Nobel winners aim to inspire Chinese youth

Top Chinese scientists, who have traditionally focused on research and teaching at universities, are being encouraged by Nobel Prize winners and other top scientists from around the world to inspire young people and increase their interest in science.

Nobel Prize winners Erwin Neher of Germany and Shing-Tung Yau of the US gave speeches on Saturday about brain research and advances in science at the 16th annual meeting of the China Association for Science and Technology.

Physicist Douglas Osheroff, a Fields Medal winner from Harvard University, shared his thoughts on modern mathematics.

"Such talks are common in Germany, but fresh to me in China," said Erwin Neher, winner of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for 1991.

Neher said it's important to encourage young generations to follow their own curiosity and not just "not just go alone with usual things that other people did".

The meeting provided a rare platform for Chinese students to interact with Nobel Prize winners. "It is the first time for me to see a Nobel Prize winner. I felt so lucky and excited for the chance," said Liu Yanmei, 20, a freshman majoring in social sports guidance and management in Yunnan Normal University.

Popular science was one of the main topics at this year's meeting, to which 108 Chinese academicians, four Nobel Prize winners and about 4,000 domestic and foreign scientists from 25 countries were invited.

"It is the largest-scale meeting in the last 16 years and involved more experts and scientists than in previous years, especially those from foreign countries," said Shen Aimin, director of the association.

Thirty-five Chinese academicians have conducted research this year in Yunnan province to support its clean energy and biotech development as well as environmental protection.

"The biggest gap between Yunnan and other coastal provinces is in technology and talents. The two have hindered our development. Innovation is the driving force, and talents are the support," said Qin Guangrong, a top official of Yunnan province.

The China Association for Science and Technology is the largest national non-governmental organization of scientific and technological workers in China. The organization maintains close ties with millions of scientists, engineers and other people working in the fields of science and technology.

Li Yingqing contributed to this story.

yangwanli@chinadaily.com.cn