already known that if one adds some copper compound during decomposition the reaction proceeds smoothly and selectively as the singlet. Some investigators attempted to explain this behavior by a physical phenomenon such as spin relaxation. I guessed, however, that a chemical bond might be formed between the carbene and copper.
How could I confirm my hypothesis? I thought that if we use a chiral (optically active) copper catalyst, the product of the reaction between carbenes and alkenes, a cyclopropane derivative, might be optically active.
One day we combined an optically active Schiff base with copper ion, and used this complex as the catalyst. If an optically active cyclopropane derivative would be formed, this would prove that a complex between copper and the carbene :CHCOOC2H5 was formed. With this assumption, we started the reaction.
Fig. 1 (new page) Formation of cyclopropane derivatives from alkenes and carbenes
Two nights' work was necessary to obtain enough sample to measure its optical rotation. Though the work was tough, I vividly remember the elation I felt when we found that the expected results were obtained.
CEI: Were you already aiming in your mind at asymmetric synthesis?
RN: Not at all. This experiment was aimed to prove the existence of the complex between carbene and copper ion. I hadn't yet thought of asymmetric synthesis at that time.
The result was submitted to the Journal of American Chemical Society, but was rejected. We had to accept their decision since the optical yield was only ca. 10 %. The paper was later accepted by Tetrahedron Letters to our satisfaction.
I immediately realized that what we had obtained was the general principle of asymmetric catalytic reactions. The asymmetric catalytic reactions was the first step in the challenge of Pasteur's principle, "Dissymmetry is the only and distinct boundary between biological and non-biological chemistry."
CEI: In a word, it was an attempt to challenge nature, was it?
RN: Indeed, exactly so. What I aimed at was not "catalysts as they are", but "catalysts as we want them to be." We believed that it should, in principle, be possible to design and synthesize any compound. My idea was to incorporate appropriate electronic and steric effects into molecules and to use them as catalysts. This was in 1966. Around that time, although some homogeneous catalysts such as metal carbonyls were known, the notion of molecular catalysts which would make use of the characteristics of molecules was not yet developed.
CEI: How you could succeed in the challenge to Pasteur?
RN: After this I moved to Nagoya University, but there were campus troubles at that time and I was allowed to study abroad at Harvard University with Prof. E. J. Corey*1 as my supervisor during this period. There I encountered hydrogenation reactions.
The reason why the asymmetric catalytic reaction was not highly estimated was the low optical yield of the reaction. Furthermore, the formation of a cyclopropane ring was a special reaction without the possibility of wider use at that time. I thought that I had to devise a reaction that was more general and with a higher optical yield.
The project given to me by Prof. Corey was to investigate the hydrogenation of an intermediate necessary for the synthesis of prostaglandin. It was necessary to hydrogenate selectively the cis double bond of a compound which also had a trans double bond. I became friendly with Assistant Prof. J. A. Osborn, the former student of Prof. G. Wilkinson*2. We talked everyday, and I attended his lectures on inorganic chemistry. Mr. R. R. Schrock,*3 one of his students, once gave me a newly synthesizd rhodium catalyst.
*1 Corey, professor of Harvard University, U. S. A. Received Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1990 for his contribution to organic synthesis.
*2 Wilkinson, professor of Imperial College, London, U. K. received Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1973 for his contribution to the chemistry of organometallic compounds.
*3 Schrock received Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2005. Now Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Just at that time, Dr. W. S. Knowles, with whom I later received the Nobel Prize, and Prof. L. Horner discovered asymmetric hydrogenation. The optical yield was about 10% and hence the significance was not very great from the viewpoint of synthetic chemistry. This was the second example of asymmetric synthesis by means of an organometallic molecular catalyst. I believed that the reaction should be developed, and made up my mind to continue investigating asymmetric synthesis.
(Asymmetric synthesis is a synthetic reaction in which unequal amounts of (+)- and (-)-enantiomers are formed. If one enantiomer is formed in a 100 % yield then the reaction is called perfectly enantioselective. See reaction schema)
Photo 5 The Nobel Prize diploma awarded to Prof. Noyori.
Copyright © The Nobel Foundation 2001
I returned to Japan and was so involved in so many things that it was difficult for me to start research on asymmetric synthesis. Prof. H. B. Kagan and Dr. Knowles advanced their research into asymmetric hydrogenation and Monsanto Co. successfully developed the industrial synthesis of L-DOPA. (DOPA = 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine)
Fig. 2 The structure of DOPA. L-DOPA is the left-handed enantiomer.
I was unable, however, to even start my research along these lines. Many chemists thought that there was not much left to be investigated in the field of asymmetric hydrogenation, but it turned out in contrast that the study had only just begun.
When I started my research on asymmetric hydrogenation, I made up my mind to achieve a perfect asymmetric synthesis. For this purpose I chose a compound called BINAP. (BINAP = 2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl)
I was enchanted by the beauty of the structure of BINAP. Any chemist can appreciate its beauty if one draws its structure.
CEI: Indeed. We can say that splendid functions come from beautiful structures.
RN: I believe so. The dictum of the "Bauhaus" movement of Germany tells the truth. "The beauty of that molecule is brilliant". I started research on this molecule from 1974. We encountered a series of difficulties, and many Japanese and foreign chemists withdrew from such study. In 1980, we finally managed to publish a paper on the asymmetric synthesis of amino acids based on the BINAP chemistry. One of my coworkers on this project was the late Prof. Hidemasa Takaya who was at the Institute of Molecular Science and Kyoto University. Sadly, he passed away in 1994 while he was on a lecture tour in Germany.
Fig. 3 The structure of BINAP.
Notably, as we continued the study, it became clear that the complex of rhodium (Rh) and BINAP as catalyst was the worst possible combination in view of the reaction mechanism. The result looked nice since nearly a 100 % enantiomeric excess was obtained. However, this result was beside the point as Prof. J. Halpern pointed out. The hydrogenation reaction proceeded via complexes between the BINAP-Rh catalyst and an alkene substrate. Two equilibrating intermediates were formed; one was the major, favored complex and the other a minor isomer. The point is that the minor intermediate was more reactive and gave the desired enantiomeric isomer, whereas the major complex was less reactive to result in the wrong enantiomeric product. BINAP is very selective, and only the main complex could be observed using NMR. This complex was, however, not very reactive, and its minor isomer, which was not detectable by NMR, was active. This meant that a very strict control of the reaction condition was required to form the necessary minor complex. How you could form in sufficient quantity a compound which was hardly detectable? The suitable reaction condition was obtainable only with a very dilute solution and under a reduced pressure. Two years were necessary to find that appropriate reaction condition.
Nevertheless, the BINAP-Rh complex became famous not because of asymmetric hydrogenation, but because of its successful application to the asymmetric synthesis of menthol which was carried out in a joint collaboration with Prof. Otsuka's group (Osaka University) and Takasago International Corporation.
The turning point which allowed us to conquer the difficulty involved in the asymmetric hydrogenation was achieved when we changed the metal from Rh to ruthenium (Ru). With the aid of this new complex, the asymmetric hydrogenation of a variety of alkenes became possible, and a new dimension to asymmetric hydrogenation opened up. It was 1986 when the first report of that attempt was published. More than ten years had passed since the synthesis of L-DOPA by Monsanto Co., but our findings opened up a whole new dimension to the study of asymmetric hydrogenation. At present, the BINAP-Ru complex has been employed in numerous fields of study. It is now possible to asymmetrically hydrogenate a variety of C=C and C=O bonds, and the technique has been widely applied to industrial synthesis of fine chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs. The key was the unique reaction fields provided by BINAP.
CEI: Was the competition hard?
RN: Not necessarily. The essence of research is how to reply to the questions cast by chemistry. Hence I did not care at all about competition with other chemists.
CEI: Anyway, you solved the problem successfully. How did you achieve success?
RN: There were two problems to be solved in asymmetric hydrogenation. One was how to achieve high ratios of (+)-enantiomer to (-)-enantiomer as close as possible to 100:0. This could be solved by designing the shape of the catalyst. This success attracted considerable attention.
The second problem was more important. How could one make the reaction rate higher; in other words, how could the activation energy of the reaction be lowered? The catalytic reaction is multi-step in general. Which step should be accelerated? The prediction was very difficult and not all chemists could do that. One has to use insight to "see" what could not be seen by experiments. Without belief supported by rationality one could not achieve that.
Not many chemists have attempted to solve rationally such a problem. People tend to rely upon luck! There are many chemists in this field who are satisfied with imitating or modifying what has been discovered by other pionieers. In this regards, the competition with myself, or rather, with nature or the system of chemistry, was severe. I hardly paid any attention to competition with other chemists, but rather I relied upon my belief, and continued study, always thinking of a way to prove my hypothesis. This is most amusing!
Fig. 4 The characteristic asymmetric structure of BINAP is due to the twist of two naphthalene rings from the coplanar structure. For simplicity, the Kekulé structure (a) and a molecular model (b) of binaphthyl, which consists of two naphthalene rings. The Kekulé structure seems to indicate that the molecule has a planar structure. In fact, two naphthalene rings are largely twisted because of the repulsion between two hydrogen atoms indicated by arrows. A pair of enantiomers will be obtained depending on whether the twist is clockwise or anti-clockwise. In the case of the BINAP-Rh complex, the angle of twist is 74.4o.
CEI: What we have heard is really very valuable and useful for young people. The way you carry out research seems to have been influenced by the training you had received in Kyoto University concerning your research on reactive intermediates.
By the way, how did you come to change the metal you used for the complex?
RN: It was already discovered by Wilkinson and others that Ru as well as Rh could cleave hydrogen molecules and might be suitable for the hydrogenation catalyst. Famous chemists such as Kagan and Knowles had already obtained excellent results using Rh catalysts. Hence many chemists were tempted by these findings to study Rh.
Science itself is objective. The research is done, however, by scientists. I have understood over a long period of study that research is strongly influenced by the mindset of scientists.
Fig. 5 (new page) Changes over time to catalysts used in asymmetric hydrogenation. All these catalysts are useful depending on the structures of substrates.
CEI: Can you tell us about some lessons you have learned over your long research career that might be helpful to young people.
RN: After more than thirty years' studying hydrogenation, I realized that "fact is the enemy of truth". This is the dialog of Don Quixote in the musical "Man of La Mancha" written by Dale Wasserman. Facts are valid only under limited conditions while the truth is something general that is behind the facts. The facts known when we initiated the study of hydrogenation were scientifically correct at that time, but it was only a very small part of the world of asymmetric hydrogenation. The truth about asymmetric hydrogenation is very deep and expansive.
What chemists in the 1970s were doing was something like a "dot". I felt I could make that "dot" into a "line". Yet it remains as a line. The principles and possibilities of chemistry might be extended to a "plane" or even to a three-dimensional world. Facts should be respected as facts, but we should not just accept facts which are limiting and thereby overlook the great truth behind facts. Otherwise development of science will be retarded. You should consider alternative possibilities and think carefully about your work.
CEI: This is really the crucial point. We tend to be satisfied when we feel we have identified the facts. It is difficult to go on further from this point.
By the way, there is a worldwide concern that young people are not interested in science in general, and in chemistry in particular. Can you provide a personal message for aspiring chemists?
RN: The world of science will expand infinitely. However, scientific research today tends to be too special and fragmental. What is needed of science is 'generality'; that all fields are combined into one universal science. So far scientists have not been particularly eager for this. Scientists must have a wider view of nature. As I have said before, scientists must make a line from a point, expand to a plane from a line and then design and construct a space. Chemistry is a science of matter and is the basis of modern civilization. Generality is particularly important for chemistry.
I like to advise young people that though the role of chemistry is the synthesis of materials, it should not remain its only role. Chemistry should open new fields or create new fields. There have been a large number of scientific/technological developments across many fields of science. In chemistry, technical advances that have had large ripple effects did not merely involve the synthesis of materials, but the creation of new fields of thought.
Sure, the synthesis of matter is important, but chemists should consider how new materials affect our society. If chemistry is satisfied simply with the synthesis of materials, then chemistry will be subordinate to other technologies, which would indeed be a pity!
The National Academy of Engineering (USA) ranked the 20th century as the century of technological innovation, and selected twenty great technological achievements. The greatest innovation they considered to be electricity, the others being automobiles, airplanes, water supply, electronics, radio and television, mechanization of agriculture, computers, telephones, air-conditioning and freezing, highways, space ships, the Internet, imaging, electrification of housework, medicine, petroleum and petroleum chemistry, laser and optical fibers, atomic power and high-functional materials.
The list clearly indicates the great contribution of chemistry. We can also see that most of these items are innovations of new fields when considered as social technologies. Cellular phones provide a good example. These are composites of materials, but create an innovation and change society. It is important to carry out research with such an idea in view, and to design the system for research.
CEI: I am afraid that it is rather difficult, under the present educational system, for young people to grow up with such a wide perspective. Perhaps you have some advice for schoolteachers that might be useful.
RN: I expect teachers will understand the reason why human beings devote time to science, and convey this point to their students. Scientists devote themselves to science not because of bread, but because science will bring them spiritual fulfillment.
I was enchanted by the beauty of the logic of science, and have tried to do what is important and fundamental. I also expect that if the results of my study will be useful to many fields of science, and furthermore, to society, then I should be pleased. Basically I did science for the sake of spiritual fulfillment and the realization of my hopes. To achieve this, both sensibility and intelligence are necessary. I hope people will cultivate these virtues when they are young.
Fig 6 The telephone card produced in tribute to the Nobel Prize awarded to Prof. Noyori. He loved the beautiful structure of BINAP.
My motto is "Research should be fresh, simple and clear." I would advise young people to consider the way to promote science in the right direction, and tackle problems as legitimate and fundamental as possible.
CEI: The challenge to solve legitimate and fundamental problems is indeed a challenge to create a new field!
RN: From my forty years' experience as a researcher, I learned that a research project has its own lifetime. In most cases this is from twenty to thirty years. A new jump, making the results obtained thus far as the foundation for further expansion, is required when the project is fully grown.
I hope young people will try to find a project which will be widely developed and open a new field. If young people in their late twenties or early thirties could find such a project, they will become the core researchers in this field after twenty or thirty years. In this regard, it is not advisable to choose currently popular topics as your project. This is not interesting, anyway.
Photo 6 Prof. Noyori was enthusiastic about speaking with us for this interview series which has been put together for the benefit of young chemists.
When you tackle with a new project, at first you will be in a minority group. Originality tends to be a lonely existence. I hope young people will not fear loneliness. Rather, I hope they will be proud of it. There seems to be a kind of misunderstanding of the meaning of democracy; thus it tends to be accepted that the majority is mighty and correct while the minority is wrong. People tend to belong to the majority because it is safer. Such a tendency is by all means not good for science.
I hope that science teachers appreciate the wonder of science and teach it to children. A textbook is something like a jewel box. Teachers should master the textbooks and convey this inspiration.
CEI: There seems to be an increase in the number of high school teachers who have studied at graduate school. Such teachers have practical experience of research and can tell lively stories of their own experiences to students.
RN: Indeed, it is most important that teachers who have learned the wonder of science by themselves will share their experiences with students. One of the reasons why science is not so popular among young people is that science is treated much too objectively, which ends in disregard of the people involved. Humans are interested in humans. Einstein is an overwhelmingly famous scholar. Many people are enchanted by him not only because of his great scientific achievement but also because of his unique personality and physical features.
Scientific research is by all means human. I hope teachers will tell students about this aspect of science. One of the reasons for the lack of popularity of science is "the absence of humanity", at least in Japan. There are many people who like literature but do not like science. However, few people do not like literature. Most scientists like literature probably because human beings are always involved. I hope teachers who have good memories of research will make this point to their students.
CEI: Finally, can you send a message to young people who will read the transcript of this interview?
RN: So far scientists have pursued the truth about nature while engineers have solved practical problems faced by society. Hereafter scientists are expected to not only have specific abilities related to their research, but also have an ability to foretell the trends of future society. Both teachers and students should know and understand this point. The crucial point is to create and maintain a sustainable society for our offspring. Science and technology must contribute to this.
CEI: Thank you very much for your valuable comments.
