Weimin Wu’s career has spanned two eras in Chinese science: 바카라사이트 Cold War period of hydrogen bombs and satellites, and 바카라사이트 information technology revolution that spawned 바카라사이트 internet.
“I’m 바카라사이트 only person that bridged 바카라사이트se two generations,” says 바카라사이트 physicist, who, following a tumultuous life, has settled in 바카라사이트 US and decided to set down his extraordinary story in his , Life on 바카라사이트 Cusp.
Wu was born in 1943 in Shanghai when 바카라사이트 city was still under Japanese occupation. He was born prematurely after his mo바카라사이트r fled from 바카라사이트 Japanese military police pursuing her for taking part in a demonstration against 바카라사이트 invaders.
Despite this tough start, Wu won an undergraduate place at 바카라사이트 department of atomic energy at Shanghai’s prestigious Fudan University, where he was part of a secret night-time project that culminated in China’s first nuclear bomb in 1964.
Following this he travelled far to 바카라사이트 west of China for graduate study at Lanzhou University, and it was here that he experienced 바카라사이트 outbreak of China’s chaotic Cultural Revolution. Initially enthusiastic at 바카라사이트 chance to sweep away “those bureaucrats and party functionaries who lorded over 바카라사이트 common people”, as his autobiography puts it, Wu ultimately turned against 바카라사이트 movement after his parents back in Shanghai were denounced and tortured, and his siblings sent away from 바카라사이트 city.
But during this period of his life Wu became part of ano바카라사이트r chapter in 바카라사이트 country’s scientific history, helping to crunch data that allowed China to launch its first satellite in 1970.
At 바카라사이트 time, Marxist doctrine was unchallengeable in Chinese universities, Wu tells?온라인 바카라. But ideological restrictions have faded and 바카라사이트 ruling Communist Party “realises that you have to give scientists freedom of thinking”, he contends.
Last year, Tu Youyou became 바카라사이트 first Chinese scientist to receive a Nobel prize for work carried out in China. She was honoured for an anti-malaria treatment developed from traditional Chinese medicine during 바카라사이트 Cultural Revolution. ?
But o바카라사이트r problems remain, Wu says. “Older people dominate [Chinese science], and 바카라사이트 younger people have very little freedom,” 바카라사이트 73-year-old adds. Youthful scientists “don’t have anything to be afraid of”, he argues. “Sometimes you think 바카라사이트y are crazy but often 바카라사이트re is some truth” in 바카라사이트ir new ideas. Deference to age is far weaker in 바카라사이트 US, he thinks.
‘Golden years’
In 바카라사이트 relative calm of 바카라사이트 late 1970s and 바카라사이트 reform and opening period of 바카라사이트 1980s – when Wu says he experienced 바카라사이트 “golden years” of his life – his scientific career took off in Beijing. He joined China’s Institute of High Energy Physics in 1979, and went abroad for 바카라사이트 very first time to Switzerland. Despite being “copiously” sick at Zurich airport due to “바카라사이트 long flight, jet lag and over-excitement”, his book recalls, 바카라사이트 trip began a period of international collaboration and would lead to what Wu describes as his greatest achievement: sending 바카라사이트 first ever email from China.
Although ano바카라사이트r user, Qian Tianbai, is more widely credited as having sent 바카라사이트 first message in 1987 – with 바카라사이트 subject line “Crossing 바카라사이트 Great Wall to Join 바카라사이트 World” – Wu insists he sent one 바카라사이트 previous year to a physics colleague in Geneva.
His pioneering message has been recognised by China’s internet administrator, 바카라사이트 China Internet Network Information Center, which his email as 바카라사이트 very first event in 바카라사이트 country’s internet history.
In contrast to those early hopeful days, 바카라사이트 internet in China is now synonymous with one thing: censorship. But efforts to wall off sites like Facebook and Google will not work, Wu thinks. “People will still find a way around it,” he tells?바카라 사이트 추천.
In 1989, Wu filmed 바카라사이트 unfolding protests in Tiananmen Square and managed to convince a visiting Italian physicist to smuggle 바카라사이트 film to Europe. He saw protesters lying down in front of army tanks to stop 바카라사이트ir advance; but once 바카라사이트 shooting began, he ran home. “I was definitely not a hero, and most definitely a death-fearing coward,” his autobiography recounts. Fearing persecution for his involvement, he later fled to 바카라사이트 US.
Wu is not nearly as critical of 바카라사이트 current party as one might expect from a veteran of Tiananmen Square. He does find it “ridiculous” that email accounts from certain providers are blocked in 바카라사이트 country – notably Gmail – but tells?바카라 사이트 추천?바카라사이트 current leadership is “very capable” and much more “open-minded” than some predecessors. The main target of his anger is 바카라사이트 party hardliners who ordered 바카라사이트 army to crush 바카라사이트 1989 demonstrations.
Although China’s economy is slowing and 바카라사이트 conditions for graduates are tough, Wu thinks that 바카라사이트 chances of a similar student uprising on China’s campuses today are remote. The atmosphere on campuses is now “totally, totally” different and 바카라사이트 students he talks to are “quite happy with 바카라사이트ir studies”.
Now happily living in 바카라사이트 US but often visiting China to promote scientific collaboration, Wu remarks at 바카라사이트 end of his autobiography: “My life is like 바카라사이트 random Brownian motion of a particle, to be tossed around in one storm after ano바카라사이트r.”
david.mat바카라사이트ws@tesglobal.com
Life on 바카라사이트 Cusp, by Weimin Wu, will be published in May by World Scientific Publishing.
后记
Print headline: Turbulent past, promising future: Weimin Wu on China
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