On 16\nNovember 2012, the University of Macau (UM) conferred honorary doctorates upon\nProf. Arden Lee Bement, Jr., Dr. Ambrose So Shu Fai and Prof. Andrew Chi-Chih\nYao, in recognition of their outstanding contributions in research, culture and\neducation. The ceremony was presided by Dr Chui Sai On, Chief Executive of\nMacao SAR and chancellor of UM. In his speech on behalf of the other honorary\ndegree recipients, Prof. Andrew Chi-Chih Yao said, \u201cThrough over thirty years\nof development, UM has attained impressive achievements in teaching, research\nand community service, and is now working towards the goal of becoming a\nworld-class university.\u201dOf the four recipients, Prof. Yao deserves special\nmention because his ties with Macao dated back nearly forty years when he\nstudied under Prof. David Chung-Laung Liu, a world-renowned computer scientist\nwho received his early education in Macao and who watched with pride as his\nformer student received the honorary degree. A close encounter at UM with two\neminent computer scientists was an interview opportunity too good to be missed.\nSo the editorial team of invited the two\nmasters for an interview, to which they generously agreed. To our pleasant\nsurprise, Prof. Yao\u2019s wife Frances Yao, who was also at the ceremony, joined\nour interview. An accomplished scholar in her own right, Frances is a chair\nprofessor at Tsinghua University, Beijing. It was Frances who suggested to\nProf. Yao forty years ago that he should switch from physics to computer\nscience, a relatively new field at the time. And our interview began with Prof.\nYao recalling how that suggestion led him to become a student of Prof. Liu, who\nwould later have a profound influence on his life.<\/p>\n\n
L: David\nChung-Laung Liu Y: Andrew Chi-Chih\nYao F: Frances Yao J: Journalist<\/p>\n\n
Liu: \u201cThe \u2018Yao Class\u2019 is as important\nas the \u2018Qian Class\u2019 \u201d<\/b><\/p>\n\n
Y: I studied under Prof. Liu from 1973 to 1975\nat the University of Illinois. I was very fortunate to have such a good role\nmodel as Prof. Liu at a young age. He is a well-versed scholar and he knows how\nto educate students according to their strengths. For example, for students who\ndidn\u2019t have a lot of systematic ideas but were diligent and had a solid grasp\nof the fundamentals and theories, he would assign some tasks that suited their\nstrengths; for those who had original ideas, he would give them a lot of\nfreedom and would encourage them to think independently. That\u2019s why his\nstudents have achieved success in different ways. He saw the strengths in every\nstudent and helped them achieve maximum potential. This has had a huge\ninfluence on me, especially for my teaching at Tsinghua University in recent\nyears.<\/p>\n\n
L: Prof. Yao received his PhD degree in physics\nfrom Harvard University, under the supervision of Sheldon Lee Glashow, a Nobel\nPrize laureate. Over the past two days Prof. Yao gave a lecture on quantum\ncomputing, which was related to this year\u2019s Nobel Prize in Physics, and which\nhas the potential to make possible what\u2019s otherwise impossible. I may have\nstarted a little bit earlier than Prof. Yao, but in the journey of scholarship\nwe are not so much teacher and student as travel companions who learn from each\nother and cheer each other on. What I find most admirable about Prof. Yao is\nhis decision to return to China to teach at Tsinghua University eight years\nago. This is a common wish of many people, but what sets Prof. Yao apart is the\nfact that he devotes himself to it with all his heart. Prof. Yao joined\nTsinghua University with the intention of launching postgraduate programmes,\nbut he soon realised he had to start with undergraduate courses, and so he did.\nStudents he taught at Tsinghua University over the years have established\nthemselves, with many papers published at major international conferences. Now\nProf. Yao\u2019s students are welcomed by top universities like MIT Massachusetts\nInstitute of Technology, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, etc. His students are sought-after\nby top universities and the world\u2019s best postgraduates are willing to go to\nBeijing to work for him\u2014I think that\u2019s quite something! That\u2019s why I think the\n\u201cYao Class\u201d is as important as the \u201cQian Class\u201d. (editor\u2019s note: \u201cQian\u201d refers\nto Qian Xuesen.)<\/p>\n\n
Y: I\u2019d like to talk a little bit about my early\ndays at Tsinghua University. At first I was hoping to quickly set up a research\nteam to focus on the theoretical aspect of computer science, because it is\ninternationally recognised to be important\u2014for example, 20 per cent of the\nTuring Award-winning projects are related to theory; but it is an area China\nhas long neglected. (J: do you think this has to do with China\u2019s education\nsystem?) I think it has to do with China\u2019s priority in scientific research. For\na long time China has focused on practicality; in other words, it wants to see\nimmediate results. Computer science in China tends to focus on the engineering\naspect, with little attention to scientific foundation. So I was really hoping\nit the awareness of the importance of the theory could take root at Tsinghua,\nbut I also felt this should start with undergraduate education. So we conducted\na second undergraduate recruitment. During the freshmen check-in week, we\nselected thirty students through exams for the Yao Class, which is similar to\nthe Honours College at UM. We have since graduated four classes. I am very\npositive that we should see results pretty soon. I believe what Prof. Liu and I\nare doing, especially educating Chinese students, goes a long way towards\nraising computer science in China to a higher level.<\/p>\n\n