Last modified 13.04.07
Sunday, June 24, 2007
some ebooks
F. P. Beer, E. R. Johnston Jr., E. R. Eisenberg, & G. H. Staab,«Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Dynamics, 7/e: Solutions Manual»
McGraw-Hill | ISBN 0072930799 | 7 edition (June 1, 2003) | PDF | 768 pages | 59 M + 352 MB
Solutions Manual (4parts: 3x95.78 MB+ 65.14 MB)
RS:Part1 and MiHD:Part2 and MiHD:Part3 and sendspace:Part4
http://rapidshare.com/files/37154226/VMdyn7e_BJ.part1.rar.html
http://mihd.net/d92831
http://mihd.net/8nrtj2
http://www.sendspace.com/file/nf639l
http://avaxhome.org/ebooks/enging056.html
Mark J. Jackson, «Micro and Nanomanufacturing»
Springer | ISBN: 0387258744 | 1 edition (November 27, 2006) | 702 pages | PDF | 43.2 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/38652706/Micro.and.Nanomanufacturing-PDF-0387258744.zip
H. Pham, "Springer Handbook of Engineering Statistics "
Springer | ISBN: 1852338067 | July 5, 2006 | 1120 pages | PDF | 18.11MB
Rapidshare
http://rapidshare.com/files/38573916/SHBoES.rar.html
Mirrors: MiHD or Sendspace or Fileflyer
http://mihd.net/0x9al7
http://www.sendspace.com/file/sfnnh9
http://www.fileflyer.com/view/MapBQA5
C. Koughia, Safa Kasap, Peter Capper, «Springer Handbook of Electronic and Photonic Materials»
Springer | ISBN: 0387260595 | 1st Edition - October 19, 2006 | 1438 pages | PDF | 35.8 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/38559218/Springer.Handbook.of.Electronic.and.Photonic.Materials-0387260595.zip
Michael B. Smith / Jerry March, «March's Advanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, and Structure, 6th Edition»
Wiley-Interscience | ISBN: 0471720917 | 6 edition (January 16, 2007) | 2357 pages | PDF | 23.2 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/38265073/Marchs.Advanced.Organic.Chemistry.6th.Ed-0471720917.zip
Werner Martienssen, Hans Warlimont, «Springer Handbook of Condensed Matter and Materials Data»
Springer | ISBN: 3540443762 | 1 edition (April 19, 2005) | 1120 pages | PDF | 31 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/38104663/Springer.Handbook.of.Condensed.Matter.and.Materials-PDF-3540443762.zip
George B. Thomas / Maurice D. Weir / Joel D. Hass / Frank R. Giordano, «Thomas' Calculus (11th Edition)»
Addison Wesley | ISBN: 0321185587 | 11 edition (October 5, 2004) | 1380 pages | PDF | 68 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/37693157/Thomas.Calculus.11th.Edition-0321185587.rar
D.C. Montgomery,& G.C.Runger,«Applied Statistics and Probability for Engineers 3/e»
Book+Solutions Manual
Wiley | ISBN 0471204544 | 3rd edition (September 9, 2002) | PDF | 720 pages | 8 MB + 3 MB
Book 8MB
mihd or RS or bandongo
http://gigapedia.org/redirect.id:4a4dcc49bd6d7909023fa6a75c266377.url
http://gigapedia.org/redirect.id:2a276bd55da98ce683cc757866ea91d1.url
http://gigapedia.org/redirect.id:60691f819770382dc2be791be8cdf7ba.url
Solutions Manual 3MB
RS or depsitefiles or IceFile or MiHD or sendspace or zupload
http://rapidshare.com/files/37490121/SM_AP4E3e.rar.html
http://depositfiles.com/files/1031490
http://www.icefile.net/index.php?page=main&id=c89771229&name=SM_AP4E3e.rar
http://mihd.net/j561lb
http://www.sendspace.com/file/hguh8h
http://z11.zupload.com/download.php?file=getfile&filepath=59920
David Whitford, «Proteins: Structure and Function»
Wiley | ISBN: 0471498947 | 2005-05-20 | 542 pages | PDF | 31 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/37291631/Proteins.Structure.and.Function-PDF-0471498947.zip
David Machin / Trevor N. Bryant / Stephen Gardner, «Statistics with Confidence: Confidence Intervals and Statistical Guidelines»
Blackwell Publishing Limited | ISBN: 0727913751 | 2 edition (May 15, 2000) | 240 pages | PDF | 33 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/37259427/Statistics.with.Confidence-0727913751.zip
Henry O. Everitt, «Experimental Aspects of Quantum Computing»
Springer | ISBN: 0387230459 | 1 edition (April 1, 2005) | 308 pages | PDF | 15 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/37056406/Experimental.Aspects.of.Quantum.Computing-0387230459.zip
McGraw-Hill | ISBN 0072930799 | 7 edition (June 1, 2003) | PDF | 768 pages | 59 M + 352 MB
Solutions Manual (4parts: 3x95.78 MB+ 65.14 MB)
RS:Part1 and MiHD:Part2 and MiHD:Part3 and sendspace:Part4
http://rapidshare.com/files/37154226/VMdyn7e_BJ.part1.rar.html
http://mihd.net/d92831
http://mihd.net/8nrtj2
http://www.sendspace.com/file/nf639l
http://avaxhome.org/ebooks/enging056.html
Mark J. Jackson, «Micro and Nanomanufacturing»
Springer | ISBN: 0387258744 | 1 edition (November 27, 2006) | 702 pages | PDF | 43.2 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/38652706/Micro.and.Nanomanufacturing-PDF-0387258744.zip
H. Pham, "Springer Handbook of Engineering Statistics "
Springer | ISBN: 1852338067 | July 5, 2006 | 1120 pages | PDF | 18.11MB
Rapidshare
http://rapidshare.com/files/38573916/SHBoES.rar.html
Mirrors: MiHD or Sendspace or Fileflyer
http://mihd.net/0x9al7
http://www.sendspace.com/file/sfnnh9
http://www.fileflyer.com/view/MapBQA5
C. Koughia, Safa Kasap, Peter Capper, «Springer Handbook of Electronic and Photonic Materials»
Springer | ISBN: 0387260595 | 1st Edition - October 19, 2006 | 1438 pages | PDF | 35.8 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/38559218/Springer.Handbook.of.Electronic.and.Photonic.Materials-0387260595.zip
Michael B. Smith / Jerry March, «March's Advanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, and Structure, 6th Edition»
Wiley-Interscience | ISBN: 0471720917 | 6 edition (January 16, 2007) | 2357 pages | PDF | 23.2 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/38265073/Marchs.Advanced.Organic.Chemistry.6th.Ed-0471720917.zip
Werner Martienssen, Hans Warlimont, «Springer Handbook of Condensed Matter and Materials Data»
Springer | ISBN: 3540443762 | 1 edition (April 19, 2005) | 1120 pages | PDF | 31 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/38104663/Springer.Handbook.of.Condensed.Matter.and.Materials-PDF-3540443762.zip
George B. Thomas / Maurice D. Weir / Joel D. Hass / Frank R. Giordano, «Thomas' Calculus (11th Edition)»
Addison Wesley | ISBN: 0321185587 | 11 edition (October 5, 2004) | 1380 pages | PDF | 68 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/37693157/Thomas.Calculus.11th.Edition-0321185587.rar
D.C. Montgomery,& G.C.Runger,«Applied Statistics and Probability for Engineers 3/e»
Book+Solutions Manual
Wiley | ISBN 0471204544 | 3rd edition (September 9, 2002) | PDF | 720 pages | 8 MB + 3 MB
Book 8MB
mihd or RS or bandongo
http://gigapedia.org/redirect.id:4a4dcc49bd6d7909023fa6a75c266377.url
http://gigapedia.org/redirect.id:2a276bd55da98ce683cc757866ea91d1.url
http://gigapedia.org/redirect.id:60691f819770382dc2be791be8cdf7ba.url
Solutions Manual 3MB
RS or depsitefiles or IceFile or MiHD or sendspace or zupload
http://rapidshare.com/files/37490121/SM_AP4E3e.rar.html
http://depositfiles.com/files/1031490
http://www.icefile.net/index.php?page=main&id=c89771229&name=SM_AP4E3e.rar
http://mihd.net/j561lb
http://www.sendspace.com/file/hguh8h
http://z11.zupload.com/download.php?file=getfile&filepath=59920
David Whitford, «Proteins: Structure and Function»
Wiley | ISBN: 0471498947 | 2005-05-20 | 542 pages | PDF | 31 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/37291631/Proteins.Structure.and.Function-PDF-0471498947.zip
David Machin / Trevor N. Bryant / Stephen Gardner, «Statistics with Confidence: Confidence Intervals and Statistical Guidelines»
Blackwell Publishing Limited | ISBN: 0727913751 | 2 edition (May 15, 2000) | 240 pages | PDF | 33 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/37259427/Statistics.with.Confidence-0727913751.zip
Henry O. Everitt, «Experimental Aspects of Quantum Computing»
Springer | ISBN: 0387230459 | 1 edition (April 1, 2005) | 308 pages | PDF | 15 Mb
http://rapidshare.com/files/37056406/Experimental.Aspects.of.Quantum.Computing-0387230459.zip
Thursday, June 21, 2007
New Web of Knowledge Introduction
http://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/vu/view.asp?pi=679828919
http://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/nvu/player.swf
Much similar to that of Scopus, which will be launched in mid 2007.
