Preliminary Study On Chien Wei-zang's Academic And Educational Ideology

Prof. Chien Wei-zang (1912- ) is a renowned scholar in the fields of mechanics, applied mathematics and pedagogy, and also a famous social activist in China, a former Vice Chairman of the 6^th, 7^th, 8^th and 9^th committees of CPPCC, the current President of Shanghai University, and the Director of Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics. He has engaged in educational and research activities for over seventy years, and has made prominent contributions to mechanics, applied mathematics, physics, information processing of the Chinese language, science history and other areas. In company with Profs. Chou Pei-yuan, Tsien Hsien-shen and Kuo Yung-huai, Prof. Chien Wei-zang is generally admitted as one of the founders for the cause of modern mechanics in China due to his enormous achievements and pioneering work in this aspect. Undoubtedly, it is of primary significance to summarize, investigate, analyze and propagate his academic and pedagogic ideology. This thesis is a preliminary attempt in the aspect. Its main contents are as follows.(1) With accurate materials about Chien, his tortuous path through life is briefly described to reproduce several important phases in his life near a century. Emphases are laid on his choice in between the benefits to the motherland and the individual, his persistence in hard time, and his extraordinary energy during the "spring for science" in China. Hence we can find the spirit of the intelligentsia of his generation who always aim at the independency, wealthy and strength of their nation with strong lasting devotion to their motherland.(2) Chien Wei-zang is a productive scientist of wide interests, and he has published more than 200 papers and eighteen monographs in various fields. In this thesis, only his representative and distinguished works are chosen to be outlined, including the intrinsic theory of thin shells and plates, the perturbation methods for solving the problem of large deflection of a thin circular plate named as the "Chien method" in international academic circles, the theory of ring shells and its applications, the generalized variational principles in elasticity, his contributions to fluid mechanics, high-energy battery research, the information processing for the Chinese characters, etc.(3) Chien's exceptional academic ideas and methodology in conducting and instructing research work are elucidated. From his scientific works, it can be found that Chien Wei-zang always focus his great attention on the application background of the chosen topics, the clear and deep understanding of previous work and the innovation and originality of his own work. He also lays emphasis on clear idea, strict logic, reliable data and graphs and distinct presentation. Moreover, he always follows the principle of truing a true practicality and advocates the diligence in scientific work, so that he can make correct choices in determining the directions of attack and attain enormous success.(4) Through reviewing the history of his devoting to the educational cause in a period more than half a century, Chien's pedagogic ideology is abstracted into the following three aspects. In the first place is his advanced outlook of running universities. As a famous educationalist, Chien Wei-zang claims that the relation between universities and the society must be strengthened by removing estrangement, and that daily teaching and scientific research must be tightly combined. Moreover, he firmly maintains that institutions of higher education school must be both the teaching center and researching center. The second point is his advanced outlook of training students. He thinks that it is of prime importance to cultivate students' patriotism, perform generalist education and enhance the education of physical culture to forge students' will. The third is his correct viewpoint on the relation between teaching and learning. He insists that teachers should reform their traditional teaching method and pay more attention to students' self-culture ability, and that students should master scientific methods of learning. At Shanghai University, Chien wei-zang put forward the concept of 'Breaking down the Four Walls' and accomplished three renovation systems, namely, the systems of academic credit, course selecting and short term. Guided by his advanced pedagogic ideology, Shanghai University rises swiftly among a large number of stronger competitors.(5) The origin of Chien Wei-zang's thoughts is explored in the following three respects. One is the influence of cultural atmosphere in his family on the formation of his active attitude to learning and researching and on the understanding of Chinese traditional culture. Another factor is the influence of great scholars, especial Profs.Chi-SunYeh, Yui-Hsun Woo and other outstanding masters at Tsinghua University. Not only have they trained his ability to undertake scientific research, but also their pedagogic ideology had a strong impact on him. The third factor came from the Goettingen School. It is pointed out that Chien comprehends the quintessence of the Goettingen School of Applied Mechanics. In the thesis, the generation, formation and development of the School are outlined, and its characteristics and impact on Chien are analyzed. It is thus pointed out that Chien Wei-zang's thoughts are originated from the integration of Chinese and western advanced cultures.Finally, we concisely review the inspiration which could be attained from Chien Wei-zang's academic ideas and pedagogic ideology for the younger generation in the circles of science and technology and for the development of Chinese higher education.