On May 1st, the 24th“Qiuzhen Traveller's Eyes Lecture” was held by Qiuzhen College of Tsinghua University in success at the Attached Middle School to Jiangxi Normal University in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province. Haoyi Li, a student in the “YAU Mathematical Sciences Leaders Program”, gave a report titled “The Hidden Dimension: An Invitation from Higher-Dimensional Theories”. Prof. Shing-Tung Yau, Dean of Qiuzhen College, attended the lecture and delivered a speech. More than 800 middle school students from Jiangxi Province took part in the lecture offline.
Scene of the Lecture
In his lecture based on the development of gravitational theory and high-energy physics in the 20th century, Haoyi Li shared his in-depth insights into the development of modern physics centered around general relativity and string theory. He expounded on the close links and mutually reinforced effects between high-dimensional physical theories and mathematics during the exploration of the fundamental laws of the universe.
Haoyi Li Gave a Report
In his speech, Prof. Shing-Tung Yau remarked that the development from general relativity to quantum physics has reflected the consistent efforts made by countless scientists, and any major scientific breakthrough cannot be achieved overnight. One of the crucial directions of basic science in the 21st century is the further integration of physics and mathematics. From string theory to gravitational fields, numerous key issues still remain to be resolved, and it is imperative for a new generation of young talents to engage in the exploration of such issues.
Prof. Shing-Tung Yau Delivered a Speech in Conclusion
In response to the questions raised by the middle school students on-site, Prof. Yau shared his experience of learning mathematics when he was young, emphasizing the importance of both interest and ambition. In addition, he stressed that students should attach great importance to laying a solid foundation in the learning of mathematics. While consolidating the foundation, students are recommended to properly explore cutting-edge knowledge. Regarding the question about “talent and hard work, which is more important”, Prof. Yau took the mathematician Riemann as an example, pointing out that as long as students harbour an interest, both talent and hard work would lead to a more promising academic path.
Prof. Shing-Tung Yau Interacted with Middle School Students and Took a Group Photo
So far, Qiuzhen College has held 24“Traveller's Eyes Lectures” in more than half of the provinces across China. Nearly 13,000 middle school students have taken part in the lectures offline. Students from Qiuzhen College have given lectures on multiple topics in the fields of mathematics and physics. They have shared insights into major contributions of numerous great mathematicians and physicists, including Euler, Gauss, Riemann, Descartes, Leibniz, Newton, and Emmy Noether.