Another\nthing I did when I first joined Tsinghua was to organise many conferences to\ngive students opportunities for international exchange. We devoted a lot of\nresources, and our purpose was two-fold: broadening students\u2019 horizons and\nbuilding a brand internationally. Because once we have built a brand and make\npeople realise our students are truly outstanding, they would be happy to\naccept our students for further studies after their graduation. Now it\u2019s been\nabout seven years since we launched the project, and I\u2019m glad to say that we\nhave successfully built a brand\u2014universities in the US that excel in computer\nscience now all know our (Yao) Class. So I know we did the right thing.<\/p>\n\n
Yao: \u201cUniversity education should\nhelp young people answer two questions.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n\n
J: What do you think is the intrinsic mission of\neducation? What\u2019s your idea of a good education system?<\/p>\n\n
Y: I think the most important mission of\nuniversity education, especially undergraduate education, is to help young\npeople answer two questions. The first is, \u201cWhat am I really interested in?\u201d\nThe second is, \u201cWhat do I excel at?\u201d Of course it would be even better to\nprovide a platform for students to achieve their maximum potential. But\nbasically I think helping young people find answers to the two questions is the\nmost important thing any university could do, because whether a country can\nhave an advantage over other countries depends on whether its people can\nachieve their maximum potential. As with many other things, this is easier said\nthan done, and it is the greatest challenge for any university that aims for\nexcellence. We can\u2019t just mechanically copy the practices of US universities\nbecause the circumstances are different. The best universities in the US have\nmany top professors and scholars. These professors don\u2019t have to go out of\ntheir way to educate the students; they just need to do their job. Even so\ntheir students still stand a better chance of discovering their interests than\ntheir Chinese counterparts because they have sufficient freedom to access\ndifferent courses and interact with all these excellent teachers. But this\napproach simply wouldn\u2019t work in China or other parts of Asia, because we just\ncan\u2019t hold a candle to Harvard in terms of faculty strength, not even with all\nprofessors from Asia combined. So we have to be creative and design ways that\nsuit us to help our students achieve a similar outcome. For me, that\u2019s the\nintrinsic mission of education.<\/p>\n\n
F: I\u2019ve taught in Hong Kong for a couple of\nyears, and from my personal experience, I feel that it\u2019s difficult to make Hong\nKong students interested in science and technology; they are more interested in\nsubjects like law, economics and business administration, probably because\nthose are what society is interested in. So we have to draw them in patiently,\nby introducing them to the fun side of science and the logic behind it. Like\nart and literature, science is something that will fascinate you once you\nunderstand it better; but appreciating the beauty of science is not easy, it\ntakes a lot of work to get there. <\/p>\n\n
L: I\u2019m going to answer this question from a\ndifferent angle. I was once asked: \u201cWhat did you learn from the best university\nin the world?\u201d I answered: \u201cI was at once humbled and hopeful, humbled because\nI was surrounded by so many extremely talented people, hopeful because I was\nwith them every day, and I knew that if I worked really hard, I would not be\nlagging behind too much. \u201d I think it\u2019s very important to keep our students\nboth humbled and hopeful, in other words, to instil in them both humility and\nconfidence. Prof. Yao does exactly that! He opens students\u2019 eyes because he\nhimself and the people he invites to give lectures are all top computer\nscientists. He boosts students\u2019 confidence through various ways, including\nhelping them to publish papers at top international conferences. I think that\ninstilling in students both humility and confidence is an important mission of\neducation. <\/p>\n\n
