New SI and precision measurements: an interview with Tianchu Li

On 13–16 November 2018, the 26th General Conference of Weights and Measures (CGPM) was held in Paris. The conference adopted Resolution A on ‘Revision of the International System of Units (SI).’ According to Resolution A: four of the SI basic units, namely kilograms, amps, kelvin and mole, are defined by the Planck constant h, the basic charge constant e, the Boltzmann constant k and the Avogadro constant N_A, respectively. This establishes the basic quantities and units in SI on a series of constants. The new SI was officially launched on 20 May 2019. This is the most significant change and a milestone in the history of metrology since the Metre Convention was signed in 20 May 1875. Professor Tianchu Li, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has been working on time and frequency standards for 37 years. In this interview, Prof. Li reviews the quantization and constant evolutions of the second and meter, and introduces the redefinitions of ampere, kelvin, kilogram and mole, and their significance for precision measurements.     

The past and future of USTC: an interview with USTC President Xinhe Bao

The University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) is located in Hefei, the capital of Anhui province, and has its own characteristics among the universities in China. Established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), USTC is distinctively tinted with a scientific color. It is also famous for its ‘Special Class for the Gifted Young’ and is considered one of the best Chinese universities in the fields of science and technology (S&T). Recently, National Science Review interviewed Professor Xinhe Bao, the President of USTC, about the characteristics of the university and the education and research in China. Xinhe Bao is an academician of CAS and has made seminal contributions in catalysis and energy chemistry in the past decades. Before joining USTC, he had worked at Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP), CAS and Fudan University (Shanghai), and thus possesses an in-depth understanding of the education and research in China.     

碳中和研究热点与演进趋势——基于科学知识图谱

碳中和是关系到解决全球环境问题、促进国家经济发展、推动社会可持续发展的重要议题。本文以1991—2021年间Web of Science和中国知网数据库收录的7192篇国际学者发表的英文文献、3778篇中国学者发表的中英文文献为研究对象,运用信息可视化软件CiteSpace,从时间分布、空间分布、研究热点冲积图、关键词共现图谱、关键词聚类图谱等方面,揭示了国内外碳中和研究现状与发展趋势。结果表明：①从时间脉络上看,国内外碳中和演进分为3个阶段：萌芽期（1991—2006年）、发展期（2007—2014年）和繁盛期（2015—2021年）;进入21世纪后,国内外碳中和发文量均呈现快速增长趋势,2021年中国碳中和研究爆发式增长,年发文量超1500篇。②从空间分布上看,碳中和研究地区和研究机构呈现多极化发展趋势,美国、中国和英国等国家发文量较高,主要以高校和研究所为主。③从研究热点上看,围绕基础研究与动态监测评价、技术研发与应用、政策设计与路线图3个重大科学问题,碳中和研究主要从碳足迹、能源、碳捕获与封存技术、生命周期评价、碳交易市场和全球治理等热点展开。④从关键词聚类上看,碳中和相关研究可以从个体、行业、国家3个层面聚类成4个主题：个体碳中和态度与行为、碳中和技术、碳市场与碳金融体系、政策引导与全球治理。本文对每个主题的内涵和研究进展进行梳理,总结出碳中和的研究热点与演进趋势,为中国实现碳中和目标提供理论参考。     

案例分析视角下科研不端行为处置流程与原则

基于不同程度科研不端行为视角,以美国、日本、中国的4个典型科研失信案例为研究对象,通过分析其案例背景、处置流程、处理结果,发现在典型的科研不端行为案例中,科研机构充当首要责任主体,政府、科研机构、学术共同体介入时间清晰,强调治理的法制化;在有争议的研究行为案例中,学术期刊充当主体并采取同行评议与学术不端系统相结合的防范措施,各主体加强联动开展教育活动等原则。     

