Newsletter No. 334

No. 334, 19.3.2009 第三三四期　二零零九年三月十九日　No. 334　19 March 2009 激動人心的研究者─伍灼耀教授 An Inspiring Researcher—Prof. Ng Cheuk-yiu 伍 灼耀教授是崇基1971年化學系畢業生，現為加州 大學戴維斯分校化學系傑出講座教授。他於2月 22日至3月7日到訪書院，主講公開講座、參與研討會及出 席師生聚會。 伍教授以自身的經驗供師弟妹作參考。他於中大畢業時， 本已獲選為加州大學的交換生，可任意到該校的任何一所 分校，在陽光充沛的西岸繼續升學。然而，由於心繫物理 化學，他毅然選擇到以此科稱著的芝加哥大學（芝大）進 修。他說：「物理化學在當時不是學生的熱門選擇，因為 當中牽涉很多物理學和複雜的數學，而出路也有限。如果 從事研究，所需的科技設施費用不菲，要物色資助亦非容 易，當時還有人勸我不要選擇此科哩。」 伍教授固然不為所動，抵達芝大後，旋即加入時為化學系 副教授李遠哲教授領導的研究小組，致力以分子束研究反 應動態學的實驗。（李教授為1986年諾貝爾化學獎得獎 人）。1973年，伍教授跟隨李教授轉至加州大學柏克萊分 校及羅倫斯．柏克萊國家實驗室繼續研究，並完成他的博 士論文，取得物理化學哲學博士學位。 伍教授又透露，當年研究小組整天都耗在實驗室，保安員 常於凌晨時分看見實驗室仍有燈光，特意走來問他們有無 不妥。李遠哲教授對研究的熱誠和努力，更是研究小組的 模範。伍教授笑說：「當時我們懷疑李教授每天睡不多於 四小時。」他訴說這一二事的用意，是闡明研究之路滿佈荊 棘，必須有濃厚的興趣、澎湃的熱誠和堅韌的毅力，才能 徐步而行。然而，過程雖艱辛，果子卻甘甜。「研究工作雖 耗心力，但每次解決了一項難題，我即會感到身心煥發，又 有精力迎接新挑戰。」 也是由於有這樣的體會，伍教授深切感受到「令人稱羨」 （impressive）和「激動人心」（inspiring）兩種研究者的 區別。令人稱羨的研究者做的研究，為的是回報，包括金 錢、名譽或是獎項等。激動人心的研究者苦心鑽研，為的 是較高的理想，探求事情怎樣發生，為何發生，從中獲得的 樂趣和滿足感讓他們長時間工作也絲毫不覺疲累和壓力， 他們也是最快樂和成功的學者。伍教授希望中大青年學者 能以當激動人心的學者為理想。 P rof. Ng Cheuk-yiu is a chemistry graduate of Chung Chi College (1971) and currently Distinguished Professor of the Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis. During his visit to Chung Chi College from 22 February to 7 March, he hosted public lectures, participated in conferences, and met with staff and students. Prof. Ng quoted his own experience to illustrate the importance of interest in reseach. When he graduated from CUHK, he was selected as an exchange student by the University of California. He could have chosen to study at any of the University of California campuses in sunny California. But his deep interest in physical chemistry led him to choose the University of Chicago, one of the top places for the subject. He said, ‘At that time students were reluctant to choose physical chemistry as it involved physics and complex mathematics, and career prospects were limited. Research laboratories were extremely expensive to set up. It was not easy to get research grants. Someone even persuaded me to give up my choice.’ But Prof. Ng stuck to his interest. He joined the research team of Prof. Lee Yuan-tseh, then associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, upon arriving at the 「選擇研究課程，必須符合自己的興趣，這樣 你才能堅持下去，應付困難和挑戰，造就激動 人心的研究成果。」崇基學院本年度的黃林秀 蓮訪問學人伍灼耀教授寄語一眾中大學生。 ‘Choosing the research programme that interests you will help you to persevere and persist, leading to inspiring research results.’ Prof. Ng Cheuk-yiu, Siu Lien Ling Wong Visiting Fellow 2008–09, Chung Chi College, advised CUHK students. University of Chicago, where he studied experimental reaction dynamics using the molecular beam method under Prof. Lee’s guidance. (Prof. Lee won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1986.) In 1973, Prof. Ng followed the relocation of Prof. Lee to UC Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where he completed his thesis and received his PhD in physical chemistry from UC Berkeley. Prof. Ng recalled those late nights spent in laboratories with the research team. The light always attracted visits by the security guard. He praised Prof. Lee’s enthusiasm and hard work; he was a role model for the team. ‘We guessed that Prof. Lee slept only four hours each day.’ He pointed out that perseverance and persistence are the keys to overcoming difficulties encountered in research. ‘Research is by no means an easy job. But whenever I solve a problem, I am heartened again to face new challenges.’ Prof. Ng emphasized the difference between being ‘impressive’ and being ‘inspiring’. Researchers who are ‘impressive’ do their work in order to get returns in form of financial gains, recognitions, and awards. Those who are ‘inspiring’ carry out their work with the goal of understanding how and why things happen. The happiest and the most successful researchers are ‘inspiring’ people who find excitement and fulfilment in their work. They can work for long hours without feeling tired and stressed. He hopes that the young scholars at CUHK will become inspiring researchers. 伍灼耀教授小檔案 Profile of Prof. Ng Cheuk-yiu 建立多個最先進的激光系統，覆蓋頻率由紅外線至真 空紫外線 Establishing state-of-the-art laser systems from infrared to vacuum ultraviolet 創製多套嶄新的實驗裝置，用作光致電離、光致裂解、 光電子能測定及離子–分子碰撞動態學的開創性研究 Setting up new apparatus for novel studies of photoionization, photodissociation, photoelectron energy, and ion-molecule collision dynamics 領導約有十四名博士生及博士後研究員的研究團隊， 研究經費來自美國聯邦政府能源部、空軍科研辦公 室、國家科學基金會及國家航空暨太空總署 Leading a research group of about 14 PhD students and postdoctoral associates with research support from the US Department of Energy, the Air Force Office for Scientific Research, the National Science Foundation, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 曾獲Camille and Henry Dreyfus 基金會的教授–學者 獎及德國洪堡基金的資深科學家獎 Being named Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow, awarded Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher–Scholar and Alexander von Humboldt Senior Scientist Award • • • •