President Shih spoke of his hopes for the new students – the University’s fourth intake – when he addressed them at a welcome dinner on Saturday evening as part of student orientation. He pointed out that this was the Year of the Dragon and that in the Eastern tradition, the hallmarks of those born in such years include creativity and innovation, courage and enterprise as well as the determination to succeed. He reminded the audience that research is not about learning from passive listening and taking notes in lectures, but rather about learning through observation and experimentation, discussion and collaboration, work and play.
Prof. Shih illustrated his point with a story about Sir Andre Geim’s groundbreaking discovery of two-dimensional Graphene, for which he and his student-turned-collaborator won a Nobel Prize in 2010. He explained that Geim’s story shows what happens when work is play and play is work; adventure and discover become mutually reinforcing and energizing, especially when sustained by “tremendous energy and boundless enthusiasm”.
Professor Shih ended by saying,
“I hope that you the Class of 2012 lives up to the Year of the Dragon, displaying creativity, high ambition, strong character and aiming to achieve truly great things.”