http://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/nvu/player.swf
Much similar to that of Scopus, which will be launched in mid 2007.
有机/高分子材料未来的发展方向
有机／高分子材料是现代工业和高新技术的重要基石，已成为国民经济基础产业以及
国家安全不可或缺的重要材料。一方面量大面广的通用高分子材料需要不断地升级改造
，以降低成本、提高材料的使用性能；另一方面各类新型的高分子材料将应运而生，尤
其是有机及聚合物分子或少数分子组合体的光、电和磁特性将成为高分子向功能化以及
微型器件化发展的重要方向。
（1）分子材料与分子电子器件研究：该领域的主要研究方向是：新型功能分子的设计
、合成与组装；分子纳米结构的构筑；分子的组装、自组装以及自组装技术在分子电子
器件上的应用研究。这些分子电子器件主要包括分子电开关、分子光开关和分子电光开
关的设计、分子导线、分子整流器、分子开关、分子晶体管、分子马达及分子逻辑器等。
（2）光电信息功能高分子材料研究重点主要在：
●有机／高分子光子晶体材料：探索有机／高分子形成光子材料的途径；
●超高密度高分子存储材料：开发存储密度高的高分子材料；
●高分子传输材料：研究和开发应用于通讯传输的具有较高光学透过性，光学均匀
，且高折射率、低光损耗的高分子塑料光纤；
●高分子显示材料：有机／高分子电致发光材料、高分子液晶材料等，其发展方向
为开发出具有高的电致发光效率、低驱动电压，具有不同发光波长（彩色）和长寿命的
各种发光器件。
（3）生物医用高分子材料包括：
●药物载体与控释材料：研究适于各类药物的新型生物降解高分子载体和控释材料
的设计与合成，药物与载体的相互作用以及药物载体体系的生物医学性能（注射、口服
、吸收、分布、排泄等）评价；
●诱导组织自修复与再生材料：研究能够诱导组织自修复与再生新型生物降解材料
的设计与制备，材料的形态、孔度、降解速度等与组织自修复和再生过程的相互作用关
系；
●生物医用材料的表面修饰以及生物相容性研究：研究不同结构的生物医用材料表
面修饰新方法以解决材料的生物相容性问题等。
（4）与能源、环境相关的高分子功能材料
●燃料电池、太阳能电池的关键高分子材料：研究高能、长寿命固态电池及相关电
极材料；研究不同有机光敏染料和纳米半导体结构体系的太阳能电池，柔性、薄膜太阳
能电池的研究将是未来发展的重要方向；
●吸收／分离高分子材料：重点研究用于废气与废水处理的功能材料；具有高选择
性吸附、分离功能的膜及纳米介孔材料等；
●环境敏感材料与材料智能化：研究对微量有害物质等环境因素高灵敏度感应和传
感材料及危害防护材料等；
●绿色、环保高分子材料研究：重点研究天然高分子材料（如淀粉、纤维素等）的
改性等。
国家安全不可或缺的重要材料。一方面量大面广的通用高分子材料需要不断地升级改造
，以降低成本、提高材料的使用性能；另一方面各类新型的高分子材料将应运而生，尤
其是有机及聚合物分子或少数分子组合体的光、电和磁特性将成为高分子向功能化以及
微型器件化发展的重要方向。
（1）分子材料与分子电子器件研究：该领域的主要研究方向是：新型功能分子的设计
、合成与组装；分子纳米结构的构筑；分子的组装、自组装以及自组装技术在分子电子
器件上的应用研究。这些分子电子器件主要包括分子电开关、分子光开关和分子电光开
关的设计、分子导线、分子整流器、分子开关、分子晶体管、分子马达及分子逻辑器等。
（2）光电信息功能高分子材料研究重点主要在：
●有机／高分子光子晶体材料：探索有机／高分子形成光子材料的途径；
●超高密度高分子存储材料：开发存储密度高的高分子材料；
●高分子传输材料：研究和开发应用于通讯传输的具有较高光学透过性，光学均匀
，且高折射率、低光损耗的高分子塑料光纤；
●高分子显示材料：有机／高分子电致发光材料、高分子液晶材料等，其发展方向
为开发出具有高的电致发光效率、低驱动电压，具有不同发光波长（彩色）和长寿命的
各种发光器件。
（3）生物医用高分子材料包括：
●药物载体与控释材料：研究适于各类药物的新型生物降解高分子载体和控释材料
的设计与合成，药物与载体的相互作用以及药物载体体系的生物医学性能（注射、口服
、吸收、分布、排泄等）评价；
●诱导组织自修复与再生材料：研究能够诱导组织自修复与再生新型生物降解材料
的设计与制备，材料的形态、孔度、降解速度等与组织自修复和再生过程的相互作用关
系；
●生物医用材料的表面修饰以及生物相容性研究：研究不同结构的生物医用材料表
面修饰新方法以解决材料的生物相容性问题等。
（4）与能源、环境相关的高分子功能材料
●燃料电池、太阳能电池的关键高分子材料：研究高能、长寿命固态电池及相关电
极材料；研究不同有机光敏染料和纳米半导体结构体系的太阳能电池，柔性、薄膜太阳
能电池的研究将是未来发展的重要方向；
●吸收／分离高分子材料：重点研究用于废气与废水处理的功能材料；具有高选择
性吸附、分离功能的膜及纳米介孔材料等；
●环境敏感材料与材料智能化：研究对微量有害物质等环境因素高灵敏度感应和传
感材料及危害防护材料等；
●绿色、环保高分子材料研究：重点研究天然高分子材料（如淀粉、纤维素等）的
改性等。
挑战21世纪生命科学的通天塔----漫谈《生物物理学：能量、信息、生命》
挑战21世纪生命科学的通天塔----漫谈《生物物理学：能量、信息、生命》
欧阳钟灿/20世纪初，人们已经意识到，尽管从化学的角度看生物体仿佛一杯羹，但生
物体却能做到羹无法完成的很多事情。薛定谔在《生命是什么》(1944 年)中就提出了
生物体如何从食物中创建秩序并做功这一难题。到20世纪中叶，DNA双螺旋结构的发现
使人们明白，生命的奥秘可以通过研究大分子得以揭示，人类由此进入了历史上最具革
命性和深远意义的分子生物学时代，并在此后长达50余年的时间里一直维持着知识爆炸
式增长的态势。
在20 世纪末的最后几年里，生命科学捷报频传：首先是1997年多莉羊的诞生，接着是
2000年美英首脑同时宣布人类基因组草图问世。然而，面对旧世纪送给新千年的礼物--
--一部由30亿个碱基对写成的“天书”，人们感到局势逆转了。现在的问题是，关于生
命现象的分子层次的信息太多了，生物学有被海量信息淹没之虞，当务之急是寻找一个
新的工作框架，把描述性生物学积累起来的大量事实、海量数据组织起来，为此，定量
生物学应运而生。加入这个队伍的不仅有生物学家、化学家、物理学家、数学家和工程
师，甚至医生和企业家也被逐渐卷入。这支具有不同学科背景的研究大军挑战的是生命
科学的通天塔，并且有望不再重蹈古巴比伦人的覆辙(按《旧约·创世纪》的传说，上
帝因古巴比伦人狂妄而令他们各操不同的语言，从而无法建成通天塔)。
例如，单分子物理学技术已为生物学家广泛接受，并使人们对细胞的探索进入到前所未
有的深度，不仅可对纳米尺度的DNA单分子进行快速测序，还可以对它们进行拉伸和扭
转。这类截然不同于传统生物学的直接观测手段，将对标准生物学教科书中各种臆测的
卡通式图像进行更为可信的检验。在学科界限日益模糊的大背景下，美国国家科学基金
会(NSF)与国家卫生研究院(NIH)联手资助大学建立了多个跨学科的Bio-X中心，英国生
物技术与生物科学基金会在2003年建立了以10年为期的重大研究计划----预测生物学。
这个蓬勃发展的交叉学科正在成为大量学术会议、高质量学术期刊以及基金资助机构的
主角。为培养能适应这种发展需求的具有全新知识结构的研究人员，首当其冲应革新大
学生命科学相关的教学，使培养出来的跨学科学生能使用同一种语言去建造生命科学的
通天塔。
“写给下一代的分子生物学家”
1998 年，《细胞》出版一期生物分子机器研究的研究专辑，时任美国科学院院长、生
物学家和生物学教育家的艾伯茨(B. Alberts)为该专辑撰写了题为《作为蛋白质机器集
合体的细胞：写给下一代分子生物学家》的导言。他在文中明确指出，将细胞简单地视
为化学反应器的传统观念正在被颠覆，取而代之的是将细胞当做大量单分子机器协调运
转的集合体。这一图像使得生物学与物理学的人为界定失去了意义。为顺应这一发展趋
势，新一代分子生物学家不可能再将物理学、数学等当做研究中的点缀，相反，这些知
识将是他们在后基因组时代成功的核心因素。为此，他呼吁生物系反省传统的教学内容
和方式，适当增加数学、物理学等其他学科的知识。这篇文章事实上也预示了后续事态
的发展。
2000 年10月，艾伯茨和NIH、霍华德·休斯医学研究所的官员共同倡议并发起了名为“
培养21世纪的科学家：本科生的生物学教育” (Undergraduate biology education to
prepare research scientists for the 21st century，简称Bio2010)的教育类咨询
调研项目。美国科学院研究理事会承担了Bio2010的实施，组织了为期两年的系统研究
，在2003年正式发表了长达200页的Bio2010报告，凝练了当今生命科学本科生必修的生
物、化学、物理、数学与计算机科学以及工程科学的基本概念。 Bio2010委员会主席是
中国学生所熟悉的生物化学家、斯坦福大学的斯特里厄(L. Stryer)教授。
神经网络模型创立者、普林斯顿大学教授霍普菲尔德(J. Hopfield)是Bio2010物理与工
程学分委会主席，他在《今日物理》(Physics Today)上撰文指出：Bio2010的迫切需要
，是由于生物学正逐渐演变成越来越定量化、越来越与其他学科交叉的态势。他强调，
定量化与物理学观点是理解蛋白质折叠、细菌化学趋化、神经冲动、细胞研究中的单分
子荧光探测、生物演化、扫描电镜工作原理、蛋白质收缩发力、对称性破缺形成的斑图
、由编码不同蛋白质的DNA序列构成的进化树、生化反应网络的侦测/放大/决策机制等
一系列当代生命科学前沿课题所不可或缺的。因此，他认为普林斯顿大学生命科学系的
学生都必修一门内容有所剪裁的物理课程。同时，他对现行物理学教程完全砍掉复杂系
统相关的内容(这正是生命科学研究所需要的)而鲁莽地跳到麦克斯韦方程的做法深表不
满。他呼吁传统的物理学课程应该从“性质”描述改造成为“功能”描述(生命体正是
典型的功能系统)。当然，霍普菲尔德也指出，Bio2010报告本身并不足以完成这一使命
，但各大学可以根据该报告的有关内容，调整与改造本科生教程以适应21世纪的需要。
报告公布两年后，美国生物科学学会的初步调查表明，Bio2010在促进高校生物医学专
业的教学改革方面已经取得了一定的实效。
作为呼应，美国科学院研究理事会也于近期建立了“凝聚态物质与材料物理学2010年前
瞻”委员会(CMMP2010)，并发表了题为《凝聚态物质和材料的物理学：我们身边的科学
》的中期报告，提出了8个挑战性的问题：(1)复杂现象如何从简单组分系统中涌现？(2
)未来我们如何发电？(3)生命的物理学是什么样的？(4)远离平衡的系统会产生什么现
象？为什么？(5)纳米世界有什么新现象？为什么？(6)如何拓展测量和预测的新领域？
(7)如何变革信息时代？(8)如何启发和教授他人？细读这个中期报告，不难发现，除了
问题(2)(探讨新能源)与问题(7)(聚焦于自旋电子学、DNA计算机、量子信息) 外，其他
6个问题都与Bio2010对生命科学的物理学变革的阐述遥相呼应。显然，21世纪生命科学
与物理科学之间的融汇贯通已经势不可挡。
纳尔逊的《生物物理学》
世界上第一本全面体现Bio2010精神的教科书，是2004年出版的美国宾州大学教授纳尔
逊(P. Nelson)所著的《生物物理学：能量、信息、生命》(Biological Physics：
energy，inxxxxation，life)。
该书已由中科院理论物理研究所生物物理研究组的研究生译成中文，并由上海科学技术
出版社于2006年12月出版发行。
完全不同于传统生物物理学中物理学的“工具性”从属地位，即利用物理学工具如荧光
、核磁共振、电子显微镜等研究特定的生物学问题，本书坚持将生命系统视为特殊物理
系统的立场，强调从物理学基本原理出发理解生命现象甚至预言新的生命现象(如作者
撰写第9章的目的)，从而凸显了物理学研究(如纳米尺度物理学) 在21世纪生命科学中
的主导地位。因此，书中每章开篇都提出了一个生物学问题，同时给出了与之关联的物
理学思想。带着这些问题和思想来学习每一章，读者就会发现很多奇妙的生命现象的确
可以得到定量描述，并遵循物理学的普遍规律(有时甚至能激励对新原理的探索)。这正
如阅读从开普勒行星运动论到牛顿万有引力论的升华过程，给人们带来一股认识真理的
快感。
时至今日，生物学已经涵盖极广：从分子水平(如DNA、蛋白质、磷酯)到细胞水平，从
它们的个体结构与功能(如细胞与生物膜的自组装、大脑和整个生物体) 到整个生物圈
，几乎无所不包。在纳尔逊的这本书面世之前，人们很难发现一本能对生物学大千世界
进行简单而统一介绍的教科书。要将微观、介观、宏观乃至整个地球生物圈的生命系统
用基本的物理原理联结起来，绝不是轻而易举的事情!而纳尔逊的书做到了这一点。不
难想象，在对众多学科浩繁的文献进行全面梳理并提炼出统一的理论框架的浩大工程中
，作者付出了怎样的心血，此番苦心孤诣堪与诺贝尔物理学奖得主德热纳(P. G. de
Gennes)在20世纪70年代写作《液晶物理学》(The Physics of Liquid Crystals)与《
高分子聚合物物理的标度性概念》(Scaling Concepts in Polymer Physics)两本巨著
的劳苦功高相比拟。德热纳把几十年来广泛分布于文献中的液晶、高分子的研究成果梳
理升华为统一的理论，靠的是他所掌握的刻画软物质的最基本概念----序参数和标度律
；纳尔逊则是基于他对统计物理学的深刻理解，完成了对生物物理学的统一叙述。这一
点可从书中“致指导教师”一节了解。
该书每章都从能量、有序等基本概念出发，逐渐建立起理解生物体各种有序现象的热力
学与统计力学基础。如第一章从能量、有序、熵及耗散等简单描述出发，引导到一个内
涵深刻的事实：生命仿佛热机，各种有序性均源于流经生命系统的能量流，而后者由太
阳、地球及地外太空之间的温度差造成。并由此引出了切中当代生物学研究核心的重大
问题：生物体如何在不同层次上从能量流中攫取有序性？前一观察事实点出了整本书所
遵循的统一物理原理(这常常是生命科学的学生所缺乏的)，对后一问题的探究则使读者
充分领会到生物学致力于细节研究的必要性和独特品位(物理学的学生对“品味细节”
往往感到不适应)。因此，第二章就带领学生(尤其是缺乏生物学背景的物理系学生)走
一趟轻松的细胞世界之旅，见识各种类型的生物有序性，并掌握细胞分子家族的结构及
词汇。接下来的5个章节则兼顾了生物系学生掌握统计物理概念的需求，由浅入深地介
绍了概率、无规行走、扩散、摩擦、耗散、自由能、熵力等概念。这些概念虽为具有物
理背景的学生所熟知，但它们在生物学研究中的应用以及结合实例的深入讨论，却能使
两方面的学生都感到惊奇和兴奋，因为即使是学过统计物理的学生，他们多半也从未体
验过统计物理各个分散的概念可以如此引人入胜地、有机地体现在同一个系统中。
本书最后5个章节则真刀真枪地深入到生物学前沿领域，包括生物分子自组织及协同变
构、酶及生物分子马达、嵌膜分子泵和神经冲动。特别值得一提的是，第十章对热涨落
环境中纳米机器独特工作机制(如布朗棘轮)的生动描述，绝好地体现了当代生物物理学
的主流之一单分子生物物理学与纳米科学之间的深刻联系。面对这些涉及纯生物学领域
的纵深课题如分子马达和离子通道，没有一点生物学背景的物理系学生可能会望而却步
。但学习、阅读纳尔逊这本书却能使读者产生乐而忘返、恨不能一口气读完的感觉。
纳尔逊用对话的方式代替枯燥的说教和乏味的推导，许多过程他都要求读者亲自参与。
例如，许多关键结论通常并不罗列在正文中，而是要求读者动手做完专门设计的思考题
才能得到答案。每章的故事都是由一些简单实例、学科发展简史开始，而后逐步推进到
前沿研究课题。特别令读者感叹的是，基本上所有图例、习题都不含人造数据，而是直
接取材于真实的实验事例。除了思考题，各章末还留有引人深思的家庭作业。这些习题
由易到难、循序渐进。特别是每章若干小节及习题旁标注的 “T”记号，是提供给研究
生以上的读者较深入的拓展内容和习题。根据附带引用的研究文献，学习这些进阶教程
、练习这些进阶习题，可使资深的读者直接进入相应的研究领域。一句话，本书英文版
虽于3年前发行，但书中论及的诸多课题至今仍是世界范围内生物物理学研究的热点。
对今天的学生来说，这样一个飞速发展的领域的确提供了大量通向重大发现的机遇!
这本书不是生物学基础课的一个新分支，而是能够带领读者迅速到达当代生命科学研究
前沿的旅游指南。本书的门槛很低----学习过大学一年级物理和微积分(外加一点高中
的化学和生物学)的本科生即可进入课程。他们既可以是希望向定量生物学领域拓展的
生命科学专业的学生，也可以是希望对生物学有所了解的物理学和工程学的学生。在“
致学生”一节中，纳尔逊就自信地宣称，“等你学会了这些知识，你就应该有能力阅读
当前发表在美国《科学》周刊(Science)和英国《自然》周刊(Nature)上的研究工作。
”纳尔逊在他自己的教学实践中还发现，这个课程不但受到本科生的欢迎，也受到一到
三年级所有级别研究生的欢迎，因为“他们不可能不注意到《纽约时报》(The New
York Times)上那些激动人心的文章，以及《今日物理》(Physics Today)上每一期的封
面文章”。
许多以本书为教材的教授都纷纷发表热情洋溢的书评。在亚马逊网上书店一篇四星级读
者在评论中指出，“我愿意推荐本书给所有有生物学背景或物理学背景的学生和教授”
。另一篇言简意赅的五星级网评则写下了“这本书文字流畅、通俗易懂、内容严谨、举
例恰当，是一本顶尖的教科书”的赞美之辞。这本既可以当教材又可以做高级科普的好
书之所以广受好评，其根本原因是当今物理学者渴望更多地了解生物学，以及生物学家
渴望更多地了解物理学已成旗鼓相当之势。纳尔逊的书打开了通向双方的大门!
纳尔逊与中国译者
中国科学院理论物理研究所的研究生能获此殊荣，将纳尔逊的书译成中文并在华语世界
里首次出版，首先应该归功于该所老一辈物理学家彭桓武、周光召先生约在 17年前就
部署了理论生物物理研究。纳尔逊本人也在大约17年前从超弦理论的研究转行到生物膜
理论，从而开始他本人的生物物理学研究。最近，他的研究已经深入到了DNA单分子弹
性(尤其是短链DNA弹性)、DNA—蛋白质相互作用等前沿课题上，与理论所生物物理研究
者的经历颇为相似。事实上，他与笔者是相慕多年的同行。2003年，即本书英文原版正
式出版前一年，他便来信邀请笔者协助联系出版社及中文版权转让事宜，并组织翻译工
作。
值得庆幸的是，2004年春天，笔者与纳尔逊一起应邀参加由剑桥大学牛顿数学科学研究
所(以下简称牛顿所)举办的“分子与细胞生物系统的统计力学”高级研讨班。牛顿所是
世界著名的传播交叉学科研究的中心，1993年6月23日怀尔斯(A. Wiles)就是在该所宣
布了费马大定理的证明。在研讨班的头一天报告中，纳尔逊向包括1997年诺贝尔化学奖
