Creating Sound Environment for Innovation

In the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, China vows to continue to nurture a culture of innovation, encourage dedication to science, cultivate fine academic conduct, and foster an enabling environment for innovation.

Institutional reform should be carried out to inspire dedication among young scientists, said Rong Mingzhe, executive deputy secretary of the CPC Committee of Xi'an Jiaotong University.

He added that policy support should be given to build a sound environment in which young scientists are trusted, respected, tolerated, and encouraged to take on essential innovation tasks.

Ensuring public understanding of the spirit of scientists is vital to foster a sound environment for innovation. The China Science and Technology Museum (CSTM), as a national comprehensive sci-tech museum, has played a role in this regard.

"CSTM has created a brand project—the National Top Science and Technology Award Winner's Hand Model Wall, which provides the public with more opportunities to experience the greatness of scientists, and stimulate children's interest in science and technology," said Qian Yan, deputy director of CSTM.

Qian added that CSTM has organized a series of special exhibitions to publicize the scientific and academic spirit of scientists. At the same time, CSTM has produced the "Idol Scientists" series of animated micro films and the video series "Brighten Up the Science Dream" to introduce stories of scientists. Also, scientists have been invited to give online and offline lectures to the public on such topics as manned space flight, and Moon and Mars exploration.

The popularization of scientific knowledge is one of the effective means to spread scientific and innovative spirit of scientists, said Jiang Peng, who is in charge of the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) observation base of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Over the years, the FAST team has organized many events in universities, as well as in primary and middle schools, in order to disseminate relevant scientific knowledge among young people, and provide exchange and learning platforms for young science lovers to obtain scientific knowledge, added Jiang.

Jiang said the base had tried to attract innovative experts. With all the efforts, they have made a series of scientific achievements with international influence in the fields of pulsar search, fast radio bursts, and galaxy formation and evolution. Meanwhile, FAST is open to astronomers all over the world and has become an important observation facility internationally.

Source: Science and Technology Daily