Nobel Prize Winner Heinrich Rohrer Speaks at Tsinghua Forum

Nobel Prize Winner Heinrich Rohrer Speaks at Tsinghua Forum

By Li Han

Staff Writer of the Tsinghua News Center

Dr. Heinrich Rohrer, the Nobel Prize Winner of 1986 in physics, delivered a speech entitled Science, for the Benefit of Mankind to the Tsinghua Forum on March 12 sharing his attitudes to scientific research and science development with the students.

We all agree that science should serve for the benefit of mankind, that it has become a key factor for our prosperity, and that it is a prime guarantor of a hopeful future, said Dr. Rohrer in his speech.

He noted that the mechanisms and practices of science are different from those of economics, politics, and society, and emphasized the importance of the freedom to pursue worthwhile scientific challenges. Dr. Rohrer also talked about interdisciplinary research and international cooperation in the speech.

After the speech, Dr. Rohrer answered questions raised by the students. Professor Xue Qikun, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, hosted the speech.

Tsinghua President Gu Binglin had a talk with Dr. Rohrer after the speech, exchanging ideas on research and faculty development.

Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986 for their design of the scanning tunneling microscope.