得主沃克(J. Walker)，高分子物理学者、前卡文迪什教授爱德华兹(S. Edwards，高分
子物理学经典著作The Theory of Polymer Dynamics的作者之一)在内的与会者推介了
他的生物物理学教材，引起了热烈反响(《自然》周刊上的书评就是与会者撰写的)。在
讨论班上，纳尔逊与笔者详细讨论该书的中文翻译，此事还被载入牛顿所2004年年报，
被称为研讨班中一项意想不到的收获。
从牛顿所回来后，根据教学研相长的经验，笔者组织12名研究生，按个人的课题背景分
章节进行了初译，并由其中两位----黎明和戴陆如博士统稿主译。黎明博士是研究组中
阅读并掌握当代生物物理学知识最多的研究生。他为全书的翻译付出了最多的心血和时
间，并发现了原书中存在的一系列不妥甚至错误之处，经作者确认后在中文版中直接进
行了更正，并列入作者的网上勘误表(见http: //www.physics.upenn.edu/~biophys/
errata)。因此，呈现在读者面前的中文版《生物物理学》经理论物理研究所多位资深
研究员阅读后得到了一致肯定。
2006 年，黎明和笔者应邀赴美国加州大学圣巴巴拉分校(UCSB)卡弗里理论物理研究所(
KITP)，参加了由纳尔逊等人组织的“分子与细胞机器的新物理”高级研讨班，聆听当
代该领域顶级专家的报告。特别是在6月11日，研讨班举行了为期一天的小型教育论坛
，专门讨论生物物理的教学，报告人均是美国高校在生物物理第一线从事研究及教学工
作的著名学者，与会者则不乏来自其他领域的专家。纳尔逊以《难易适中的生物物理教
学》(Intermediate biological physics)为题作了精彩演讲，UCSB校长杨祖佑先生及
前述著名科学家艾伯茨也亲临论坛。后者还发表了题为《如何教会未来的生物学家辨别
真正重要的和平庸的生物学问题》的讲演，再次强调了学科交流对产生重大科学问题的
巨大推动作用。生物学家和物理学家齐聚一堂共话教育的场面，实为生命科学与物理科
学交叉融汇的最佳见证。2007年，中国科学院研究生院将以纳尔逊的这本教材为蓝本，
开设生物物理课程，并由黎明博士任教，使当今最前沿的生物物理学知识和理念得以在
广大中国学子中传播。
最后，还要感谢上海科学技术出版社，没有出版社的胆识与大力协助，这个中文译本不
可能这么快与读者见面。感谢出版社为中国生物物理学的发展付出的辛勤劳动及作出的
贡献。
欧阳钟灿/20世纪初，人们已经意识到，尽管从化学的角度看生物体仿佛一杯羹，但生
物体却能做到羹无法完成的很多事情。薛定谔在《生命是什么》(1944 年)中就提出了
生物体如何从食物中创建秩序并做功这一难题。到20世纪中叶，DNA双螺旋结构的发现
使人们明白，生命的奥秘可以通过研究大分子得以揭示，人类由此进入了历史上最具革
命性和深远意义的分子生物学时代，并在此后长达50余年的时间里一直维持着知识爆炸
式增长的态势。
在20 世纪末的最后几年里，生命科学捷报频传：首先是1997年多莉羊的诞生，接着是
2000年美英首脑同时宣布人类基因组草图问世。然而，面对旧世纪送给新千年的礼物--
--一部由30亿个碱基对写成的“天书”，人们感到局势逆转了。现在的问题是，关于生
命现象的分子层次的信息太多了，生物学有被海量信息淹没之虞，当务之急是寻找一个
新的工作框架，把描述性生物学积累起来的大量事实、海量数据组织起来，为此，定量
生物学应运而生。加入这个队伍的不仅有生物学家、化学家、物理学家、数学家和工程
师，甚至医生和企业家也被逐渐卷入。这支具有不同学科背景的研究大军挑战的是生命
科学的通天塔，并且有望不再重蹈古巴比伦人的覆辙(按《旧约·创世纪》的传说，上
帝因古巴比伦人狂妄而令他们各操不同的语言，从而无法建成通天塔)。
例如，单分子物理学技术已为生物学家广泛接受，并使人们对细胞的探索进入到前所未
有的深度，不仅可对纳米尺度的DNA单分子进行快速测序，还可以对它们进行拉伸和扭
转。这类截然不同于传统生物学的直接观测手段，将对标准生物学教科书中各种臆测的
卡通式图像进行更为可信的检验。在学科界限日益模糊的大背景下，美国国家科学基金
会(NSF)与国家卫生研究院(NIH)联手资助大学建立了多个跨学科的Bio-X中心，英国生
物技术与生物科学基金会在2003年建立了以10年为期的重大研究计划----预测生物学。
这个蓬勃发展的交叉学科正在成为大量学术会议、高质量学术期刊以及基金资助机构的
主角。为培养能适应这种发展需求的具有全新知识结构的研究人员，首当其冲应革新大
学生命科学相关的教学，使培养出来的跨学科学生能使用同一种语言去建造生命科学的
通天塔。
“写给下一代的分子生物学家”
1998 年，《细胞》出版一期生物分子机器研究的研究专辑，时任美国科学院院长、生
物学家和生物学教育家的艾伯茨(B. Alberts)为该专辑撰写了题为《作为蛋白质机器集
合体的细胞：写给下一代分子生物学家》的导言。他在文中明确指出，将细胞简单地视
为化学反应器的传统观念正在被颠覆，取而代之的是将细胞当做大量单分子机器协调运
转的集合体。这一图像使得生物学与物理学的人为界定失去了意义。为顺应这一发展趋
势，新一代分子生物学家不可能再将物理学、数学等当做研究中的点缀，相反，这些知
识将是他们在后基因组时代成功的核心因素。为此，他呼吁生物系反省传统的教学内容
和方式，适当增加数学、物理学等其他学科的知识。这篇文章事实上也预示了后续事态
的发展。
2000 年10月，艾伯茨和NIH、霍华德·休斯医学研究所的官员共同倡议并发起了名为“
培养21世纪的科学家：本科生的生物学教育” (Undergraduate biology education to
prepare research scientists for the 21st century，简称Bio2010)的教育类咨询
调研项目。美国科学院研究理事会承担了Bio2010的实施，组织了为期两年的系统研究
，在2003年正式发表了长达200页的Bio2010报告，凝练了当今生命科学本科生必修的生
物、化学、物理、数学与计算机科学以及工程科学的基本概念。 Bio2010委员会主席是
中国学生所熟悉的生物化学家、斯坦福大学的斯特里厄(L. Stryer)教授。
神经网络模型创立者、普林斯顿大学教授霍普菲尔德(J. Hopfield)是Bio2010物理与工
程学分委会主席，他在《今日物理》(Physics Today)上撰文指出：Bio2010的迫切需要
，是由于生物学正逐渐演变成越来越定量化、越来越与其他学科交叉的态势。他强调，
定量化与物理学观点是理解蛋白质折叠、细菌化学趋化、神经冲动、细胞研究中的单分
子荧光探测、生物演化、扫描电镜工作原理、蛋白质收缩发力、对称性破缺形成的斑图
、由编码不同蛋白质的DNA序列构成的进化树、生化反应网络的侦测/放大/决策机制等
一系列当代生命科学前沿课题所不可或缺的。因此，他认为普林斯顿大学生命科学系的
学生都必修一门内容有所剪裁的物理课程。同时，他对现行物理学教程完全砍掉复杂系
统相关的内容(这正是生命科学研究所需要的)而鲁莽地跳到麦克斯韦方程的做法深表不
满。他呼吁传统的物理学课程应该从“性质”描述改造成为“功能”描述(生命体正是
典型的功能系统)。当然，霍普菲尔德也指出，Bio2010报告本身并不足以完成这一使命
，但各大学可以根据该报告的有关内容，调整与改造本科生教程以适应21世纪的需要。
报告公布两年后，美国生物科学学会的初步调查表明，Bio2010在促进高校生物医学专
业的教学改革方面已经取得了一定的实效。
作为呼应，美国科学院研究理事会也于近期建立了“凝聚态物质与材料物理学2010年前
瞻”委员会(CMMP2010)，并发表了题为《凝聚态物质和材料的物理学：我们身边的科学
》的中期报告，提出了8个挑战性的问题：(1)复杂现象如何从简单组分系统中涌现？(2
)未来我们如何发电？(3)生命的物理学是什么样的？(4)远离平衡的系统会产生什么现
象？为什么？(5)纳米世界有什么新现象？为什么？(6)如何拓展测量和预测的新领域？
(7)如何变革信息时代？(8)如何启发和教授他人？细读这个中期报告，不难发现，除了
问题(2)(探讨新能源)与问题(7)(聚焦于自旋电子学、DNA计算机、量子信息) 外，其他
6个问题都与Bio2010对生命科学的物理学变革的阐述遥相呼应。显然，21世纪生命科学
与物理科学之间的融汇贯通已经势不可挡。
纳尔逊的《生物物理学》
世界上第一本全面体现Bio2010精神的教科书，是2004年出版的美国宾州大学教授纳尔
逊(P. Nelson)所著的《生物物理学：能量、信息、生命》(Biological Physics：
energy，inxxxxation，life)。
该书已由中科院理论物理研究所生物物理研究组的研究生译成中文，并由上海科学技术
出版社于2006年12月出版发行。
完全不同于传统生物物理学中物理学的“工具性”从属地位，即利用物理学工具如荧光
、核磁共振、电子显微镜等研究特定的生物学问题，本书坚持将生命系统视为特殊物理
系统的立场，强调从物理学基本原理出发理解生命现象甚至预言新的生命现象(如作者
撰写第9章的目的)，从而凸显了物理学研究(如纳米尺度物理学) 在21世纪生命科学中
的主导地位。因此，书中每章开篇都提出了一个生物学问题，同时给出了与之关联的物
理学思想。带着这些问题和思想来学习每一章，读者就会发现很多奇妙的生命现象的确
可以得到定量描述，并遵循物理学的普遍规律(有时甚至能激励对新原理的探索)。这正
如阅读从开普勒行星运动论到牛顿万有引力论的升华过程，给人们带来一股认识真理的
快感。
时至今日，生物学已经涵盖极广：从分子水平(如DNA、蛋白质、磷酯)到细胞水平，从
它们的个体结构与功能(如细胞与生物膜的自组装、大脑和整个生物体) 到整个生物圈
，几乎无所不包。在纳尔逊的这本书面世之前，人们很难发现一本能对生物学大千世界
进行简单而统一介绍的教科书。要将微观、介观、宏观乃至整个地球生物圈的生命系统
用基本的物理原理联结起来，绝不是轻而易举的事情!而纳尔逊的书做到了这一点。不
难想象，在对众多学科浩繁的文献进行全面梳理并提炼出统一的理论框架的浩大工程中
，作者付出了怎样的心血，此番苦心孤诣堪与诺贝尔物理学奖得主德热纳(P. G. de
Gennes)在20世纪70年代写作《液晶物理学》(The Physics of Liquid Crystals)与《
高分子聚合物物理的标度性概念》(Scaling Concepts in Polymer Physics)两本巨著
的劳苦功高相比拟。德热纳把几十年来广泛分布于文献中的液晶、高分子的研究成果梳
理升华为统一的理论，靠的是他所掌握的刻画软物质的最基本概念----序参数和标度律
；纳尔逊则是基于他对统计物理学的深刻理解，完成了对生物物理学的统一叙述。这一
点可从书中“致指导教师”一节了解。
该书每章都从能量、有序等基本概念出发，逐渐建立起理解生物体各种有序现象的热力
学与统计力学基础。如第一章从能量、有序、熵及耗散等简单描述出发，引导到一个内
涵深刻的事实：生命仿佛热机，各种有序性均源于流经生命系统的能量流，而后者由太
阳、地球及地外太空之间的温度差造成。并由此引出了切中当代生物学研究核心的重大
问题：生物体如何在不同层次上从能量流中攫取有序性？前一观察事实点出了整本书所
遵循的统一物理原理(这常常是生命科学的学生所缺乏的)，对后一问题的探究则使读者
充分领会到生物学致力于细节研究的必要性和独特品位(物理学的学生对“品味细节”
往往感到不适应)。因此，第二章就带领学生(尤其是缺乏生物学背景的物理系学生)走
一趟轻松的细胞世界之旅，见识各种类型的生物有序性，并掌握细胞分子家族的结构及
词汇。接下来的5个章节则兼顾了生物系学生掌握统计物理概念的需求，由浅入深地介
绍了概率、无规行走、扩散、摩擦、耗散、自由能、熵力等概念。这些概念虽为具有物
理背景的学生所熟知，但它们在生物学研究中的应用以及结合实例的深入讨论，却能使
两方面的学生都感到惊奇和兴奋，因为即使是学过统计物理的学生，他们多半也从未体
验过统计物理各个分散的概念可以如此引人入胜地、有机地体现在同一个系统中。
本书最后5个章节则真刀真枪地深入到生物学前沿领域，包括生物分子自组织及协同变
构、酶及生物分子马达、嵌膜分子泵和神经冲动。特别值得一提的是，第十章对热涨落
环境中纳米机器独特工作机制(如布朗棘轮)的生动描述，绝好地体现了当代生物物理学
的主流之一单分子生物物理学与纳米科学之间的深刻联系。面对这些涉及纯生物学领域
的纵深课题如分子马达和离子通道，没有一点生物学背景的物理系学生可能会望而却步
。但学习、阅读纳尔逊这本书却能使读者产生乐而忘返、恨不能一口气读完的感觉。
纳尔逊用对话的方式代替枯燥的说教和乏味的推导，许多过程他都要求读者亲自参与。
例如，许多关键结论通常并不罗列在正文中，而是要求读者动手做完专门设计的思考题
才能得到答案。每章的故事都是由一些简单实例、学科发展简史开始，而后逐步推进到
前沿研究课题。特别令读者感叹的是，基本上所有图例、习题都不含人造数据，而是直
接取材于真实的实验事例。除了思考题，各章末还留有引人深思的家庭作业。这些习题
由易到难、循序渐进。特别是每章若干小节及习题旁标注的 “T”记号，是提供给研究
生以上的读者较深入的拓展内容和习题。根据附带引用的研究文献，学习这些进阶教程
、练习这些进阶习题，可使资深的读者直接进入相应的研究领域。一句话，本书英文版
虽于3年前发行，但书中论及的诸多课题至今仍是世界范围内生物物理学研究的热点。
对今天的学生来说，这样一个飞速发展的领域的确提供了大量通向重大发现的机遇!
这本书不是生物学基础课的一个新分支，而是能够带领读者迅速到达当代生命科学研究
前沿的旅游指南。本书的门槛很低----学习过大学一年级物理和微积分(外加一点高中
的化学和生物学)的本科生即可进入课程。他们既可以是希望向定量生物学领域拓展的
生命科学专业的学生，也可以是希望对生物学有所了解的物理学和工程学的学生。在“
致学生”一节中，纳尔逊就自信地宣称，“等你学会了这些知识，你就应该有能力阅读
当前发表在美国《科学》周刊(Science)和英国《自然》周刊(Nature)上的研究工作。
”纳尔逊在他自己的教学实践中还发现，这个课程不但受到本科生的欢迎，也受到一到
三年级所有级别研究生的欢迎，因为“他们不可能不注意到《纽约时报》(The New
York Times)上那些激动人心的文章，以及《今日物理》(Physics Today)上每一期的封
面文章”。
许多以本书为教材的教授都纷纷发表热情洋溢的书评。在亚马逊网上书店一篇四星级读
者在评论中指出，“我愿意推荐本书给所有有生物学背景或物理学背景的学生和教授”
。另一篇言简意赅的五星级网评则写下了“这本书文字流畅、通俗易懂、内容严谨、举
例恰当，是一本顶尖的教科书”的赞美之辞。这本既可以当教材又可以做高级科普的好
书之所以广受好评，其根本原因是当今物理学者渴望更多地了解生物学，以及生物学家
渴望更多地了解物理学已成旗鼓相当之势。纳尔逊的书打开了通向双方的大门!
纳尔逊与中国译者
中国科学院理论物理研究所的研究生能获此殊荣，将纳尔逊的书译成中文并在华语世界
里首次出版，首先应该归功于该所老一辈物理学家彭桓武、周光召先生约在 17年前就
部署了理论生物物理研究。纳尔逊本人也在大约17年前从超弦理论的研究转行到生物膜
理论，从而开始他本人的生物物理学研究。最近，他的研究已经深入到了DNA单分子弹
性(尤其是短链DNA弹性)、DNA—蛋白质相互作用等前沿课题上，与理论所生物物理研究
者的经历颇为相似。事实上，他与笔者是相慕多年的同行。2003年，即本书英文原版正
式出版前一年，他便来信邀请笔者协助联系出版社及中文版权转让事宜，并组织翻译工
作。
值得庆幸的是，2004年春天，笔者与纳尔逊一起应邀参加由剑桥大学牛顿数学科学研究
所(以下简称牛顿所)举办的“分子与细胞生物系统的统计力学”高级研讨班。牛顿所是
世界著名的传播交叉学科研究的中心，1993年6月23日怀尔斯(A. Wiles)就是在该所宣
布了费马大定理的证明。在研讨班的头一天报告中，纳尔逊向包括1997年诺贝尔化学奖
得主沃克(J. Walker)，高分子物理学者、前卡文迪什教授爱德华兹(S. Edwards，高分
子物理学经典著作The Theory of Polymer Dynamics的作者之一)在内的与会者推介了
他的生物物理学教材，引起了热烈反响(《自然》周刊上的书评就是与会者撰写的)。在
讨论班上，纳尔逊与笔者详细讨论该书的中文翻译，此事还被载入牛顿所2004年年报，
被称为研讨班中一项意想不到的收获。
从牛顿所回来后，根据教学研相长的经验，笔者组织12名研究生，按个人的课题背景分
章节进行了初译，并由其中两位----黎明和戴陆如博士统稿主译。黎明博士是研究组中
阅读并掌握当代生物物理学知识最多的研究生。他为全书的翻译付出了最多的心血和时
间，并发现了原书中存在的一系列不妥甚至错误之处，经作者确认后在中文版中直接进
行了更正，并列入作者的网上勘误表(见http: //www.physics.upenn.edu/~biophys/
errata)。因此，呈现在读者面前的中文版《生物物理学》经理论物理研究所多位资深
研究员阅读后得到了一致肯定。
2006 年，黎明和笔者应邀赴美国加州大学圣巴巴拉分校(UCSB)卡弗里理论物理研究所(
KITP)，参加了由纳尔逊等人组织的“分子与细胞机器的新物理”高级研讨班，聆听当
代该领域顶级专家的报告。特别是在6月11日，研讨班举行了为期一天的小型教育论坛
，专门讨论生物物理的教学，报告人均是美国高校在生物物理第一线从事研究及教学工
作的著名学者，与会者则不乏来自其他领域的专家。纳尔逊以《难易适中的生物物理教
学》(Intermediate biological physics)为题作了精彩演讲，UCSB校长杨祖佑先生及
前述著名科学家艾伯茨也亲临论坛。后者还发表了题为《如何教会未来的生物学家辨别
真正重要的和平庸的生物学问题》的讲演，再次强调了学科交流对产生重大科学问题的
巨大推动作用。生物学家和物理学家齐聚一堂共话教育的场面，实为生命科学与物理科
学交叉融汇的最佳见证。2007年，中国科学院研究生院将以纳尔逊的这本教材为蓝本，
开设生物物理课程，并由黎明博士任教，使当今最前沿的生物物理学知识和理念得以在
广大中国学子中传播。
最后，还要感谢上海科学技术出版社，没有出版社的胆识与大力协助，这个中文译本不
可能这么快与读者见面。感谢出版社为中国生物物理学的发展付出的辛勤劳动及作出的
贡献。
Thursday, June 14, 2007
从男人面相看健康
健康时报
观测点①：鼻子
发现：鼻头脱皮节制房事
揭密：如果鼻头发红，且鼻头和鼻周经常痈肿生疮，这就表明体内脾胃湿热，抽烟喝酒、贪食辛辣的男人常会有这些症状出现。而精神压力过大有时也会使男人变成红鼻头。
鼻尖如果呈紫色可能是血压偏高，或盐和酒精摄取过多。
另外，鼻头突然出现酒渣鼻，为肺胃热郁血瘀，这是在提醒您，男性性功能在下降，应当重视。而鼻头发暗、枯燥脱皮，则提醒的是纵欲过度，身体已经消耗了太多津液和正气。
体贴处方：
1.每天早晨帮他测量一次血压，观察血压的状况。
2.饮食宜清淡，不要吃得太咸。