I think\nanother mission of education is to motivate students to devote themselves to\nscholarship by the teacher\u2019s own example. In order to become a world-class\nscholar, you must have a master to serve as your role model. I think a very\nimportant thing Prof. Yao has done for his students is to make them realise\nthat as long as they work hard, they might one day attain the same level. It\u2019s\nvery important for teachers to not just teach but also motivate, which is\nexactly what masters like Prof. Yao, Prof. Franklin Chen-Ning Yang and Prof.\nShing-Tung Yau have done. In today\u2019s society, with the current education\nsystem, it\u2019s very difficult to make students interested in learning, much less\nto teach them the correct method to learn, which is a shame. Because with\ninterest and correct method, a teacher could draw students like a magnet, like\nProf. Yao does. There are over one hundred professors and several hundred\noutstanding students at MIT, and this creates an environment that keeps you\nmotivated, which is very important. And this is what happens in the \u201cYao\nClass\u201d\u2014thirty people are motivating each other.<\/p>\n\n
Frances: \u201cChoose the path where\nyou can contribute the most to the world.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n\n
J: You three have achieved remarkable success in\nresearch and education. What is your definition of \u201csuccess\u201d?<\/p>\n\n
Y: I think success is when you look back on your\nlife and ask yourself if you are pleased with the journey and if you have tried\nyour best and have had some impact on the world, you can say yes. <\/p>\n\n
L: I couldn\u2019t agree more. \u201cAlways try your best\u201d\nhas been my motto since a young age. When I was in middle school, China was in\na state of turbulence, and going to university was something I never dared to\nthink about even in my wildest dreams\u2014for one thing, Macao didn\u2019t have any\nuniversity, only Hong Kong did; for another, I had no money, I couldn\u2019t even\nafford tuition fees and I constantly worried about where my next meal would\ncome from. To put it simply, I couldn\u2019t see a future, but still I studied very\nhard, because of my belief in that motto. It\u2019s been sixty years since I left\nMacao in 1952, but this attitude hasn\u2019t changed one bit. I\u2019ve been hosting a\nradio programme for seven or eight years now, and even for a little thing like\nthat, I always do my best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
F: Prof. Liu returned to Taiwan from the US to\nbe the president of Tsing Hua University, where in addition to teaching, he\nused his experience, wisdom and talents to develop Tsing Hua in various areas\nand played a greater role in the academic circle. More importantly, I think his\nreturn has had a motivational impact on me, Prof. Yao and other professors who\nhave chosen or might one day choose to return to Asia. So I think to achieve\nmeaningful success, you should choose a path where you can use your strengths\nto make the greatest contribution to your country and the world. <\/p>\n\n
(The\nEnglish is a translation of the interview conducted in Chinese)<\/p>\n\n
Postscript<\/b><\/p>\n\n
Scientific\ninventions begin with original ideas, develop with explorations and practice,\nand prosper with talent nurturing. What Prof. Yao, Frances and Prof. Liu have\nin common is their dedication to education and to serving society. Their\nachievements speak for themselves, and are deeply inspirational for UM in its\nefforts to implement a multi-faceted education model and to become a\nworld-class university.<\/p>
Prof. Andrew Chi-Chih Yao <\/b><\/p>\n\n
Prof.\nAndrew Chi-Chih Yao is a well-known computer scientist and recipient of an\nhonorary doctorate from UM. He is recognised as one of the world\u2019s leading\nscholars in the theory of computation. He received the Turing Award in 2000\nfrom the world\u2019s leading Association for Computing Machinery, becoming the\nfirst and the only overseas Chinese computer scientist to date to have won this\naward since its founding. Prof. Yao has taught at numerous renowned\nuniversities in the US, including MIT, Princeton University, Stanford\nUniversity, and the University of California, Berkeley. In 2004 he became a\nprofessor of computer science at Tsinghua University, Beijing, where he\nsuccessively founded a computer science pilot class (more commonly known as the\n\u201cYao Class\u201d), the Institute for Theoretical Computer Science, the Institute for\nInterdisciplinary Information Sciences, and the Center for Quantum Information. He is also a Distinguished Professor-at-Large\nat the Chinese University of Hong Kong.<\/p>\n\n
Prof. David Chung-Laung Liu <\/b><\/p>\n\n
Prof.\nDavid Chung-Laung Liu is a world-renowned computer scientist, recipient of an\nhonorary doctorate from UM, and William Mong Honorary Chair Professor of\nComputer Science at Tsing Hua University, Taiwan. He has taught at MIT, the\nUniversity of Illinois and Tsing Hua University, Taiwan. He was associate\nprovost at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and president of\nTsing Hua University, Taiwan. He has published over 180 technical papers, eight\ntechnical books and seven Chinese essay collections. He has been hosting a\nweekly radio programme on technology and humanities for the radio station IC975\nin Hsinchu, Taiwan, since 2005.<\/p>\n\n
Prof. Frances Yao<\/b><\/p>\n\n