最终需求视角我国碳排放总量地区分解研究

碳排放总量控制是减排的必经之路,在我国区域差异大的背景下,分区减排又是急待解决的核心问题。本文从投入产出法中的核心思想“最终需求”出发,优先满足公平性,其次兼顾效率性,从一个全新的角度探索了碳排放总量地区分解方法,通过满足消费需求碳排放权保证“代内公平”,满足经济发展需求碳排放权保证“代际公平”,不仅使地区居民生活和经济发展必须的碳排放权得到了满足,又从碳排放权使用效率最大化上考虑,使减排的经济代价尽量减少,解决了碳排放总量目标区域分解的难题,为我国从碳强度控制最终转向碳排放总量控制奠定了坚实的基础。结论表明国家应从地区人口规模、经济发展水平、地区碳转移,以及能源生产力的差异上分配差异化的减排考核目标,使各个地区愿意并且能够完成任务。     

个体网络结构分析在科学交流活动中的应用研究——以碳纳米管领域的科学合作为例

 近年来,研究者们由对数据数量特征的关注转向加强对数据结构特征的分析,这一转向源于网络分析方法的兴起和成熟的网络测度方法的广泛运用。以个体网络为研究对象,结合网络结构分析的多种测度指标,对领域重要研究者,与重要研究者密切合作的学者及其结构特征等方面进行测量与分析,挖掘大量数据中隐藏的关系和结构。     

国际视野下的创新政策过程研究

随着中国的崛起,其创新政策越来越受到国际力量的关注,并不可避免地受到国际力量的干预和影响。因此,从国际视野审视创新政策及过程对中国科学地制定创新政策具有重要意义。已有研究主要关注全球化影响下创新政策目标、内容和工具的变化,并把创新政策看作一个主权国家的内部政治活动,从政策过程讨论全球化和国际因素对创新政策的影响还不多见。本文从国际视野出发构建了基于“过程—主体—影响力”的创新政策过程三维分析框架,并对“中国自主创新产品政府采购”政策和“中国制造2025”政策的政策过程进行了比较分析。研究认为,中国的创新政策与贸易乃至对外事务的界限模糊化使得创新政策过程成为国际—国内双重博弈的复杂过程,创新政策制定的各个阶段都受到国际因素的影响,各类利益相关者基于形势变化和利益需求在不同政策中发挥的作用有明显区别,政策出台国和政策干预国的相互依赖程度和国际影响力最终决定了一国创新政策的受干预程度。     

Funding system reform for excellence in science: an interview with Jinghai Li,President of NSFC

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) is the major funding agency for China''s basic research in natural science. The total budget for NSFC was 26.7 billion Yuan (RMB) in 2017, accounting for 27% of China''s total investment in basic research. In the past decades, continuous increases in the National Natural Science Fund and other funding programs provided strong support for the rapid growth in China''s science and technology (S&T). In the second half of 2018, NSFC unveiled a deep reform plan that aims to build a fair, efficient and standardized new funding system that meets the demands of excellence in science in the twenty-first century in 5–10 years. Why did NSFC propose this reform? What are the major tasks of this reform? And how would NSFC implement this reform? All-in-all, this reform would not only have profound effect on S&T in China but also matters the world for the global collaborative efforts for the science. Recently, National Science Review had an exclusive interview with Jinghai Li, President of NSFC and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to learn his views and perspectives of the future of NSFC.     

科学治理视野下的中国科学共同体:问题与对策

科学共同体作为一支相对独立的力量参与科学管理是科学治理的基本要求,自律、自主和自治是科学共同体参与科学治理并发挥积极作用的重要条件,而自律性、自主性和自治性不足是我国科学共同体存在的主要问题,这些问题影响了科学创新能力的提升和科学治理目标的实现,应从决策机制、管理模式、组织建设、学术评价和精神气质等五个方面予以解决。     

双元性创新视角下高校科学研究对成果转化的影响

传统的双元悖论认为高校中的科学研究与成果转化两者不可兼得。为了研究高校科学研究与成果转化之间的关系,本文基于双元性创新的动态视角,运用面板负二项随机效应模型,以2009—2016年间64所教育部直属高校为样本,进行了实证分析。研究结果表明：高校过去在科学研究成果上的表现,正向加强了当前时点的成果转化;当外部竞争程度越高时,这种边际作用将会增强,但是对于更知名的高校来说,这种边际作用将会被削弱。此外,成果转化的商业化渠道对两个不同时间点的科学研究成果产生了积极的中介作用,使高校科学研究与成果转化之间形成了良性的动态循环。 〖HT5”H〗关键词：     

