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Prof. Han Min of Colorado Univ.—to
train graduates to think independently
By Chen Zhenxia
PKU NEWS 2007--10--31
http://ennews.pku.edu.cn/news.php?s=193818969
Peking University, Beijing, Oct. 30th, 2007: Han Min, schoolfellow of Peking
University and now professor of Colorado University in United States, gave a lecture
entitled ―to train graduates to think independently‖, which attracted the attentions of
more than 160 teachers and students, in the Deng Youcai‘s Lecture Hall in the new
building of life sciences at half past six in the evening of October 30th. Professor Rao
Yi, Dean of College of Life Sciences attended the lecture.
The most significant feature of the seminar is "voting interaction." Audience each
received a clicker, which can be clicked to vote timely. Throughout the talk, Professor
Han Min presented a lot of multiple-choice survey, and the audience voted instantly
with the clicker to show their opinion.
Via this interactive approach, Professor Han Min took examples of himself and
several world-famous biologists that he was familiar with to demonstrate the
importance of independent thinking, and the way to train the thinking ability. In his
opinion, the most important thing during science research is to put forward
interesting and practical scientific questions. Graduate students should learn to
judge the significance of their project, and cultivate their ability to work
independently.
Professor Han Min aspired to do something for China, to promote the teaching model
of universities in China, although he was working in the United States. Currently, he
returned to Peking University with William Wood, Academician of United States
National Academy of Sciences, Professor of University of Colorado, who would
deliver a seminar " New teaching, more learning" on October 31.
The seminar was the second one of the series lectures ―communicate about
scientific life with famous biologists‖, which were organized by the College of Life
Science to provide a platform for the students to contact with overseas famous
biologists and learn from their experience of life and scientific research. The next
lecture of the series would be delivered by Deng Xingwang, world-famous plant
biologist, tenured professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
Department of Yale University, and ―Cheung Kong Scholar‖ professor of PKU on
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