3.要帮助他进行按摩，用中指指腹向下轻轻按摩鼻子两侧，左右两侧各按摩3次；然后指腹紧贴鼻沟，缓缓地上下移动6次。
4.节制房事，滋阴调养。
观测点②：眼睛
发现：黑眼圈要少喝水
揭密：中医认为眼睛与肝有关，而肝的功能失调，又会导致男性生殖功能失常。因此，这里要提醒工作压力大、常感疲惫的男性朋友，如果在短期内忽然出现了两目干涩、视物不清等眼部不适，要及时到医院检查和就诊，听从医生的建议补肝或清肝，调和气血，充润宗筋，以免影响了性功能。
另外，如果早上起来发现他的眼圈发黑、脸色晦暗，则表明他的肾脏负担太重，使得身体里的水分排不出去，从而形成了“熊猫眼”。
体贴处方：
1．饮食上要减少用盐量，以免过多摄入水分。
2．祛除黑眼圈可多吃利水食物，用鸭肉煮栗子、烧大白菜等进行食疗，还可用红白萝卜煮肉汤喝。此外，猪腰煮汤吃也很有效果。
3．眼红肿痛的可以用枸杞子、菊花、百合煮水代茶饮治疗。
4．眼睑浮肿多为水肿，则睡眠要充足，同时要为双足、膝盖及胃部保暖，因在脚跟有许多穴位是与肾脏联系着的，避免其着凉，便能强化肾脏的功能。
观测点③：耳朵
发现：耳朵发黑是肾虚
揭密：中医认为耳朵与肾有关。如果耳朵越来越“瘦”，多半是因为肾虚，此时男人还常常会伴有听力下降、耳鸣头晕等症状。而耳朵变黑也是肾气衰败之相，耳朵变黑的人多数还会有怕冷的表现，并且通常会有遗精早泄的问题。耳朵发红则说明体内循环不好。
体贴处方：
1.服用左归丸（非处方类药），服药期间要停止房事。
2．督促男性少饮酒，少吃精细食物，少吃糖；多做运动以促进循环功能。
3．每晚临睡前，为他做一次耳部的按摩，要记得不要只按耳廓，耳周围也应一一按到，一直延伸到颈部。按摩时不要太用力，要从上至下。
观测点④：嘴唇
发现：红唇不一定都美。
揭密：当男性唇色鲜红如火，它可能在提醒你，最近是否肝火太旺，脾气太急，常常口苦咽干。而如果唇色黑红，则多数是因为大肠有问题，同时还有喉咙不畅、耳鼻不通等症状。唇色暗黑的人，常因为消化系统功能失调，即便秘、腹泻、头痛、失眠等。而泛白的唇色则多是由于营养失调，起居不良或慢性疾病导致。
体贴处方：
1.唇色淡白，可以食用一些动物肝脏和红色食品,如西红柿和新鲜红辣椒等。
2．唇色暗红为寒证，多见于心肺功能不全或缺氧之时，需要尽早检查。
3．唇色深红而干，多属热证、实证，可以用生地、小蓟、知母、麦冬煮水内服。
4．如果嘴唇肿胀，可能是由于胃寒或是胃痉挛，可多吃些土豆、红薯、板栗、山芋、莲藕等暖胃的食物。
观测点⑤：额头
发现：别以为额头的皱纹突然增加是岁月的礼物，有时，它可能是在向男性发出警告。
额头与别的部位不同的地方在于，不同的区域代表不同的脏器机能。
两眉中间为脑反应区。如果脑区出现1字纹，11字纹，111字纹，这属于用脑过度，脑循环不畅。长时间下去，脑部缺氧会引起头疼、偏头痛、记忆力下降等症状。如出现凹陷，属于脑供血不足，这实际与心供血不好有直接关系。
靠近发迹三分之一处为心区，如果有异常，代表心血管机能不良或精神压力大。此部位出现小痘痘或者颜色与正常肤色不一致，可以断定短期精神压力比较大。如果发生疙瘩或红肿、发青、发紫、发黑、发暗，出现斑或色素沉淀，表示心血管机能长期不良或长期精神压力过大。
另外，如果额头皱纹突然增加，则表明肝脏负担过重。
体贴处方：
1.适当地用手指梳理额部，一方面可以减少皱纹，延缓衰老，另一方面也可以缓解压力。建议长期伏案工作或从事紧张性脑力劳动的男性应多按摩额头，长期坚持也可减少心血管疾病发生的概率。
2.要少吃动物脂肪，应多吃一些清淡的食物，如猪肝、菠菜、豆腐和鱼类等。
观测点⑥：面色
发现：白面未必是书生
揭密：皮肤白晳的男人，常给人以温文儒雅的感觉，但是，如果过于白晳，可要当心是不是气血欠亏了，并且肺部有疾病的患者面色通常也苍白无光泽。
而本来红润的面色近来变得暗黄，则可能是营养不良、贫血症的表现。如果是突然加重性面色变黄，表明肝、胆有病，胆汁代谢出现异常。
当发现面色逐渐变黑时，应该高度重视。因为面色变黑灰暗，没有光泽，往往是慢性疾病的征兆。如慢性肾功能衰竭——尿毒症、肝硬化、肝癌、肝胆疾病晚期、肾上腺皮质功能衰竭等，都会出现面色发黑，无光泽。
体贴处方：
1．肤色过于白晳者，可将红枣、花生米用温水浸泡后，用小火煮熟，加蜂蜜熬至黏稠。常吃这样的食物，脸色会红润起来。
2．肤色发黑者，应立即做一个全面的体检。
观测点⑦：舌
发现：正常人的舌苔是薄薄的一层白苔，舌体不胖不瘦，灵活自如。如果出现异常，则表明体内状况不佳。
体贴处方：
1.舌苔黄是热证的表现，可以吃一些梨和百合等滋阴清热的食品。
2.舌苔厚是食积的表现，可以通过服用山楂，饮用麦芽茶等方式来缓解。
3. 舌体胖大、脾虚的人往往会出现这个问题，需要好好调理，没有太多简易方法，可以多吃点薏米、山药、莲子肉等。
观测点①：鼻子
发现：鼻头脱皮节制房事
揭密：如果鼻头发红，且鼻头和鼻周经常痈肿生疮，这就表明体内脾胃湿热，抽烟喝酒、贪食辛辣的男人常会有这些症状出现。而精神压力过大有时也会使男人变成红鼻头。
鼻尖如果呈紫色可能是血压偏高，或盐和酒精摄取过多。
另外，鼻头突然出现酒渣鼻，为肺胃热郁血瘀，这是在提醒您，男性性功能在下降，应当重视。而鼻头发暗、枯燥脱皮，则提醒的是纵欲过度，身体已经消耗了太多津液和正气。
体贴处方：
1.每天早晨帮他测量一次血压，观察血压的状况。
2.饮食宜清淡，不要吃得太咸。
3.要帮助他进行按摩，用中指指腹向下轻轻按摩鼻子两侧，左右两侧各按摩3次；然后指腹紧贴鼻沟，缓缓地上下移动6次。
4.节制房事，滋阴调养。
观测点②：眼睛
发现：黑眼圈要少喝水
揭密：中医认为眼睛与肝有关，而肝的功能失调，又会导致男性生殖功能失常。因此，这里要提醒工作压力大、常感疲惫的男性朋友，如果在短期内忽然出现了两目干涩、视物不清等眼部不适，要及时到医院检查和就诊，听从医生的建议补肝或清肝，调和气血，充润宗筋，以免影响了性功能。
另外，如果早上起来发现他的眼圈发黑、脸色晦暗，则表明他的肾脏负担太重，使得身体里的水分排不出去，从而形成了“熊猫眼”。
体贴处方：
1．饮食上要减少用盐量，以免过多摄入水分。
2．祛除黑眼圈可多吃利水食物，用鸭肉煮栗子、烧大白菜等进行食疗，还可用红白萝卜煮肉汤喝。此外，猪腰煮汤吃也很有效果。
3．眼红肿痛的可以用枸杞子、菊花、百合煮水代茶饮治疗。
4．眼睑浮肿多为水肿，则睡眠要充足，同时要为双足、膝盖及胃部保暖，因在脚跟有许多穴位是与肾脏联系着的，避免其着凉，便能强化肾脏的功能。
观测点③：耳朵
发现：耳朵发黑是肾虚
揭密：中医认为耳朵与肾有关。如果耳朵越来越“瘦”，多半是因为肾虚，此时男人还常常会伴有听力下降、耳鸣头晕等症状。而耳朵变黑也是肾气衰败之相，耳朵变黑的人多数还会有怕冷的表现，并且通常会有遗精早泄的问题。耳朵发红则说明体内循环不好。
体贴处方：
1.服用左归丸（非处方类药），服药期间要停止房事。
2．督促男性少饮酒，少吃精细食物，少吃糖；多做运动以促进循环功能。
3．每晚临睡前，为他做一次耳部的按摩，要记得不要只按耳廓，耳周围也应一一按到，一直延伸到颈部。按摩时不要太用力，要从上至下。
观测点④：嘴唇
发现：红唇不一定都美。
揭密：当男性唇色鲜红如火，它可能在提醒你，最近是否肝火太旺，脾气太急，常常口苦咽干。而如果唇色黑红，则多数是因为大肠有问题，同时还有喉咙不畅、耳鼻不通等症状。唇色暗黑的人，常因为消化系统功能失调，即便秘、腹泻、头痛、失眠等。而泛白的唇色则多是由于营养失调，起居不良或慢性疾病导致。
体贴处方：
1.唇色淡白，可以食用一些动物肝脏和红色食品,如西红柿和新鲜红辣椒等。
2．唇色暗红为寒证，多见于心肺功能不全或缺氧之时，需要尽早检查。
3．唇色深红而干，多属热证、实证，可以用生地、小蓟、知母、麦冬煮水内服。
4．如果嘴唇肿胀，可能是由于胃寒或是胃痉挛，可多吃些土豆、红薯、板栗、山芋、莲藕等暖胃的食物。
观测点⑤：额头
发现：别以为额头的皱纹突然增加是岁月的礼物，有时，它可能是在向男性发出警告。
额头与别的部位不同的地方在于，不同的区域代表不同的脏器机能。
两眉中间为脑反应区。如果脑区出现1字纹，11字纹，111字纹，这属于用脑过度，脑循环不畅。长时间下去，脑部缺氧会引起头疼、偏头痛、记忆力下降等症状。如出现凹陷，属于脑供血不足，这实际与心供血不好有直接关系。
靠近发迹三分之一处为心区，如果有异常，代表心血管机能不良或精神压力大。此部位出现小痘痘或者颜色与正常肤色不一致，可以断定短期精神压力比较大。如果发生疙瘩或红肿、发青、发紫、发黑、发暗，出现斑或色素沉淀，表示心血管机能长期不良或长期精神压力过大。
另外，如果额头皱纹突然增加，则表明肝脏负担过重。
体贴处方：
1.适当地用手指梳理额部，一方面可以减少皱纹，延缓衰老，另一方面也可以缓解压力。建议长期伏案工作或从事紧张性脑力劳动的男性应多按摩额头，长期坚持也可减少心血管疾病发生的概率。
2.要少吃动物脂肪，应多吃一些清淡的食物，如猪肝、菠菜、豆腐和鱼类等。
观测点⑥：面色
发现：白面未必是书生
揭密：皮肤白晳的男人，常给人以温文儒雅的感觉，但是，如果过于白晳，可要当心是不是气血欠亏了，并且肺部有疾病的患者面色通常也苍白无光泽。
而本来红润的面色近来变得暗黄，则可能是营养不良、贫血症的表现。如果是突然加重性面色变黄，表明肝、胆有病，胆汁代谢出现异常。
当发现面色逐渐变黑时，应该高度重视。因为面色变黑灰暗，没有光泽，往往是慢性疾病的征兆。如慢性肾功能衰竭——尿毒症、肝硬化、肝癌、肝胆疾病晚期、肾上腺皮质功能衰竭等，都会出现面色发黑，无光泽。
体贴处方：
1．肤色过于白晳者，可将红枣、花生米用温水浸泡后，用小火煮熟，加蜂蜜熬至黏稠。常吃这样的食物，脸色会红润起来。
2．肤色发黑者，应立即做一个全面的体检。
观测点⑦：舌
发现：正常人的舌苔是薄薄的一层白苔，舌体不胖不瘦，灵活自如。如果出现异常，则表明体内状况不佳。
体贴处方：
1.舌苔黄是热证的表现，可以吃一些梨和百合等滋阴清热的食品。
2.舌苔厚是食积的表现，可以通过服用山楂，饮用麦芽茶等方式来缓解。
3. 舌体胖大、脾虚的人往往会出现这个问题，需要好好调理，没有太多简易方法，可以多吃点薏米、山药、莲子肉等。
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
大气和有眼光的科学家
大气和有眼光的科学家
2007.06.10
前几天讲了些让人泄气的东西，所以现在要讲些令人鼓舞的事情将功补过。
籍兄在他昨天的博文《自费出版的科学名著》中，谈到所谓的大气和有眼光的科学家。我于是想起了几年前《科学时报》上的《BEC凝聚美丽的心灵》一文，那才是最为真实感人的故事。
博文《自费出版的科学名著》链接：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=3009
这个故事的素材是我提供的，因为当时MIT的Bob Silbey教授来我所作报告，是我做的主持。这个故事是Silbey教授在午饭的时候讲的。后来他回去之后还专门提供了英文的相关资料。一年后Silbey教授也选上了美国国家科学院的院士。
几点说明：
生物学上纯种近亲繁殖可望保持种系不退化，但杂种近亲繁殖是必定要退化的。所以不要误解在中国学术界近亲繁殖可能不是坏事。
在国外不象国内，往往不能两个教授做同一个研究。所以，Pritchard要求留Ketterle，自己还得换方向，另找经费，所以很难产生什么学霸。
1991年圣诞节我是在MIT过的，一位当时在Boston大学学物理的科大少年班的老乡，就一心想要转到MIT物理系去做实验原子物理，可惜后来没有转成，没有机会成为Pritchard或Ketterle的学生。那个时候，实验原子物理学可是真正的冷门。不象十年后，BEC成了很大的热门。
*****************************************************************
BEC凝聚美丽的心灵
《科学时报》 记者 王丹红
BEC是玻色—爱因斯坦凝聚(Bose-Einstein Condensation)的字母缩写。 2001年诺贝尔物理学奖授予了首次在实验上实现BEC的三位科学家，他们分别是美国科罗拉多大学的Eric Connel和Carl Wieman，以及麻省理工学院(MIT)的Wolfgang Ketterle当我们追溯这三位科学家的学术经历时，发现他们竟来源于同一个学术家族，这个家族的创始人是伟大的物理学家I.I Rabi.今年10月，应国家自然科学基金委员会邀请，MIT理学院院长、化学系教授Robert Silbey到北京访问，并在中国科学院化学研究所和北京大学化学学院作了两场学术报告。其间，Silbey讲述了在BEC研究中发生在两代科学家Wolfgang Ketterle和他的导师David Pritchard间的感人故事，这是一个诺贝尔奖版本的“伯乐与千里马”的故事。
Wolfgang Ketterle于1990年从德国到美国MIT物理系David Pritchard教授小组从事博士后研究。三年之后，Ketterle得到了其它研究机构提供的教席。如果Ketterle接受了这个职位，那么，他在其中起到非常重要作用的有关BEC的研究工作就有可能被中断。于是，Pritchard向学校提出给Ketterle一个助理教授职位，以使Ketterle能继续留在MIT。但是，美国大学的惯例是在同一个系里不能有完全相同研究领域的两个教授，于是Pritchard做出了一个科学家所能做到的最无私的决定。
Pritchard决定让Ketterle接手原本是他主持的BEC实验研究工作，而自己则选择了改变研究方向。Pritchard说： “我从此脱离了该项实验，但我得到了一个了不起的同事。”
Ketterle的研究非常成功，他首次在实验上实现了BEC，获得了科学界的普遍承认。在Ketterle获得诺贝尔奖之前，德国方面打算聘请他回德国主持一个新的与BEC研究有关的研究所。Ketterle接受了德国方面的工作，并做好了离开MIT的准备。对羽翼丰满的Ketterle的离去，MIT校方和Pritchard给予了非常友好的支持和配合。但最后Ketterle还是留在了MIT，因为他无法离开如此支持他的同事和研究环境。
在MIT，大力支持Ketterle的并不只有Pritchard一人，Pritchard的博士导师、MIT物理系教授Dan Klepnner也是热忱的支持者。让我们来看看这个伟大的学术家族里的师承关系和他们的贡献。这个家族的创始人Rabi是1944年诺贝尔物理学奖获得者；1989年诺贝尔物理学奖获得者、哈佛大学教授Norman Ramsey是Rabi的博士研究生，也是Klepnner的博士导师；1997年获得诺贝尔物理学奖的William Phillips是Klepnner的博士生，Pritchard的博士后；而与Ketterle一起在2001年分享诺贝尔物理学奖的Eric Corell是Pritchard的博士生，另一位获得者Carl Wieman是Klepnner以前的学生，而且Wieman还是Cornell的博士后导师。Silbey说，换了别人，也会和Ketterle一样无法拒绝这样的同事和研究传统。也许我们应当反对学术上的近亲繁殖，因为它会造成学术的退化。但从这一科学家族的传统来看，却好像是验证了诺贝尔生理学或医学奖获得者彼得·梅多沃在《给青年科学家的忠告》中所警告的，不要过分夸大近亲繁殖的坏处，因为“伟大的研究学派往往是通过近亲繁殖而建立起来的”。
参加诺贝尔颁奖典礼后，Ketterle将自己的诺贝尔金质奖章复制了两份，然后到Pritchard的办公室，请他辨认哪一块是真的。Pritchard一眼就挑出了真正的金牌。这时，激动人心的事发生了，Ketterle告诉Prttchard：“这一块是您的，您才是配得上它的人。”
在Ketterle获奖之后不久，MIT理学院邀请MIT的校董事和一些著名校友参加Ketterle关于BEC的报告会。报告之前，Pritchard问道，各位想不想看一看真正的诺贝尔奖牌? Silbey当时正在主持会议，他说他吃惊地看见Pritchard从口袋中掏出那块金牌，然后让大家一一传看，并且笑着说： “看完后要还给我，我还要带它回家。”Silbey说： “这是多么动人的一幕，我为自己的学院中有这样的同事和他们所取得的成就感到非常自豪。”
2001年MIT共有8位校友获得诺贝尔奖。 2002年诺贝尔生理学或医学奖又授予了一位MIT生物学教授，Silbey说，MIT这两年非常幸运，获得了如此多的诺贝尔奖，但在此中间，MIT最愿意告诉大家的还是Ketterle和Pritchard的故事，因为这会告诉大家，MIT是怎样的一个大学，MIT有什么样的人和什么样的科学家，才能取得这样的科学成就。他说像Pritchard这样无私的人在任何行业中都是少有的，真正伟大的成就往往与这种无私的支持和合作联系在一起。
什么是真正的科学家？在居里夫人和爱因斯坦等科学巨匠的形象似乎离我们越来越远的今天，Ketterle和Pritchard作为新的榜样是否在告诉我们，真正的科学精神和真正的科学家仍然在我们身边。
《科学时报》2002年12月6日
本文引用地址：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=3056
2007.06.10
前几天讲了些让人泄气的东西，所以现在要讲些令人鼓舞的事情将功补过。
籍兄在他昨天的博文《自费出版的科学名著》中，谈到所谓的大气和有眼光的科学家。我于是想起了几年前《科学时报》上的《BEC凝聚美丽的心灵》一文，那才是最为真实感人的故事。
博文《自费出版的科学名著》链接：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=3009
这个故事的素材是我提供的，因为当时MIT的Bob Silbey教授来我所作报告，是我做的主持。这个故事是Silbey教授在午饭的时候讲的。后来他回去之后还专门提供了英文的相关资料。一年后Silbey教授也选上了美国国家科学院的院士。
几点说明：
生物学上纯种近亲繁殖可望保持种系不退化，但杂种近亲繁殖是必定要退化的。所以不要误解在中国学术界近亲繁殖可能不是坏事。
在国外不象国内，往往不能两个教授做同一个研究。所以，Pritchard要求留Ketterle，自己还得换方向，另找经费，所以很难产生什么学霸。
1991年圣诞节我是在MIT过的，一位当时在Boston大学学物理的科大少年班的老乡，就一心想要转到MIT物理系去做实验原子物理，可惜后来没有转成，没有机会成为Pritchard或Ketterle的学生。那个时候，实验原子物理学可是真正的冷门。不象十年后，BEC成了很大的热门。
*****************************************************************
BEC凝聚美丽的心灵
《科学时报》 记者 王丹红