A perspective on magnetic microfluidics: Towards an intelligent future

Magnetic microfluidics has been gradually recognized as an area of its own. Both conventional microfluidic platforms have incorporated magnetic actuation for microfluidic operation and microscale object manipulation. Nonetheless, there is still much room for improvement after decades of development. In this Perspective, we first provide a quick review of existing magnetic microfluidic platforms with a focus on the magnetic tools and actuation mechanisms. Next, we discuss several emerging technologies, including magnetic microrobots, additive manufacture, and artificial intelligence, and their potential application in the future development of magnetic microfluidics. We believe that these technologies can eventually inspire highly functional magnetic tools for microfluidic manipulation and coordinated microfluidic control at the system level, which eventually drives magnetic microfluidics into an intelligent system for automated experimentation.     

全球治理视角下碳中和战略的发展历程和主要国家政策体系的对比研究

基于全球治理视角,采用内容分析法和比较研究法,选取世界主要国家围绕碳中和目标制定的相关政策和战略行动进行分析。研究表明,全球碳中和战略的发展目前经历了治理起步期、曲折探索期、共同推进期3个阶段,世界主要国家聚焦战略方向、目标设定、重点领域、关键技术等进行系统布局;相比之下,我国在“双碳”立法进程、重点领域中长期战略行动规划、绿色低碳技术应用示范等方面存在不足。为此,我国可以加快碳中和立法进程,构建系统有效的推进机制;提高清洁能源比重,构建清洁高效安全的能源体系;聚焦关键领域,加快产业绿色低碳转型;强化科技支撑,大力开展关键共性技术攻关和应用示范等,积极推进碳中和战略目标。     

The determinants of academic research commercial performance: Towards an organizational ambidexterity perspective

This paper examined the relationship between organizational ambidexterity and research commercialization in universities. The paper develops two types of organizational ambidexterity: structural ambidexterity and contextual ambidexterity that influence research commercialization. Through a dataset of 474 academic patent inventors in Taiwan, the results revealed structural and contextual ambidexterity factors are patenting-, licensing- and start-up-specific. Despite both types of ambidexterity are complementary in patenting and licensing, contextual ambidexterity outperform structural ambidexterity in fostering university start-up equity participation. To promote academic research commercialization, it is necessary to build up a university as a dual structural organization that allows pursuing research excellence and research commercialization at the same time.     

Microalgae-material hybrid for enhanced photosynthetic energy conversion:a promising path towards carbon neutrality

Photosynthetic energy conversion for high-energy chemicals generation is one of the most viable solutions in the quest for sustainable energy towards carbon neutrality.Microalgae are fascinating photosynthetic organisms,which can directly convert solar energy into chemical energy and electrical energy.However,microalgal photosynthetic energy has not yet been applied on a large scale due to the limitation of their own characteristics.Researchers have been inspired to couple microalgae with synthe...     

Contributorship in scientific collaborations: The perspective of contribution-based byline orders

Scientific collaboration empowers scholars to build larger teams and produce more high-quality knowledge. However, with insufficient microscopic examination of scientific collaboration, i.e., the interactions between collaborators, little is currently known about whether the contributing roles of collaborators are fairly and accurately represented on the bylines of scientific papers. To fill this gap, the current study examines how the different roles of collaborators are connected to the order of their names in article bylines across disciplines and team sizes. A dataset of 105,192 articles containing author contribution statements was compiled and analyzed to investigate the byline order distributions of three different contributing roles: versatiles, specialists, and teamplayers. We discovered that, across all disciplines, the order of names in article bylines usually represented authors’ contributions. Versatiles were more likely to be first authors in the byline, followed by teamplayers and specialists. We also found that the division of labor in larger teams varied between disciplines. In some subjects, the three contributing roles disappeared as the size of teams increased, while in others, they remained distinct. Finally, larger team sizes were associated with a weaker relationship between byline ordering and contributing roles. These findings advance studies of scientific collaboration and enrich the literature on the evaluation of scientific performance.     

再思科学知识社会学:社会学经验研究的启示

国内社会学界对科学知识社会学(Sociology of Scientific Knowledge,SSK)的关注较少,哲学界的讨论则往往远离社会学的经验研究实践,这一方面造成SSK研究与其他社会学研究领域的脱节,另一方面使得SSK的方法论价值未被全面认识。从社会学经验研究的角度看,当代社会科学研究囿于"语义学神话"从而深深陷入形式主义误区,SSK研究者则敏锐地指出了这个病症。反科学、多重发现、虚无主义等观点均不是批评SSK的恰当理由,而SSK所遭遇的困境也不专属于其自身,它实际体现了现代西方认识论文化的根本困难。     

在时空的隧道里,中国文化走向未来

编者按:在一个高档公寓里,本刊编辑朱健榕等见到了这位因为讲述中国文化而闻名中国的于丹教授.也许多年之后,当谈到中国文化如何复兴的时候,我们将不得不谈到于丹.     

The future of research universities

The paper considers the future of the research university and finds that it is unlikely to continue adherence to a business model in which strategy is determined and directed from the top. A Mode 2 perspective suggests that the sector will contain a variety of forms, the characteristics of each shaped by the performance of centres of excellence and relevance.     

China's goal of achieving carbon neutrality before 2060: experts explain how

‘We aim to have CO₂ emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060,’ President Xi Jinping so declared at the General Debate of the 75th United Nations General Assembly on 22 September 2020. More than 130 countries globally have proposed their own carbon neutrality goals by 2050 or 2060. Thus, carbon neutrality is a collective effort of human societies to cope with the climate crisis. If all countries could follow their own plans and reach carbon neutrality in a few decades, we may have a chance to control global warming within 1.5 or 2^oC, confining climate change to a relatively safe zone. As a developing country with a large population, high coal consumption and large manufacturing industries, can China achieve the huge task of societal transformation that will enable carbon peaking and carbon neutrality within the next four decades? How will China transform traditional power generation and manufacturing industries, as well as create new technologies for carbon capture and storage? In this panel discussion chaired by Prof. Xinhe Bao, a scientist of energy and chemistry, top experts gathered to discuss the challenges and potential solutions, outlining the coming ‘green industrial revolution’. Huiming Cheng Professor, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Zhengtang Guo Professor, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Yaling He Professor, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University Zheng Li Professor, Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua University Minggao Ouyang Professor, School of Vehicle and Mobility, Tsinghua University Zhengrong Shi Professor, College of Energy and Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai University of Electric Power Zaiku Xie Professor, China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (SINOPEC) Xinhe Bao (Chair) Professor, University of Science and Technology of China, and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Bao: Today we have experts from different disciplines related to energy to talk about the issues of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality in China. Since September 2020, China has initiated many plans and strategies for achieving these goals. I would like to invite Prof. Li to introduce the background and significance of achieving carbon neutrality in China. Li : There is now a global consensus on the crisis of climate change. It is a challenge for all human societies. Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality are the solutions targeting the source of climate change—the emission of greenhouse gases. Most countries have promised to achieve carbon neutrality, and from the European Green Deal to China''s initiatives, the goal is not just

