Fudan University continuously optimizes the basic research to support the ecology, giving researchers more freedom to explore the space 2023-05-05 Source： Jiefang Daily font size： large, medium and sm

Reporter Huang Haihua

As long as he doesn’t go on a business trip, Nie Ming, a professor at Fudan University’s School of Life Sciences, will go back to school for scientific research after dinner. He admits that he enjoys such pure scientific research time.

How to make scientific research return to scientific research itself? As a comprehensive research university focusing on basic research, Fudan University has planted "fertile soil" for basic research in recent years, providing support at different levels and gradients, giving researchers more freedom to explore.

Jin Li, president of Fudan University and academician of China Academy of Sciences, said that universities should create a more relaxed academic ecology. If scholars are "either fighting for funds or on the way to fighting for funds", they will have little time to think deeply and it will be difficult to ask good scientific questions.

"As long as there is a unique idea, it may be supported."

On a hot summer day in 2019, Nie Ming was on his way to the office as usual. When he passed the greenhouse gate, the cool air of the air conditioner made him feel comfortable, but when he walked away, this feeling disappeared and the heat hit him again. This temperature change in a second or two inspired him.

In most previous studies of global change ecology, the ambient temperature was simplified as the average temperature. Nie Ming, who studies the decomposition of carbon in soil, thought, if the average temperature changes little, but the temperature fluctuates greatly, will it bring different effects? He quickened his pace unconsciously, and as soon as he got to the office, he couldn’t wait to convene a meeting of his team members for discussion.

At that time, in order to simulate different temperature change scenarios, it was necessary to buy a variable temperature incubator. Nie Mingshen invited Fudan University’s "original scientific research personalized support project", and within a month, the research funds arrived. "It’s really a bit unexpected. In the past, we applied for external research funds, and most of them were used in the second year." Nie Ming told reporters, "Creativity is very important to do basic research. Many young researchers around me have received support for such projects. " With this research funding, Nie Ming’s inspiration "accidentally" was able to "land" in the first time.

Youth is the most creative period, and those "flashes of thought" may contain subversive innovation. Since 2017, Fudan University has set up the "Personalized Support Project for Original Scientific Research", aiming at guiding outstanding young scientific research talents to enter the "no man’s land" from "0" and encouraging exploratory research.

"As long as there is a unique idea, it may be supported." According to the staff of Fudan University’s "Double First-class" Construction Office, this project has supported more than 600 "ideas", and the support funds range from 200,000 yuan to 500,000 yuan, trying to create a strong atmosphere of pursuing original innovation.

"It is more flexible to use and can adjust the scientific research plan independently."

Nie Ming’s "Accidental" story continues.

In 2021, Shanghai took the lead in launching the "Special Zone for Basic Research" in China, and Fudan University was one of the first three pilot units. The municipal government invests 20 million yuan in each "special zone" every year for five years, and the pilot units jointly invest at a ratio of not less than 1:1. At the same time, they also give full support in the construction of scientific research teams and the protection of scientific research software and hardware. Fudan University selected the first batch of 17 potential projects and included them in the "Basic Research Special Zone". Nie Ming’s project is one of them.

At this time, the study of "temperature fluctuation" that started from an inspiration has already begun, and Nie Mingzheng is smugly preparing for a long and in-depth study. "Basic research needs time, and I can’t wait, and the support of the’ SAR’ takes five years as a cycle, so I can calm down and do research." Nie Ming said.

After he got the first fund of this project, he hired two postdoctoral fellows, carried out large-scale field experiments and collected a large number of soil samples. In January this year, