Xia Yuanyu, who had been silent on the side, put down the teacup at this time and said, "Co-opted once every two years?" And there is no quota for it? That's not big, right! ”

"Why do you say that?" Li Fuji asked rhetorically.

Xia Yuanying said: "Although China also had science and technology sprouts before the Ming and Qing dynasties, after all, it was fragmented and unsystematic. After the communication between China and the West, European geometry and astronomy were gradually introduced to China, so that Chinese scholars knew that there was such a kind of knowledge beyond the world. However, at that time, scholars and doctors took the eight strands as the step of advancement, and they did not look at books except for high-level sermons, and the atmosphere caused it, and science and technology were still reduced to miscellaneous small skills, which were not valued by scholars. It was not until the Daoguang period that the country was broken by the strong ships and cannons of the West, and some wise people gradually realized the power of Western science and technology, and actively sought to learn from European and American countries in order to improve themselves. But at that time, the main thing that was sought was shipbuilding and artillery technology, and the Chinese people did not care about the scientific principles behind the technology.

"The situation really changed until around Guangxu. The first attempt was to send four batches of young children to the United States in the last years of Tongzhi, with the aim of allowing these children to receive formal education in the West from an early age, and through fifteen years of training, they could become proficient in foreign affairs, skills, etc., and become foreign affairs personnel or engineers. This includes the systematic study of Western science and technology. It's a pity that the plan died halfway, and all the children studying in the United States were recalled, so that Chinese scholars once again missed science and technology.

"The second attempt was during the period of the Restoration, when not only did he establish various primary and secondary schools across the country, but he also established the first national institution of higher learning in modern times, the Jingshi University, which offered courses in arithmetic, agriculture, mining, gezhixue, geography, and engineering. This marks the official recognition of science and technology by the state and scholars. When Mr. Sun was in the University Hall, he promoted literature and taught and published a number of important papers one after another, which opened the curtain on the development of science and technology in China. But more noteworthy. Mr. Sun has also compiled a full set of primary and secondary school textbooks as well as a variety of university textbooks, so that Chinese students can finally learn the latest and most advanced scientific knowledge systematically.

"Even if we don't mention the changes between the Wuxu coup d'état and the Gengzi national coup, it will be less than 15 years since science and technology entered the university curriculum in our country! In the past 15 years, how many college students have graduated in total? And how many of these college students are studying science and technology? How many of those who study science and technology can continue to engage in scientific research? Over the years, thousands of young people have gone abroad every year to study. Far away from Europe and the United States, not to mention the doctoral and master's degrees, how many students have graduated from regular universities to study science and technology?

Mr. Sun established the Chinese Academy of Sciences and selected academicians. The original intention was to reward scientific research workers who have made significant contributions, which can be described as well-intentioned! However, the level of scientific research workers in China is uneven, and the level is generally low. Those with high standards, such as Mr. and Mrs. Sun, are the top scientists in the world. It is more than enough to be elected as an academician in any country. And those with low levels are like Xia. It's just that I've been reading books in school for a few years and writing a few papers that don't go into the stream, and I haven't stepped into the door of academia yet. Even so, Xia was successful in school. What's more, others are not as good as Xia?

"If the academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences follow the standards of Mr. Sun and Mrs. Sun, even if the standards are lowered, I am afraid that the number of candidates selected in the country will only be handful; If the standard is lowered to barely make up the number, I am afraid that the selected candidates will be embarrassed in front of Mr. Sun, and it will damage the reputation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. If we can't get together the number of candidates now, why do we need to co-opt every two years? ”

What Xia Yuanzhen said is extremely reasonable. A person's academic level may rise to the top. However, it is difficult to improve the academic level of a nation and a country overnight, which requires not only economic and educational development. It will take generations of hard work.

For example, the Zhongyāng Research Institute in real history, it was established in 1928, and at the beginning of its establishment, there was a provision for the election of members (i.e., later academicians) in the organizational regulations, but because the domestic academic research foundation was very poor at that time, there were no mature scholars, so it had to be temporarily shelved. This shelving is eighteen chūn autumns, and the second motion was already in 1946, the year of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War. In March 1948, after a group review, one general suffrage, and four by-elections, an auspicious number was finally put together: 81. Among the 81 academicians of the Academia Sinica, 28 are in the mathematics and physics group, 25 are in the biology group, and 28 are in the humanities group, all of whom are well-known academic masters at home and abroad.

Some people have used this to attack the current level of academicians far less than the Republic of China, but they don't know that the 81 people (if you only count the natural science community, then there are only 53 people) are jīng Ying who have accumulated 50 years of scientific education, and all of them are condensed jīng Hua! Now, every two years, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering will conduct an additional election, and the number of co-opted people in each academy will be as small as 30 or as many as 50.