From the European Green Deal to China''s initiatives, the goal is not just to reduce carbon emissions, but also to initiate a ‘green industrial revolution’.—Zheng Li

to reduce carbon emissions, but also to initiate a ‘green industrial revolution’ and lead human society to a new path that does not depend upon fossil energies. Going green has become a global trend. If China wishes to achieve sustainable development in the future, the only wise choice is to follow, or even lead this trend. So, we can see that setting the carbon neutrality goal is a well-thought-out strategic decision of the Chinese government.Almost all countries aim to achieve carbon neutrality, but each country has its own energy structure and development stage, so the degree of difficulty in achieving these goals is different. In fact, western developed countries have already reached peak carbon emissions. Europe and the US reached their peak in the 1980s and 2005, thus have ∼70 and 45 years to achieve neutrality by 2050, respectively. But China is still developing and has not reached its peak. Moreover, our industrial structure is biased towards heavy industry and our energy structure is biased towards coal use, so it is a great challenge for China to reach its peak by 2030 and achieve neutrality by 2060.Furthermore, not all countries are equally responsible for the current climate crisis. Developing countries have not emitted as much carbon, historically, as developed countries, and they also have the right to develop. At the Glasgow Climate Change Conference in 2021, developed countries proposed setting 1.5°C, instead of 2°C, as the only limit for temperature rise, and proposed that all nations should ‘phase out’ the usage of coal. After negotiations and compromises, the final document kept the 2°C limit set by the 2015 Paris Agreement, and pointed out that we should keep 1.5°C within reach. It also replaced the term ‘phase out’ with ‘phase down’ regarding coal use.To summarize, to achieve carbon neutrality and to create a green society is a significant task for the entire world, benefiting all humanity. Bao: To achieve carbon neutrality, what can we learn from other countries? Li : There was a study of Net-Zero America in the US, which presented six different future scenarios under different energy structures and electrification levels. The study proposed several major strategies that we can learn from. First, the electrification of energy consumption end users is the most important approach for decreasing energy consumption and carbon emissions. Second, to achieve carbon neutrality, non-fossil energy will definitely need to become the primary energy source, but some fossil energy has to be maintained for the stability of the power grid. Thus, keeping a proper ratio of fossil and non-fossil sources is important. Third, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies must be simultaneously developed to neutralize the carbon emitted from fossil fuel usage. Actually, the CCS capacity is the decisive factor in determining the amount of fossil fuels we can use. Guo: Because of different social conditions, the challenges facing each country are also different. Many strategies cannot be simply transferred from other countries to China. I think there are three things we can learn from advanced countries. First, we can adopt advanced green technologies already implemented abroad. Second, we can learn how to build a low-carbon culture from European countries. In many European countries, almost everybody accepts the low-carbon concept, preferring to buy small-engined cars and saving energy and resources in their daily lives. That is what we can strive for. Third, in addition to the comprehensive national policies we have initiated, we should make customized plans of carbon neutrality for each province, each city and each town, in accordance with the unique regional conditions of natural resources, development level and energy structure. Cheng: When we talk about carbon neutrality, we mostly focus on energy and resource, but in Europe, people also consider industry, architecture, transportation, agriculture, ecology and many other sectors of society. I think this systematic approach is what we can learn from. Bao: China is also considering these various approaches. But as energy-related researchers, we may hear more about topics on energy. But you are right that carbon neutrality is a systems problem. Maybe we should first sort out the major topics we could talk about. He: I think there are three major aspects: first, emissions reduction in energy generation, namely, gradually replacing fossil fuels with natural gas and renewable energies; second, green transformation of energy consumption, such as the transformation of industries and transportation; third, development of CCS technologies. Moreover, both energy generation and energy consumption sectors are calling for breakthroughs in energy storage technologies.     

智能化科研（AI4R）：第五科研范式

文章将“智能化科研”（AI4R）称为第五科研范式,概括它的一系列特征包括：（1）人工智能（AI）全面融入科学、技术和工程研究,知识自动化,科研全过程的智能化;（2）人机智能融合,机器涌现的智能成为科研的组成部分;（3）有效应对计算复杂性非常高的组合爆炸问题;（4）面向非确定性问题,概率统计模型在科研中发挥更大的作用;（5）跨学科合作成为主流科研方式,实现前4种科研范式的融合;（6）科研更加依靠以大模型为特征的科研大平台等。文章指出科研的智能化是一场科技上的革命,它带来的机遇和挑战将深刻影响中国科技发展的前途,呼吁各行业的科学家本身实现智能化转型。