BEC是玻色—爱因斯坦凝聚(Bose-Einstein Condensation)的字母缩写。 2001年诺贝尔物理学奖授予了首次在实验上实现BEC的三位科学家，他们分别是美国科罗拉多大学的Eric Connel和Carl Wieman，以及麻省理工学院(MIT)的Wolfgang Ketterle当我们追溯这三位科学家的学术经历时，发现他们竟来源于同一个学术家族，这个家族的创始人是伟大的物理学家I.I Rabi.今年10月，应国家自然科学基金委员会邀请，MIT理学院院长、化学系教授Robert Silbey到北京访问，并在中国科学院化学研究所和北京大学化学学院作了两场学术报告。其间，Silbey讲述了在BEC研究中发生在两代科学家Wolfgang Ketterle和他的导师David Pritchard间的感人故事，这是一个诺贝尔奖版本的“伯乐与千里马”的故事。
Wolfgang Ketterle于1990年从德国到美国MIT物理系David Pritchard教授小组从事博士后研究。三年之后，Ketterle得到了其它研究机构提供的教席。如果Ketterle接受了这个职位，那么，他在其中起到非常重要作用的有关BEC的研究工作就有可能被中断。于是，Pritchard向学校提出给Ketterle一个助理教授职位，以使Ketterle能继续留在MIT。但是，美国大学的惯例是在同一个系里不能有完全相同研究领域的两个教授，于是Pritchard做出了一个科学家所能做到的最无私的决定。
Pritchard决定让Ketterle接手原本是他主持的BEC实验研究工作，而自己则选择了改变研究方向。Pritchard说： “我从此脱离了该项实验，但我得到了一个了不起的同事。”
Ketterle的研究非常成功，他首次在实验上实现了BEC，获得了科学界的普遍承认。在Ketterle获得诺贝尔奖之前，德国方面打算聘请他回德国主持一个新的与BEC研究有关的研究所。Ketterle接受了德国方面的工作，并做好了离开MIT的准备。对羽翼丰满的Ketterle的离去，MIT校方和Pritchard给予了非常友好的支持和配合。但最后Ketterle还是留在了MIT，因为他无法离开如此支持他的同事和研究环境。
在MIT，大力支持Ketterle的并不只有Pritchard一人，Pritchard的博士导师、MIT物理系教授Dan Klepnner也是热忱的支持者。让我们来看看这个伟大的学术家族里的师承关系和他们的贡献。这个家族的创始人Rabi是1944年诺贝尔物理学奖获得者；1989年诺贝尔物理学奖获得者、哈佛大学教授Norman Ramsey是Rabi的博士研究生，也是Klepnner的博士导师；1997年获得诺贝尔物理学奖的William Phillips是Klepnner的博士生，Pritchard的博士后；而与Ketterle一起在2001年分享诺贝尔物理学奖的Eric Corell是Pritchard的博士生，另一位获得者Carl Wieman是Klepnner以前的学生，而且Wieman还是Cornell的博士后导师。Silbey说，换了别人，也会和Ketterle一样无法拒绝这样的同事和研究传统。也许我们应当反对学术上的近亲繁殖，因为它会造成学术的退化。但从这一科学家族的传统来看，却好像是验证了诺贝尔生理学或医学奖获得者彼得·梅多沃在《给青年科学家的忠告》中所警告的，不要过分夸大近亲繁殖的坏处，因为“伟大的研究学派往往是通过近亲繁殖而建立起来的”。
参加诺贝尔颁奖典礼后，Ketterle将自己的诺贝尔金质奖章复制了两份，然后到Pritchard的办公室，请他辨认哪一块是真的。Pritchard一眼就挑出了真正的金牌。这时，激动人心的事发生了，Ketterle告诉Prttchard：“这一块是您的，您才是配得上它的人。”
在Ketterle获奖之后不久，MIT理学院邀请MIT的校董事和一些著名校友参加Ketterle关于BEC的报告会。报告之前，Pritchard问道，各位想不想看一看真正的诺贝尔奖牌? Silbey当时正在主持会议，他说他吃惊地看见Pritchard从口袋中掏出那块金牌，然后让大家一一传看，并且笑着说： “看完后要还给我，我还要带它回家。”Silbey说： “这是多么动人的一幕，我为自己的学院中有这样的同事和他们所取得的成就感到非常自豪。”
2001年MIT共有8位校友获得诺贝尔奖。 2002年诺贝尔生理学或医学奖又授予了一位MIT生物学教授，Silbey说，MIT这两年非常幸运，获得了如此多的诺贝尔奖，但在此中间，MIT最愿意告诉大家的还是Ketterle和Pritchard的故事，因为这会告诉大家，MIT是怎样的一个大学，MIT有什么样的人和什么样的科学家，才能取得这样的科学成就。他说像Pritchard这样无私的人在任何行业中都是少有的，真正伟大的成就往往与这种无私的支持和合作联系在一起。
什么是真正的科学家？在居里夫人和爱因斯坦等科学巨匠的形象似乎离我们越来越远的今天，Ketterle和Pritchard作为新的榜样是否在告诉我们，真正的科学精神和真正的科学家仍然在我们身边。
《科学时报》2002年12月6日
本文引用地址：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=3056
纯科学和产业发展
纯科学和产业发展
2007.06.10
现在我要讨论一些大家以为我不会讨论的事情，就是纯科学和产业发展的问题。我个人认为中国人普遍对于产业在社会中的建设性作用没有认识，也不知道社会可持续发展的关键在于有健康的产业界。
无用的产业界经验
很多人都以为我是做的纯科学研究的，可能还读过我太太翻译和我校对的那篇Henry Rowland的《为纯科学呼吁》，所以会认为我应该不会对产业界的应用和技术有太多的兴趣。
如果是这样，那将是荒唐的误解。只要注意一下我的简历，就应该知道我在DuPont公司做过两年的博士后研究，对美国大公司如何做R&D还是有不少亲身的体验，也还算很了解纯科学和产业R&D的距离其实是非常的小的。我做的那些纯科学和产业R&D的距离如果很大，我在DuPont那两年不就成了天天吃上海泡饭。
现在新任命的那个科技部长，工程专业出生，有很好的产业经验，但不过是在利润率很低的汽车行业，很有可能是不太懂得前沿科学和产业的真正关系，以及真正的高技术产业是如何发展的。汽车行业当家，已经是很落后的经济和产业模式了。这个玩笑好象开得有点大。当然，人不可貌相，我这个判断也许错误，我的目的也不是要降低大家对新部长的期望，反正时间可以检验一切。
我的那些在DuPont的经验现在除了偶尔教给学生一些有关产业研究的道理之外，是没有用的。目前在中国科学界和产业界R&D之间的距离仍然是非常大的，除非我还是去跟外国的产业界和公司打交道。
DuPont的200年历史，可以参见《杜邦200年：发源于白兰地河的科学奇迹》。这个书中文版是上海科学技术出版社出版的。中英文版我都有，是DuPont中国那边送给我太太和我这个在DuPont工作过的人的。两册书加起来刚好有4公斤重，所以很有看头。
中国社会的大问题
中国社会现在最大问题，是科学教育与产业脱节很厉害。但问题不在科学界，不在教育界，只在于整个社会中最关键的工业和产业界受到垄断保护和政府干预而缺乏创新的动力。
大的国营企业，因为对市场具有国家和部门垄断的优势，很少进行真正意义上的R&D，因此对创新的科学研究和具有全面教育的人才没有需求，所以他们获得的垄断利润也不对科学、教育和社会发展作什么贡献。
美国大学培养的科学人才，10个之中有7-8个，就是绝大部分都进入了工业、产业甚至金融界。最后留在学术界的只是少数最好的愿意和适合做教授的人。而我们培养的绝大多数科学方面的博士，却没有产业界希望要他们。原因很简单，它们不需要做前沿的R&D，也不需要和国际上的公司进行真正的竞争，就可以靠国家和部门的垄断优势获得利润，有一两个博士装点门面就行了，拿这么些博士来干什么？
另一方面，由于有大公司垄断，绝大多数产业的小公司很难有机会成长。这样在美国那种环境下能够进行高技术创业的人才，在中国也就缺乏创业的真正动力。
所以，我们培养了那么多科学博士，最后的出路无外乎继续留在国内教书或做没有意义的研究，或到国外做博士后留下或回国做没有意义的研究，或者改行做与科学和高技术无关的事情。
总之，无论什么原因，我们的科学和教育无法对产业和技术的前沿作贡献，是不争的事实，也是中国可持续发展中最大的问题。
可持续发展的关键
社会可持续发展的关键，是科学研究和基础教育与高等教育的投入能够通过促进产业和社会的综合发展。
我常常问学生，你们将来想要从事什么样的职业。我的到的回答几乎都是说要从事科研。我问教书如何，几乎都说不愿教书。我说，做了博士的大部分人是不应该留在研究领域的，要么去产业界，要么去教书，或者自己创业，或者改行，社会哪有那么多纯粹研究性的职位等着你。他们这样想，其实是因为我们的社会中给他们的选择机会就不多。
产业界做的R&D太少，太差，工作机会少，去不了；教书太苦有没有多少报酬；改行又没有优势。所以大家最后都往做研究一条独木桥上挤。大家挤在一起搞研究，科学研究和基础教育与高等教育如何促进产业和社会的综合发展？
所以我常对学生说，你是不可能做我做的研究的，除非你比我在这个领域还厉害很多，或者我马上要退休或者要转行需要有人替换，或者这个领域突然间需要大发展。现在的现状是你感觉出路不多，但是社会变化也很快，你必须发展各个方面的学习能力和创新能力，并且给自己的创业精神留点空间，才能适应将来社会的发展。
中国今天已经很培养了一些有点研究经验的人才，不管他们水平高低，只要有比较顺畅的渠道和适当的组织与进一步训练的方式，他们都可以被吸收到产业的R&D中去，对促进产业发展起到很大的作用。这是中国社会一笔丰富的人力资源，这些人如果大都留在和产业无关的研究领域，纯粹会成为科研和教育体系的累赘。
可是，只要国有企业的国家和部门，乃至地区垄断不能被比较彻底地根除，没有来自产业界内在的动力，通过科学研究和基础及高等教育促进可持续发展将只能是一句空话，所谓自主创新能力提高也极为不乐观。
从这个意义上说，任何具有垄断性的行业，都是阻碍中国经济和社会发展的必须被逐步根除的毒瘤。
美帝国主义的经验和苏修的教训
我读了不少历史和东西方经济学。记得列宁主义一直都讲帝国主义的最高阶段是垄断的资本主义，是注定要失败的，是社会主义革命的前夜。
可是就在列宁讲这些东西之前，美帝国主义就在不断地努力要打破产业的垄断。美国于1890就通过了所谓的The Sherman Antitrust Act（Sherman反垄断法），就开始对各种商业和产业上的垄断进行法律上的限制。过去100多年在美国通过Sherman反垄断法相关的反垄断诉讼，不断地打破了很多行业的垄断，促进了国内和国际竞争，发展了资本主义经济，体现了垄断受到限制的资本主义经济的活力和优越性。
维基百科上关于Sherman Antitrust Act的介绍：http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherman_Antitrust_Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)，可见：http://www.stolaf.edu/people/becker/antitrust/statutes/sherman.html
很多人不知道的是，DuPont和通用汽车以前一直是一家公司，是在1970年代初被反垄断诉讼强行拆分的。我在DuPont工作过，当然对这一点是很清楚。美帝国主义为了证明列宁同志的革命理论是错误的，连DuPont和通用汽车在一起都要棒打鸳鸯，真他妈下得了手啊！
历史证明，列宁同志帝国主义论中的不朽论断居然是Sherman反垄断法之后放出来的不正确的马后炮。不仅《国家与革命》中的基本预言没有兑现，美帝国主义的资本主义居然还蓬勃发展，还越来越社会主义。而相比之下，苏修的社会帝国主义以计划经济的名义，垄断越演越烈，反而搞垮了经济和社会，葬送了苏维埃的红色江山。我去过莫斯科，觉得除了沙俄时代的那些古迹之外，其他东西印象都很不好。还觉得他们的经济和社会发展与中国相比，现在就不如，长远来讲也不是很有希望。
中国当然从来就没有苏修那么极端，但的确也学了不少苏修的坏东西，上了不少苏修的当。我们科学院的体制，高等教育的体制，就是以前学苏修的，现在改起来很是痛苦。好在在小平同志为首的第二代和江总书记为首的第三代领带人的带领下，好不容易打破了不少计划经济中的垄断，中国才有今天这个仍然具有很多问题但总来讲要好得多的局面。
苏修的垮台和过去二十多年的改革开放的成就证明，社会主义的政权问题，其实是社会经济的可持续发展问题。只要经济和社会能保持可持续发展，政权和社会就会基本稳定。现在党中央坚定要继续进行改革开放的道路，正是基于这一正确的基本认识。我认为，以后二十年，各种行业和领域中的垄断毒瘤的清除和被限制，正是必须要完成的社会改革任务。垄断不除，创新力缺乏，就业和社会发展都会没有前景。这正是和我们的科学和教育体制无法改变最密切相关。
怎么办？
在这些问题被逐步解决之前，纯科学研究和产业应用脱节的现象还是没有办法从根本上解决。高喊学习小日本搞“产学研”结合，大家都知道精神可嘉，但基本上不过是意淫而已。国家、行业和地方垄断企业和政府干预过多的企业怎么可能成为科技创新的主体？没有主体，光是大家在敲边鼓，浪费表情啊！
学术界的很多毛病，包括学术不端，其实跟人才的出路有限很有关系。没有正事做，不乱来也难。现在大家最好是能老老实实做点纯粹的科学，也许能指望逐步地培养、鼓励和输送点人才去做目前仍然很微弱的产业R&D。除此之外，只能掰着指头期盼更好明天到来。
本文引用地址：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=3063
2007.06.10
现在我要讨论一些大家以为我不会讨论的事情，就是纯科学和产业发展的问题。我个人认为中国人普遍对于产业在社会中的建设性作用没有认识，也不知道社会可持续发展的关键在于有健康的产业界。
无用的产业界经验
很多人都以为我是做的纯科学研究的，可能还读过我太太翻译和我校对的那篇Henry Rowland的《为纯科学呼吁》，所以会认为我应该不会对产业界的应用和技术有太多的兴趣。
如果是这样，那将是荒唐的误解。只要注意一下我的简历，就应该知道我在DuPont公司做过两年的博士后研究，对美国大公司如何做R&D还是有不少亲身的体验，也还算很了解纯科学和产业R&D的距离其实是非常的小的。我做的那些纯科学和产业R&D的距离如果很大，我在DuPont那两年不就成了天天吃上海泡饭。
现在新任命的那个科技部长，工程专业出生，有很好的产业经验，但不过是在利润率很低的汽车行业，很有可能是不太懂得前沿科学和产业的真正关系，以及真正的高技术产业是如何发展的。汽车行业当家，已经是很落后的经济和产业模式了。这个玩笑好象开得有点大。当然，人不可貌相，我这个判断也许错误，我的目的也不是要降低大家对新部长的期望，反正时间可以检验一切。
我的那些在DuPont的经验现在除了偶尔教给学生一些有关产业研究的道理之外，是没有用的。目前在中国科学界和产业界R&D之间的距离仍然是非常大的，除非我还是去跟外国的产业界和公司打交道。
DuPont的200年历史，可以参见《杜邦200年：发源于白兰地河的科学奇迹》。这个书中文版是上海科学技术出版社出版的。中英文版我都有，是DuPont中国那边送给我太太和我这个在DuPont工作过的人的。两册书加起来刚好有4公斤重，所以很有看头。
中国社会的大问题
中国社会现在最大问题，是科学教育与产业脱节很厉害。但问题不在科学界，不在教育界，只在于整个社会中最关键的工业和产业界受到垄断保护和政府干预而缺乏创新的动力。
大的国营企业，因为对市场具有国家和部门垄断的优势，很少进行真正意义上的R&D，因此对创新的科学研究和具有全面教育的人才没有需求，所以他们获得的垄断利润也不对科学、教育和社会发展作什么贡献。
美国大学培养的科学人才，10个之中有7-8个，就是绝大部分都进入了工业、产业甚至金融界。最后留在学术界的只是少数最好的愿意和适合做教授的人。而我们培养的绝大多数科学方面的博士，却没有产业界希望要他们。原因很简单，它们不需要做前沿的R&D，也不需要和国际上的公司进行真正的竞争，就可以靠国家和部门的垄断优势获得利润，有一两个博士装点门面就行了，拿这么些博士来干什么？
另一方面，由于有大公司垄断，绝大多数产业的小公司很难有机会成长。这样在美国那种环境下能够进行高技术创业的人才，在中国也就缺乏创业的真正动力。
所以，我们培养了那么多科学博士，最后的出路无外乎继续留在国内教书或做没有意义的研究，或到国外做博士后留下或回国做没有意义的研究，或者改行做与科学和高技术无关的事情。
总之，无论什么原因，我们的科学和教育无法对产业和技术的前沿作贡献，是不争的事实，也是中国可持续发展中最大的问题。
可持续发展的关键
社会可持续发展的关键，是科学研究和基础教育与高等教育的投入能够通过促进产业和社会的综合发展。
我常常问学生，你们将来想要从事什么样的职业。我的到的回答几乎都是说要从事科研。我问教书如何，几乎都说不愿教书。我说，做了博士的大部分人是不应该留在研究领域的，要么去产业界，要么去教书，或者自己创业，或者改行，社会哪有那么多纯粹研究性的职位等着你。他们这样想，其实是因为我们的社会中给他们的选择机会就不多。
产业界做的R&D太少，太差，工作机会少，去不了；教书太苦有没有多少报酬；改行又没有优势。所以大家最后都往做研究一条独木桥上挤。大家挤在一起搞研究，科学研究和基础教育与高等教育如何促进产业和社会的综合发展？
所以我常对学生说，你是不可能做我做的研究的，除非你比我在这个领域还厉害很多，或者我马上要退休或者要转行需要有人替换，或者这个领域突然间需要大发展。现在的现状是你感觉出路不多，但是社会变化也很快，你必须发展各个方面的学习能力和创新能力，并且给自己的创业精神留点空间，才能适应将来社会的发展。
中国今天已经很培养了一些有点研究经验的人才，不管他们水平高低，只要有比较顺畅的渠道和适当的组织与进一步训练的方式，他们都可以被吸收到产业的R&D中去，对促进产业发展起到很大的作用。这是中国社会一笔丰富的人力资源，这些人如果大都留在和产业无关的研究领域，纯粹会成为科研和教育体系的累赘。
可是，只要国有企业的国家和部门，乃至地区垄断不能被比较彻底地根除，没有来自产业界内在的动力，通过科学研究和基础及高等教育促进可持续发展将只能是一句空话，所谓自主创新能力提高也极为不乐观。
从这个意义上说，任何具有垄断性的行业，都是阻碍中国经济和社会发展的必须被逐步根除的毒瘤。
美帝国主义的经验和苏修的教训
我读了不少历史和东西方经济学。记得列宁主义一直都讲帝国主义的最高阶段是垄断的资本主义，是注定要失败的，是社会主义革命的前夜。
可是就在列宁讲这些东西之前，美帝国主义就在不断地努力要打破产业的垄断。美国于1890就通过了所谓的The Sherman Antitrust Act（Sherman反垄断法），就开始对各种商业和产业上的垄断进行法律上的限制。过去100多年在美国通过Sherman反垄断法相关的反垄断诉讼，不断地打破了很多行业的垄断，促进了国内和国际竞争，发展了资本主义经济，体现了垄断受到限制的资本主义经济的活力和优越性。
维基百科上关于Sherman Antitrust Act的介绍：http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherman_Antitrust_Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)，可见：http://www.stolaf.edu/people/becker/antitrust/statutes/sherman.html