Prof.\nFrances Yao is a chair professor at the Institute for Interdisciplinary\nInformation Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing. She received her PhD degree\nin mathematics from MIT in 1973. She has taught at the University of Illinois,\nBrown University and Stanford University. She joined the City University of\nHong Kong in 2003 and served as the head of the Department of Computer Science.\nHer research interests cover various areas in theoretical computer science,\nspecialising in computational geometry and combinatorial algorithms. Her papers\n\u201cSpeed-up in Dynamic Programming\u201d and \u201cA Scheduling Model for Reduced CPU\nEnergy\u201d ushered in an important new branch in the studies of algorithms.<\/p>
\n\n<\/p>
UM this\nyear conferred honorary doctorates upon four distinguished individuals, namely\nProf. Arden Lee Bement, Jr., the Most Venerable Master Hsing Yun, Dr. Ambrose\nSo Shu Fai and Prof. Andrew Chi-Chih Yao, in recognition of their outstanding\ncontributions in research, culture and education. The conferment ceremony was\nheld on 16 November 2012. Dr. Chui Sai On, chief executive of Macao SAR and chancellor\nof UM, presided over the ceremony.<\/p>
Prof. Arden Lee Bement, Jr.,\nrenowned materials scientist <\/b><\/p>\n\n
Prof.\nArden Lee Bement, Jr., recipient of the Degree of Doctor of Science honoris\ncausa, has made outstanding contributions in his many important leadership\nroles in industry, academia, and government agencies. He was in charge of\nscience and technology affairs at numerous international organisations. He is\ncurrently a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering. Prof.\nBement conducts materials research in support of advanced engineering\nconversion technologies. He successively served as professor of nuclear materials\nat the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), member of the US-USSR\nBilateral Exchange Program in MHD, head of the MIT Fusion Technology Program,\ndeputy undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, and director of\nthe National Institute of Standards and Technology. He was the director of the\nUS National Science Foundation (NSF). Under his directorship, NSF opened its\noffice in Beijing, China, which played an important role in enhancing Sino-US\ncollaboration in science and technology. <\/p>\n\n
The Most Venerable Master Hsing\nYun, founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order<\/b><\/p>\n\n
The Most\nVenerable Master Hsing Yun, recipient of the Degree of Doctor of Humanities\nhonoris causa, is the founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order. He has\nestablished himself as an influential world religious and philanthropic figure,\nwith a large following worldwide. He has built more than two hundred temples\nall over the world. He has dedicated his whole life to the study of the\nphilosophy of religion. He is well-read, a prolific author, and is committed to\nthe advancement of philanthropic, educational and cultural causes. He has\nfounded a large number of educational institutions both at home and abroad,\nincluding nine art galleries, twenty-six libraries and publishers, twelve\nbookstores, over fifty Chinese schools, and sixteen Tsung Lin Buddhist\ncolleges. Master Hsing Yun has received numerous honours. In 1978, he became\nthe first Buddhist monk to receive an honorary doctorate from the Eastern\nUniversity in the US. In 1992, he was elected honorary president of the World\nFellowship of Buddhists. In 1995, he received the Buddha Ratna Award from the\nAll India Buddhist Conference.<\/p>\n\n
Dr. Ambrose So Shu Fai,\ndistinguished figure in the business world<\/b><\/p>\n\nDr. Ambrose So Shu\nFai, recipient of the Degree of Doctor of Social Sciences honoris causa, has\nmade significant contributions to the economic and cultural exchange and\ncollaboration between Macao, Hong Kong, China and Portugal, especially in\nfostering Macao\u2019s role as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking\ncountries. He is presently CEO of SJM Holdings Limited, Director of Sociedade\nde Jogos de Macau, S.A., member of the National Committee of the Chinese\nPeople\u2019s Political Consultative Conference, Honorary Consul of the Republic of\nPortugal in Hong Kong SAR, member of the Economic Development Council and of\nthe Cultural Consultative Council of the Macao SAR government, and President of\nthe Board of Directors of the Macau Military Club. Dr. So has served in Macao\u2019s\ngaming and tourism industry for more than 35 years, during which time he has\nmade relentless efforts to the professionalism, regulation and diversification\nof the gaming industry. Dr. So is a devoted calligrapher and has held numerous\nsolo exhibitions. In 2009 he was awarded the Medal of Cultural Merit by the\nMacao SAR government.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On 16 November 2012, the University of Macau (UM) conferred honorary doctorates upon Prof. Arden Lee Bement, Jr., Dr. Ambrose So Shu Fai and Prof. Andrew Chi-Chih Yao, in recognition…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":112637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-149437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n