Li Fu said: "According to the meaning of Brother Fuyun, it is recommended that the Chinese Academy of Sciences not select academicians for the time being?" ”

Xia Yuanzhen nodded: "Exactly!" ”

Chen Chuanhu said: "It's not appropriate, it's not appropriate!" It is precisely because the level of scientific research workers in our country is generally low that we want to set up the highest academic honorary title of 'academician'. Why? Nowadays, students choose more subjects such as law and politics and economics because after graduation they can become officials and make a fortune, while to study science and technology, they can only become teachers or work in factories. In today's society, there is no future for teachers and workers, and they can only be confused in this environment, completely forgetting what they learned and dreamed of when they were studying. The establishment of the honor of 'academician' is equivalent to setting a goal for young people who study science and technology, so that they will not sink. Moreover, now that the Republic of China is at its beginning, we should take this opportunity to set an example for future generations, so as not to accumulate difficulties in the future. ”

Li Fu said: "What does the mean mean to set up the title of 'academician' first, and then select it when the opportunity is right?" ”

"Why can't you choose now?" Chen Chuanhu asked rhetorically.

Xia Yuanying frowned and said, "Do you want some people to abuse the numbers?" ”

Chen Chuanhu said: "No, just select according to the standards of Mr. Sun and Mrs. Sun." If there are three people in the country, there will be three, and if there are five people, there will be five people. It's a big deal to set the number of academicians at ten first, and then revise the number of academicians when there are many talents in the future! ”

Li Fuji said: "Brother Jin Yong suggested that the number of academicians should be limited? ”

Chen Chuanhu said: "Naturally, we have to set a quota limit! Everything is rare, and the name of academician is no exception. If you give someone a hat of an academician, who still takes an academician seriously? If the number of academicians is restricted, many people will rush to it! ”

Sun Yuanqi would have nodded his head if he heard these words here.

There is no limit to the total number of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, but each co-optation stipulates that the total number of co-opters does not exceed 60, which has led to countless heroes sinking in the sand. But because of the noble name of the academician, these heroes have become more and more courageous, repeatedly defeated and fought, and even a large number of old men in their seventies are still working tirelessly for this thing outside their bodies. If you can understand it in your early 70s, after all, the heart of fame and fortune is not dead, and you still want to resist stubbornly, but why do those old gentlemen who are nearly eighty years old participate in this sport? For example, Ding Dajun (Southeast University, 78), who participated in the co-election of the Academy of Engineering in 2001, and Wang Huijiong (Development Center of the State Council, 78), who participated in the co-election of the Academy of Engineering in 2003, are really embarrassing!

However, the selection of academicians is not because you are older, you will take special care, especially in recent years, when co-opting, it is clearly stipulated that the age of candidates shall not exceed 65 years old in principle (70 years old for the Chinese Academy of Engineering), and 6 or more academicians will be recommended if they exceed the age limit. Even if they are lucky enough to make it to the list of valid candidates, the older candidates will be the first to become cannon fodder. At this time, those old scholars in their seventies and eighties will be sad for a long time. And Professor Tang Wenxia of Nanjing University drove west because of the hopelessness of being elected as an academician, which is really pitiful!

In contrast, some privately founded "International Academy of ×× Sciences" and "Royal Academy of ×× Sciences" pheasant academicians for the purpose of profit, clearly marked with a price of 5,000 yuan a top, from corresponding academicians to academicians, to senior academicians, all available, large quantities are preferred, you can buy. But few people really take it seriously.

Li Fuji said: "To be measured by the standards of Mr. Sun and Mrs. Sun, there are still a few people in Jingshi University who are barely qualified, such as Mr. Wu Xinglian (Wu Liande), who studied the prevention and control of pneumonic plague, and Zhang Shaohan (Zhang Yihui), who first proposed the theory of antimatter. As for the rest of the country, I'm afraid there is no one, right? If you really want to follow the suggestion of Jin Yongxian's brother, the first batch of academicians will all be spent in the world! ”

He Yujie thought of another question: "How should academicians be elected?" ”

Li Fu said: "It's simple! At the beginning, it was suggested that the candidates for academicians should be directly circled by Mr. Sun. With Mr. Sun's academic status and outstanding knowledge, I think everyone should have no opinion, right? In the future, the Chinese Academy of Sciences will be on the right track, and it can be recommended by the colleges and universities under the Ministry of Education and the societies under the Chinese Society for Science and Technology, and elected by voting in academician universities. ”

He Yujie asked again: "What is the recommended standard?" How many books have you written, how many papers have you published, or how many patents have you received? ”

Li Fuji said with a smile: "The items that Brother Yin Xian said are naturally important criteria, but the more important criteria should be the National Science and Technology Award." According to Mr. Sun, the award will be funded by the Ministry of Education and jointly judged by the Ministry of Education, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Society for Science and Technology. Starting from this year, the review will be held once a year to reward citizens and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to scientific and technological progress. (To be continued.) )

ps: After reading this year's college entrance examination essay questions, I feel that my big Jiangsu is running wild on the road of no return.