很多人不知道的是，DuPont和通用汽车以前一直是一家公司，是在1970年代初被反垄断诉讼强行拆分的。我在DuPont工作过，当然对这一点是很清楚。美帝国主义为了证明列宁同志的革命理论是错误的，连DuPont和通用汽车在一起都要棒打鸳鸯，真他妈下得了手啊！
历史证明，列宁同志帝国主义论中的不朽论断居然是Sherman反垄断法之后放出来的不正确的马后炮。不仅《国家与革命》中的基本预言没有兑现，美帝国主义的资本主义居然还蓬勃发展，还越来越社会主义。而相比之下，苏修的社会帝国主义以计划经济的名义，垄断越演越烈，反而搞垮了经济和社会，葬送了苏维埃的红色江山。我去过莫斯科，觉得除了沙俄时代的那些古迹之外，其他东西印象都很不好。还觉得他们的经济和社会发展与中国相比，现在就不如，长远来讲也不是很有希望。
中国当然从来就没有苏修那么极端，但的确也学了不少苏修的坏东西，上了不少苏修的当。我们科学院的体制，高等教育的体制，就是以前学苏修的，现在改起来很是痛苦。好在在小平同志为首的第二代和江总书记为首的第三代领带人的带领下，好不容易打破了不少计划经济中的垄断，中国才有今天这个仍然具有很多问题但总来讲要好得多的局面。
苏修的垮台和过去二十多年的改革开放的成就证明，社会主义的政权问题，其实是社会经济的可持续发展问题。只要经济和社会能保持可持续发展，政权和社会就会基本稳定。现在党中央坚定要继续进行改革开放的道路，正是基于这一正确的基本认识。我认为，以后二十年，各种行业和领域中的垄断毒瘤的清除和被限制，正是必须要完成的社会改革任务。垄断不除，创新力缺乏，就业和社会发展都会没有前景。这正是和我们的科学和教育体制无法改变最密切相关。
怎么办？
在这些问题被逐步解决之前，纯科学研究和产业应用脱节的现象还是没有办法从根本上解决。高喊学习小日本搞“产学研”结合，大家都知道精神可嘉，但基本上不过是意淫而已。国家、行业和地方垄断企业和政府干预过多的企业怎么可能成为科技创新的主体？没有主体，光是大家在敲边鼓，浪费表情啊！
学术界的很多毛病，包括学术不端，其实跟人才的出路有限很有关系。没有正事做，不乱来也难。现在大家最好是能老老实实做点纯粹的科学，也许能指望逐步地培养、鼓励和输送点人才去做目前仍然很微弱的产业R&D。除此之外，只能掰着指头期盼更好明天到来。
本文引用地址：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=3063
做导师要两面三刀
做导师要两面三刀
2007.06.12
因为必需因材施教，所以做导师的必需学会两面三刀，而且还得运用自如。
1. 如果一个学生做事很着急，就必须常常建议他放慢脚步，注意观察。
2. 如果一个学生慢吞吞，就必须经常催促他，在后面踢他的屁股。
3. 如果一个学生做得不错，适当的鼓励之后，必需很快指出他的不足。
4. 如果一个学生做得很不好，指出他的不足之后，必需要鼓励他，告诉他每个人都会有走麦城的时候。
5. 如果一个学生做事很少考虑其它同事和同学，就必须告诉他人是生活在集体中的，需要互相促进。
6. 如果一个学生老是考虑别人的意见和态度，就必须告诉他每个人只需要管自己，让其他人去他妈的蛋。
7. 如果一个学生读书和文献太少，就必须告诉他多读多想才有益于研究思路的开阔。
8. 如果一个学生读了太多文献和书，不能集中精力研究一个问题，就必须告诉他书读多了人会变傻。
9. 如果一个学生总不来问老师问题，只是与同学讨论，就要告诉他同学不会教他些什么，老师才是唯一有责任教他的人。
10. 如果一个学生什么问题都来问老师，就要告诉他老师不是他的保姆，独立思考和与同学讨论非常重要。
等等。
如果一个导师连学生的基本特点都没有搞清楚，就两面三刀，那是人品问题。导师是否真的两面三刀，应该不是学生在短时间内就能够简单判断清楚的事情。好的导师和不好的导师，都会对学生两面三刀，只是目的不同，效果也不同。学生対导师没有基本的信任，那一切都不用谈了。
研究生常常会要求导师对他们一视同仁，而且互相比来比去，导师就只好把他们都当外人，一付药方医不同的病人。所以，学生之间最好不要经常在一起议论导师如何对待自己，除非事情特别特别的出格。其他人对于学生常常抱怨导师，如果不想添乱的话，也应该鼓励学生尽量往正面去认识。
我常给学生讲的一个故事，就是《西游记》中的悟空学艺。如果师父在悟空头上敲三下，悟空不明白是要他三更去找师父，反而大闹说师父你凭什么打我的头，那么悟空的这个72变，就别学了。没有悟空这种领悟力的学生，本来就不配学这72变的功夫。难道师父会跪着求徒弟学功夫不成？不过现在倒是真有学生是这样想的。那就自便吧！
每个学生都处于不同的阶段和层次，所以单独的指导是非常重要的。学错了层次，消化不了是小事，误入歧途或走火入魔伤了身体会更麻烦。
导师的质量也可能会参差不齐，会让学生经常不放心导师对自己的指导。但是在学习过程中评判老师的教育，显然不是好的办法，所以学生常抱怨不能解决问题。医生的水平只能由医学界的专家来评定，既然上了手术台，就不能再拒绝外科医生开你的膛。所以，如果学术界不负责任，什么阿猫阿狗都来开你的膛，的确也很恐怖。
有些学生的老师不够好，的确值得同情。不过学生最值得同情的还是因为总把责任推到别人的身上，没学到多少东西，浪费自己的宝贵青春。
本文引用地址：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=3129
2007.06.12
因为必需因材施教，所以做导师的必需学会两面三刀，而且还得运用自如。
1. 如果一个学生做事很着急，就必须常常建议他放慢脚步，注意观察。
2. 如果一个学生慢吞吞，就必须经常催促他，在后面踢他的屁股。
3. 如果一个学生做得不错，适当的鼓励之后，必需很快指出他的不足。
4. 如果一个学生做得很不好，指出他的不足之后，必需要鼓励他，告诉他每个人都会有走麦城的时候。
5. 如果一个学生做事很少考虑其它同事和同学，就必须告诉他人是生活在集体中的，需要互相促进。
6. 如果一个学生老是考虑别人的意见和态度，就必须告诉他每个人只需要管自己，让其他人去他妈的蛋。
7. 如果一个学生读书和文献太少，就必须告诉他多读多想才有益于研究思路的开阔。
8. 如果一个学生读了太多文献和书，不能集中精力研究一个问题，就必须告诉他书读多了人会变傻。
9. 如果一个学生总不来问老师问题，只是与同学讨论，就要告诉他同学不会教他些什么，老师才是唯一有责任教他的人。
10. 如果一个学生什么问题都来问老师，就要告诉他老师不是他的保姆，独立思考和与同学讨论非常重要。
等等。
如果一个导师连学生的基本特点都没有搞清楚，就两面三刀，那是人品问题。导师是否真的两面三刀，应该不是学生在短时间内就能够简单判断清楚的事情。好的导师和不好的导师，都会对学生两面三刀，只是目的不同，效果也不同。学生対导师没有基本的信任，那一切都不用谈了。
研究生常常会要求导师对他们一视同仁，而且互相比来比去，导师就只好把他们都当外人，一付药方医不同的病人。所以，学生之间最好不要经常在一起议论导师如何对待自己，除非事情特别特别的出格。其他人对于学生常常抱怨导师，如果不想添乱的话，也应该鼓励学生尽量往正面去认识。
我常给学生讲的一个故事，就是《西游记》中的悟空学艺。如果师父在悟空头上敲三下，悟空不明白是要他三更去找师父，反而大闹说师父你凭什么打我的头，那么悟空的这个72变，就别学了。没有悟空这种领悟力的学生，本来就不配学这72变的功夫。难道师父会跪着求徒弟学功夫不成？不过现在倒是真有学生是这样想的。那就自便吧！
每个学生都处于不同的阶段和层次，所以单独的指导是非常重要的。学错了层次，消化不了是小事，误入歧途或走火入魔伤了身体会更麻烦。
导师的质量也可能会参差不齐，会让学生经常不放心导师对自己的指导。但是在学习过程中评判老师的教育，显然不是好的办法，所以学生常抱怨不能解决问题。医生的水平只能由医学界的专家来评定，既然上了手术台，就不能再拒绝外科医生开你的膛。所以，如果学术界不负责任，什么阿猫阿狗都来开你的膛，的确也很恐怖。
有些学生的老师不够好，的确值得同情。不过学生最值得同情的还是因为总把责任推到别人的身上，没学到多少东西，浪费自己的宝贵青春。
本文引用地址：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=3129
发表了150篇JACS的牛人
发表了150篇JACS的牛人
2007.06.08
发表了150篇JACS的牛人
上个礼拜到母校去给本科生作报告，遇到几位那里的教授，他们告诉我说礼拜一下午有一个美国某著名州立大学的教授要做报告，介绍上说他已经发表了近150篇JACS，是了不得的高手。于是他们说，你见多识广，知不知道这个人。我听了名字，觉得不太熟悉。因为我自己不在JACS上发表文章，不知道也是很自然的。一个人一辈子能发表150篇文章，本来就是不小的成就，而且都还发表在该领域内的重要期刊上，当然更了不起。不过既然我都没看过这些文章，那一定是和我的具体领域没有太多直接关系。反正我礼拜一上午要离开，Who cares!
科学期刊的影响因子（Impact Factor）
上次在博文《要追求科学，不要以我为榜样》中谈到了一点关于国内化学学科评价中唯JACS（The Journal of the American Chemical Society）是尊的现象。国内物理学科评价中现在也是唯PRL（Physical Review Letters）是尊。最为的好笑和荒唐的是，连物理学领域的人，也要把在JACS上发表文章作为水平高的证明。其中的原因当然是这两个杂志的影响因子（Impact Factor－IF）比较高，也就是在文章发表两年之内的文章的平均引用次数大概都在15次左右。所以影响因子高达6-7。而一般国际上最好的的非综述类化学或物理类期刊影响因子只有2-4。影响因子高当然从统计来讲上意味着该期刊的平均被引次数相对较高。但对单篇文章来讲，所发表的期刊的影响因子其实没有太大的意义。
当然期刊的平均影响因子和发表在其中每篇文章的被引用数并没有直接关系。一般来讲整个期刊的影响因子的90%大概是该期刊所发表的25%的文章所贡献的。所以一篇文章引用数如果不能达到该期刊的前25%，被引用的次数往往就低于被引用的平均数。所以为什么专家都建议不要只用杂志的影响因子来衡量文章，尤其是在中国。这些都是很多专家讨论过的问题，所以也不用我多说。有兴趣的人可以到发表期刊影响因子的ISI网站上去看ISI对影响因子的客观介绍和评价。或者可以直接到ISI的创始人Eugene Garfield博士的网站上去读他的那些经典文章。
《要追求科学，不要以我为榜样》博文的链接：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=287
Eugene Garfield博士的网站：http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/
Eugene Garfield博士和ISI
Eugene Garfield在1958年创建的ISI（Institute of Scientific Information），对科学期刊的引用数据进行统计和研究，现在ISI的不断更新的这些数据已经成为影响世界上所有科学家和科学管理机构的行为的最重要的因素。Eugene Garfield博士因此被称为SCI之父。现在SCI的时间已经被推广到医学、法律和人文科学领域，在互联网时代成为最为重要的学术信息平台和工具之一。
ISI的总部在美国费城，距离我做博士后的LRSM大楼不到200米远。我常常经过其门口，但并不了解那是个什么机构。ISI的名字看起来就像FBI（Federal Bereau of Investigation，联邦调查局）一样，好像是个特务或情报机构。我是1999年回国以后才发现ISI对中国科学界的影响是如此之大，人们言必称ISI的SCI（Scientific Citation Index，科学引文数据）和IF，而且所有的评估、评奖、申请基金都要用它。而丢人的是自己居然就在它跟前都不知道是怎么回事。早知道自己在那里就跟ISI拉上关系，回国来以此混饭吃，可能就没有刘煜老兄什么事了。
我要和ISI拉上关系出了有天时、地利之外，还有人和。Garfield本生就是学化学出生的，而且是在Columbia大学学的化学。后来他又在Pennsylvania大学获得博士学位。这两个学校都和我有关系。据说上次他到中国访问，因为是学过化学的，还被聘为我毕业的科大化学物理系的客座或荣誉教授。Garfield创建SCI的思想，源于在Columbia大学学化学时，他对该校科学社会学泰斗Robert Merton的科学计量学研究的了解和兴趣。我一直都对Merton学派的科学社会学研究很感兴趣，所以自然非常赞同Garfield博士创建ISI的理念。当然，我说这些都是马后炮。我现在和ISI的关系，不过是我们办的杂志《化学物理学报》被收录其中，而且我有时候能和刘煜老兄以及他们来访的ISI或Thompson公司的官员喝喝茶而已。当然，我也经常用SCI来检索自己和同行的论文和引用情况，它对我们的研究工作非常有帮助。
与发表了150篇JACS的牛人的亲密接触
礼拜一早上7:00点，我到餐厅早餐，服务员说7:30才开始，于是我就到母校的眼镜湖边去散步。刚到那里，就有一个和蔼可亲的美国老先生朝我走过来。Hello之后，他问我是不是也在等早餐，于是我们就攀谈起来。原来他就是那个下午要作报告的发表了150篇JACS的牛人，一个非常温和和有成就的有机光化学家，Wisconsin大学的Steven Nelsen教授。
我们哥伦比亚化学系有一个比Nelsen更有名的有机光化学家泰斗，就是我们科大校友佟振合院士的博士导师，世界上所有学过一点光化学的人都知道的Nicolas Turro教授。Turro教授发表的JACS文章比Nelsen教授还多，而且引用数还高出好几倍，正是所谓的强中自有强中手。我当年做博士论文时，做过的唯一一个简单有机合成，就是到系里Breslow教授的组和Turro组去请人帮忙才搞定。我的博士导师曾经发表过的唯一一篇Science论文，就是和Turro合作的。很糟糕的是，那可能也是他们两人到目前为止被引用数目最少的文章之一，从1984年到现在才被引用了38次。虽然这个工作本是并非一定不重要，但我老板从来没有向我提起过这篇文章，所以我也从来不迷信Science，整个念博士期间就没看过一次Science杂志，说起来真是不好意思。
Nelsen教授告诉我，他和Turro教授当年在哈佛大学时在一个组里当博士后，是很好的朋友。我们还谈到很多其他有趣的事情，发现世界真的很小。我们一聊就聊了一个多小时，早餐时也在一起。我们讨论了一些Nelsen教授专长的物理有机方面的问题，包括电子转移理论和实验等等。我向Nelsen教授介绍了自己的一些工作，还特别提到了四川大学李象远教授最近在非平衡溶剂化理论方面的进展，并建议Nelsen教授看看能否将其用到他们的电子转移的研究中去。Nelsen教授对此非常感兴趣，于是我们交换了名片并且答应要加强联系才相互告辞。
Nelsen教授做的工作非常细致，而且几十年如一日，一个人的研究工作能做到这种程度，在学术上也可以心满意足了。我不是他领域的，所以对他的主要贡献不是很了解，但我是绝对钦佩他这样的科学家的，所以一见就如故起来。美国这样的教授在各个领域都很多，所以他们的整体科学水平非常好。因为Nelsen教授研究领域的特点，所以他的文章绝大部分都发表在JACS上，这是很正常的事。不过即使他是这样牛，也还不是美国科学院的院士，这是因为在他的领域还有Turro教授和其他不少更牛的人存在。
我的博士导师是化学领域美国科学院的院士，他除了那篇和Turro教授合作的几乎没人引用的Science文章之外，也只有几篇篇引用一般的JACS文章，他的主要工作都发表在本领域的物理化学相关期刊上。到SCI上一查，我老板1974-1984年间在JACS上发表了6篇文章，其中还有跟Turro教授合作的（27年中被引用了81次）。之后他就是在一个现在迷信JACS的学生要求下于2006年发表了第7篇JACS文章。去年碰到他，他还问了我半天为什么那个学生再三要求要把那篇界面电子转移测量的文章发表在JACS上，因为他说他已经20多年不在JACS发表文章了。所以大家这就知道我为什么没有JACS文章，而且也不知道如何发JACS文章的原因了吧。
我老板和Nelsen教授年龄差不多，发表的文章总数还少些，但引用情况比Nelsen教授好得多。不过如果是按照国内现在化学领域的评价标准，唯JACS是尊，Nelsen教授会早就当上院士了，而我的老板会在其后，或者根本选不上。人家还会说，什么玩意，尽是些JCP,CPL这种影响因子三点几、二点几的东西，怎么没一篇水平高点儿的文章。
其实，我一直就说，在JACS发表文章并不是坏事，而且是大大的好事。不过以此作为评判化学家的好坏的重要标准，因此而影响到学科的发展，就不是开玩笑的事了。大家平时说的国内学术评价体系不好，逼良为娼，就是针对这种情况的。现实是，虽然目前化学学科在国内好象是很繁荣昌盛，发表的SCI论文远超出其他学科，但作为整个化学和物质科学基础的真正的物理化学研究在国内越来越少，杰出人才、资源和学生相对也越来越少，而且大家还总有上气不接下气的感觉。
操！
要追求科学，不要以我为榜样
所以，我还是要再重申一遍，目前要在中国追求科学，就不要以我为榜样。因为像我这样做化学研究，在国内没有出路。
我在国内算是幸运的，因为我资历好，在我这个年龄，没几个人比得了，我回国也比较早，在我这个年龄，也没几个人比得了。我咬牙坚持了8年，最近发表的影响因子三点几、二点几的文章，其中好几篇引用次数也有好几十次了。我只是混成这样，我自己倒还能保持心理的基本平衡，但同行里面没有几个不觉得寒心的。
如果你觉得对你来说在这些方面你连我都不如，那就赶快投降，不要管你做的是什么领域的研究，赶快向JACS或其它高影响因子的期刊靠拢吧！
我反正是不要当烈士，骂娘也不能当饭吃。不是敌我矛盾，也不涉及到民族气节，所以顶不住了最好就投降，而且要尽快，否则还是抢不到饭吃。
现在我真是很理解什么叫做“曲线救国”，以及为什么汪精卫当了汉奸也还要鞠躬尽瘁。
本文引用地址：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=2960
2007.06.08
发表了150篇JACS的牛人
上个礼拜到母校去给本科生作报告，遇到几位那里的教授，他们告诉我说礼拜一下午有一个美国某著名州立大学的教授要做报告，介绍上说他已经发表了近150篇JACS，是了不得的高手。于是他们说，你见多识广，知不知道这个人。我听了名字，觉得不太熟悉。因为我自己不在JACS上发表文章，不知道也是很自然的。一个人一辈子能发表150篇文章，本来就是不小的成就，而且都还发表在该领域内的重要期刊上，当然更了不起。不过既然我都没看过这些文章，那一定是和我的具体领域没有太多直接关系。反正我礼拜一上午要离开，Who cares!
