Biography
Professor Gong Qihuang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is an optics expert who has long been engaged in cutting-edge research on nonlinear optics and spatiotemporal small-scale optics. He has made systematic innovative contributions from the aspects of material properties, new effects and applications. He has received awards such as the Second Prize of the National Natural Science Award, the First Prize of the Beijing Science and Technology Award, the First Prize of the Ministry of Education Science and Technology Progress Award, and the Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress Award of the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation. His research results have been selected three times as being among the “Top 10 Scientific and Technological Advances in Chinese Universities”.
Professor Gong was elected as a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2013 and a member of the World Academy of Sciences in 2018. He was elected as a fellow of the Institute of Physics, UK (2007), Optical Society of America (2010), and International Society for Optics and Photonics (2018).
Professor Gong has worked in administrative positions for many years, gaining rich theoretical knowledge and practical experience in higher education administration. Since June 2022, he has served as the President of Peking University and the Dean of the Graduate School of Peking University. In October 2022, he was elected as an alternate member of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Professor Gong currently serves as the vice-chairman of the International Commission for Optics (ICO), a standing committee member of the China Association for Science and Technology, and the vice-chairman of the Beijing Association for Science and Technology.
Citation
Mr Council Chairman,
“How can the canal be so clear and cool? For water fresh comes from its source.” These words of Zhu Xi hang in the office of Professor Gong Qihuang and are the life creed he abides by in running Peking University. During more than 40 years of studying and working at Peking University, Professor Gong, with his motherland as the root and Peking University as the source, has set a vivid example of expanding scientific frontiers and serving the needs of the country with his rich academic achievements and solid achievements in university governance.
Professor Gong was originally from Putian, Fujian Province. In 1979, at the young age of 15 and with outstanding merits, he was admitted to the Department of Physics of Peking University. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1983, he continued to pursue master’s and doctoral studies at Peking University. In 1989, he received his PhD in Science and has been teaching at the university ever since. He was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2013, and a member of the World Academy of Sciences in 2018, and a fellow of the Institute of Physics, UK in 2007, Optical Society of America in 2010, and International Society for Optics and Photonics in 2018. Professor Gong has worked in administrative positions for many years, gaining rich theoretical knowledge and practical experience in higher education administration. Since June 2022, he has served as the President of Peking University and the Dean of the Graduate School of Peking University. In October 2022, he was elected as an alternate member of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Professor Gong currently serves as the vice-chairman of the International Commission for Optics (ICO), a standing committee member of the China Association for Science and Technology, and the vice-chairman of the Beijing Association for Science and Technology.
Professor Gong has always regarded the country as the foundation of his career and life and firmly chooses to base his teaching and scientific research in the land of China. He has long been engaged in cutting-edge research on nonlinear optics and spatiotemporal small-scale optics. He has made systematic innovative contributions from the aspects of material properties, new effects and applications. He has received awards such as the Second Prize of the National Natural Science Award, the First Prize of the Beijing Science and Technology Award, the First Prize of the Ministry of Education Science and Technology Progress Award, and the Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress Award of the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation. His research results have been selected three times as being among the “Top 10 Scientific and Technological Advances in Chinese Universities”. Under his leadership, Peking University’s optics research has developed a research base of internationally advanced standards.
Professor Gong is also resolute on the need to face the world’s technological frontiers and national strategic needs and actively promotes the integration of industry, academia and research. He has led the establishment of several research institutions including the Peking University’s Nano-Optoelectronics Frontier Science Center and the Peking University Yangtze River Delta Institute of Optoelectronics. He has also promoted the establishment of laser-driven multi-beam research institutions, the streamlining of large-scale scientific facilities to help the top scale advancement of China’s scientific and technological undertakings, and economic and social development.
Professor Gong has profound sentiments for his alma mater and has long been committed to promoting the advancement of Peking University and higher education in China. He has attached great importance to cultivating top-notch innovative talents, improving the quality of undergraduate education, and promoting the substantive development of graduate studies; he has stressed the importance of building the teaching faculty, implemented the strategy of strengthening the university with talents, and improved the mechanism of attracting high-calibre talents. He focuses on the improvement of scientific research capabilities, insisting on the dual-track approach of being both goal oriented and having freedom in exploration to strengthen organised scientific research. He advocates openness in education, with both domestic cooperation and international exchanges, promoting collaborations in global education, science, technology and culture. Today, Peking University has advanced into a world-class university with a renowned reputation at home and abroad and is accelerating towards higher goals.
Mr Council Chairman, Professor Gong is dedicated to the needs of the country and has made outstanding achievements in scientific research. He administers Peking University with the aspiration of a teacher and a former student, and has made significant contributions to the development of national higher education in China. I would therefore like to respectfully invite you to confer upon Professor Gong Qihuang the degree of Doctor of Science honoris causa.
Response Speech
Chairman Dr Lam, President Professor Teng, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very pleased to be here at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University to attend the honorary degree conferral ceremony. It is my great honour to receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Science. This is a personal honour for me but more importantly, also a testimony to the friendship between our two universities. I will take this as a great opportunity to be a good ambassador for collaboration between the two universities. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has always adhered to the principle of “To Learn and to Apply, for the Benefit of Mankind," with the purpose of shouldering social responsibilities, with the spirit of leading advancement and innovation, and possessing the capacity of first-class scientific research. It has brought together a substantial cohort of first-tier faculty with global distinction, striven to build itself as an innovative world-class university, and made important contributions to the development of Hong Kong and the prosperity of the country.
In recent years, Peking University and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University have maintained close ties and forged a profound friendship, having cooperated in many areas. Together, we initiated the “Beijing–Hong Kong University Alliance”, co-hosted the “University Social Responsibility Forum” as a part of the Beijing Forum, and jointly established the China Social Work Research Center. All these have made it certain that the friendly cooperative relationship between the two universities will be long-lasting. I sincerely hope that our two universities will further deepen exchanges and cooperation and work together to promote academic exchanges between Beijing and Hong Kong, support the development of the Greater Bay Area of Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao, and make new and greater contributions to promoting Hong Kong’s sustainable prosperity and stability as well as contributing to national development and promoting national rejuvenation.
Thank you very much!