科学期刊的影响因子（Impact Factor）
上次在博文《要追求科学，不要以我为榜样》中谈到了一点关于国内化学学科评价中唯JACS（The Journal of the American Chemical Society）是尊的现象。国内物理学科评价中现在也是唯PRL（Physical Review Letters）是尊。最为的好笑和荒唐的是，连物理学领域的人，也要把在JACS上发表文章作为水平高的证明。其中的原因当然是这两个杂志的影响因子（Impact Factor－IF）比较高，也就是在文章发表两年之内的文章的平均引用次数大概都在15次左右。所以影响因子高达6-7。而一般国际上最好的的非综述类化学或物理类期刊影响因子只有2-4。影响因子高当然从统计来讲上意味着该期刊的平均被引次数相对较高。但对单篇文章来讲，所发表的期刊的影响因子其实没有太大的意义。
当然期刊的平均影响因子和发表在其中每篇文章的被引用数并没有直接关系。一般来讲整个期刊的影响因子的90%大概是该期刊所发表的25%的文章所贡献的。所以一篇文章引用数如果不能达到该期刊的前25%，被引用的次数往往就低于被引用的平均数。所以为什么专家都建议不要只用杂志的影响因子来衡量文章，尤其是在中国。这些都是很多专家讨论过的问题，所以也不用我多说。有兴趣的人可以到发表期刊影响因子的ISI网站上去看ISI对影响因子的客观介绍和评价。或者可以直接到ISI的创始人Eugene Garfield博士的网站上去读他的那些经典文章。
《要追求科学，不要以我为榜样》博文的链接：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=287
Eugene Garfield博士的网站：http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/
Eugene Garfield博士和ISI
Eugene Garfield在1958年创建的ISI（Institute of Scientific Information），对科学期刊的引用数据进行统计和研究，现在ISI的不断更新的这些数据已经成为影响世界上所有科学家和科学管理机构的行为的最重要的因素。Eugene Garfield博士因此被称为SCI之父。现在SCI的时间已经被推广到医学、法律和人文科学领域，在互联网时代成为最为重要的学术信息平台和工具之一。
ISI的总部在美国费城，距离我做博士后的LRSM大楼不到200米远。我常常经过其门口，但并不了解那是个什么机构。ISI的名字看起来就像FBI（Federal Bereau of Investigation，联邦调查局）一样，好像是个特务或情报机构。我是1999年回国以后才发现ISI对中国科学界的影响是如此之大，人们言必称ISI的SCI（Scientific Citation Index，科学引文数据）和IF，而且所有的评估、评奖、申请基金都要用它。而丢人的是自己居然就在它跟前都不知道是怎么回事。早知道自己在那里就跟ISI拉上关系，回国来以此混饭吃，可能就没有刘煜老兄什么事了。
我要和ISI拉上关系出了有天时、地利之外，还有人和。Garfield本生就是学化学出生的，而且是在Columbia大学学的化学。后来他又在Pennsylvania大学获得博士学位。这两个学校都和我有关系。据说上次他到中国访问，因为是学过化学的，还被聘为我毕业的科大化学物理系的客座或荣誉教授。Garfield创建SCI的思想，源于在Columbia大学学化学时，他对该校科学社会学泰斗Robert Merton的科学计量学研究的了解和兴趣。我一直都对Merton学派的科学社会学研究很感兴趣，所以自然非常赞同Garfield博士创建ISI的理念。当然，我说这些都是马后炮。我现在和ISI的关系，不过是我们办的杂志《化学物理学报》被收录其中，而且我有时候能和刘煜老兄以及他们来访的ISI或Thompson公司的官员喝喝茶而已。当然，我也经常用SCI来检索自己和同行的论文和引用情况，它对我们的研究工作非常有帮助。
与发表了150篇JACS的牛人的亲密接触
礼拜一早上7:00点，我到餐厅早餐，服务员说7:30才开始，于是我就到母校的眼镜湖边去散步。刚到那里，就有一个和蔼可亲的美国老先生朝我走过来。Hello之后，他问我是不是也在等早餐，于是我们就攀谈起来。原来他就是那个下午要作报告的发表了150篇JACS的牛人，一个非常温和和有成就的有机光化学家，Wisconsin大学的Steven Nelsen教授。
我们哥伦比亚化学系有一个比Nelsen更有名的有机光化学家泰斗，就是我们科大校友佟振合院士的博士导师，世界上所有学过一点光化学的人都知道的Nicolas Turro教授。Turro教授发表的JACS文章比Nelsen教授还多，而且引用数还高出好几倍，正是所谓的强中自有强中手。我当年做博士论文时，做过的唯一一个简单有机合成，就是到系里Breslow教授的组和Turro组去请人帮忙才搞定。我的博士导师曾经发表过的唯一一篇Science论文，就是和Turro合作的。很糟糕的是，那可能也是他们两人到目前为止被引用数目最少的文章之一，从1984年到现在才被引用了38次。虽然这个工作本是并非一定不重要，但我老板从来没有向我提起过这篇文章，所以我也从来不迷信Science，整个念博士期间就没看过一次Science杂志，说起来真是不好意思。
Nelsen教授告诉我，他和Turro教授当年在哈佛大学时在一个组里当博士后，是很好的朋友。我们还谈到很多其他有趣的事情，发现世界真的很小。我们一聊就聊了一个多小时，早餐时也在一起。我们讨论了一些Nelsen教授专长的物理有机方面的问题，包括电子转移理论和实验等等。我向Nelsen教授介绍了自己的一些工作，还特别提到了四川大学李象远教授最近在非平衡溶剂化理论方面的进展，并建议Nelsen教授看看能否将其用到他们的电子转移的研究中去。Nelsen教授对此非常感兴趣，于是我们交换了名片并且答应要加强联系才相互告辞。
Nelsen教授做的工作非常细致，而且几十年如一日，一个人的研究工作能做到这种程度，在学术上也可以心满意足了。我不是他领域的，所以对他的主要贡献不是很了解，但我是绝对钦佩他这样的科学家的，所以一见就如故起来。美国这样的教授在各个领域都很多，所以他们的整体科学水平非常好。因为Nelsen教授研究领域的特点，所以他的文章绝大部分都发表在JACS上，这是很正常的事。不过即使他是这样牛，也还不是美国科学院的院士，这是因为在他的领域还有Turro教授和其他不少更牛的人存在。
我的博士导师是化学领域美国科学院的院士，他除了那篇和Turro教授合作的几乎没人引用的Science文章之外，也只有几篇篇引用一般的JACS文章，他的主要工作都发表在本领域的物理化学相关期刊上。到SCI上一查，我老板1974-1984年间在JACS上发表了6篇文章，其中还有跟Turro教授合作的（27年中被引用了81次）。之后他就是在一个现在迷信JACS的学生要求下于2006年发表了第7篇JACS文章。去年碰到他，他还问了我半天为什么那个学生再三要求要把那篇界面电子转移测量的文章发表在JACS上，因为他说他已经20多年不在JACS发表文章了。所以大家这就知道我为什么没有JACS文章，而且也不知道如何发JACS文章的原因了吧。
我老板和Nelsen教授年龄差不多，发表的文章总数还少些，但引用情况比Nelsen教授好得多。不过如果是按照国内现在化学领域的评价标准，唯JACS是尊，Nelsen教授会早就当上院士了，而我的老板会在其后，或者根本选不上。人家还会说，什么玩意，尽是些JCP,CPL这种影响因子三点几、二点几的东西，怎么没一篇水平高点儿的文章。
其实，我一直就说，在JACS发表文章并不是坏事，而且是大大的好事。不过以此作为评判化学家的好坏的重要标准，因此而影响到学科的发展，就不是开玩笑的事了。大家平时说的国内学术评价体系不好，逼良为娼，就是针对这种情况的。现实是，虽然目前化学学科在国内好象是很繁荣昌盛，发表的SCI论文远超出其他学科，但作为整个化学和物质科学基础的真正的物理化学研究在国内越来越少，杰出人才、资源和学生相对也越来越少，而且大家还总有上气不接下气的感觉。
操！
要追求科学，不要以我为榜样
所以，我还是要再重申一遍，目前要在中国追求科学，就不要以我为榜样。因为像我这样做化学研究，在国内没有出路。
我在国内算是幸运的，因为我资历好，在我这个年龄，没几个人比得了，我回国也比较早，在我这个年龄，也没几个人比得了。我咬牙坚持了8年，最近发表的影响因子三点几、二点几的文章，其中好几篇引用次数也有好几十次了。我只是混成这样，我自己倒还能保持心理的基本平衡，但同行里面没有几个不觉得寒心的。
如果你觉得对你来说在这些方面你连我都不如，那就赶快投降，不要管你做的是什么领域的研究，赶快向JACS或其它高影响因子的期刊靠拢吧！
我反正是不要当烈士，骂娘也不能当饭吃。不是敌我矛盾，也不涉及到民族气节，所以顶不住了最好就投降，而且要尽快，否则还是抢不到饭吃。
现在我真是很理解什么叫做“曲线救国”，以及为什么汪精卫当了汉奸也还要鞠躬尽瘁。
本文引用地址：http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=2960
Sunday, June 03, 2007
写好英语科技论文的诀窍
写好英语科技论文的诀窍：
主动迎合读者期望，预先回答专家可能质疑
周耀旗
印地安那大学信息学院
印地安那大学医学院计算生物学和生物信息中心
以此文献给母校中国科技大学五十周年校庆
前言
我的第一篇英语科技论文写作是把在科大的学士毕业论文翻译成英文。当我一九九零年
从纽约州立大学博士毕
业时，发表了20多篇英语论文。 但是，我对怎样写高质量科技论文的理解仍旧处于初
级阶段，仅知道尽量减少语法
错误。之所以如此，是因为大多数时间我都欣然接受我的博士指导老师Dr. George
Stell和Dr. Harold Friedman的修
改，而不知道为什么要那样改，也没有主动去问。这种情况一直持续到我去北卡州立大
学做博士后。我的博士后指
导老师Dr. Carol Hall建议我到邻近的杜克大学去参加一个为期两天的写作短训班。这
堂由Gopen教授主办的短训班
真使我茅塞顿开。第一次，我知道了读者在阅读中有他们的期望，要想写好科技论文，
最有效的方法是要迎合他们
的期望。这堂写作课帮我成功地完成了我的第一个博士后基金申请，有机会进入哈佛大
学Dr. Martin Karplus组。在
哈佛大学的五年期间，在Karplus教授的指导下，我认识到一篇好的论文需要从深度广
度进行里里外外自我审查。目
前，我自己当了教授，有了自己的科研组，也常常审稿。我觉得有必要让我的博士生和
博士后学好写作。 我不认为
我自己是写作专家。我的论文也常常因为这样或那样的原因被退稿。但是我认为和大家
共享我对写作的理解和我写
作的经验教训，也许大家会少走一些我走过的弯路。由于多年未用中文写作，请大家多
多指正。来信请寄：
yqzhou@iupui.edu。 欢迎访问我的网站：http://sparks.informatics.iupui.edu。
主动迎合读者期望，预先回答专家可能质疑
周耀旗
印地安那大学信息学院
印地安那大学医学院计算生物学和生物信息中心
以此文献给母校中国科技大学五十周年校庆
前言
我的第一篇英语科技论文写作是把在科大的学士毕业论文翻译成英文。当我一九九零年
从纽约州立大学博士毕
业时，发表了20多篇英语论文。 但是，我对怎样写高质量科技论文的理解仍旧处于初
级阶段，仅知道尽量减少语法
错误。之所以如此，是因为大多数时间我都欣然接受我的博士指导老师Dr. George
Stell和Dr. Harold Friedman的修
改，而不知道为什么要那样改，也没有主动去问。这种情况一直持续到我去北卡州立大
学做博士后。我的博士后指
导老师Dr. Carol Hall建议我到邻近的杜克大学去参加一个为期两天的写作短训班。这
堂由Gopen教授主办的短训班
真使我茅塞顿开。第一次，我知道了读者在阅读中有他们的期望，要想写好科技论文，
最有效的方法是要迎合他们
的期望。这堂写作课帮我成功地完成了我的第一个博士后基金申请，有机会进入哈佛大
学Dr. Martin Karplus组。在
哈佛大学的五年期间，在Karplus教授的指导下，我认识到一篇好的论文需要从深度广
度进行里里外外自我审查。目
前，我自己当了教授，有了自己的科研组，也常常审稿。我觉得有必要让我的博士生和
博士后学好写作。 我不认为
我自己是写作专家。我的论文也常常因为这样或那样的原因被退稿。但是我认为和大家
共享我对写作的理解和我写
作的经验教训，也许大家会少走一些我走过的弯路。由于多年未用中文写作，请大家多
多指正。来信请寄：
yqzhou@iupui.edu。 欢迎访问我的网站：http://sparks.informatics.iupui.edu。
找不到女友的男孩十大特征
1、不抽 烟
2、只能喝少量的啤酒
3、不会赌博（指不会挂钱的扑克、麻将游戏）
4、没有一套奇装异服（比如超短上衣，大肥裤子，全是窟窿的牛仔裤等）
5、下班/放学直接回家，晚上在家睡觉（民间流传：按时回家是穷鬼，十点回家是酒鬼，
午夜回家是色鬼，凌晨回家是赌鬼！）看来是穷鬼……
6、每月拿到手的工资低于2000元
7、不能轻易将一个男生制服（指不能打架）
8、身高不足1.80米
9、有爹有娘没车没房（注：房 指没有自己的一栋房子，和父母住一起）
10、不哈 韩、不会跳街舞、长得不像任何帅哥、不敢顶撞父母……
现在的社会，据说以上各条如果具有其中三条就绝对找不到女朋友.
2、只能喝少量的啤酒
3、不会赌博（指不会挂钱的扑克、麻将游戏）
4、没有一套奇装异服（比如超短上衣，大肥裤子，全是窟窿的牛仔裤等）
5、下班/放学直接回家，晚上在家睡觉（民间流传：按时回家是穷鬼，十点回家是酒鬼，
午夜回家是色鬼，凌晨回家是赌鬼！）看来是穷鬼……
6、每月拿到手的工资低于2000元
7、不能轻易将一个男生制服（指不能打架）
8、身高不足1.80米
9、有爹有娘没车没房（注：房 指没有自己的一栋房子，和父母住一起）
10、不哈 韩、不会跳街舞、长得不像任何帅哥、不敢顶撞父母……
现在的社会，据说以上各条如果具有其中三条就绝对找不到女朋友.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)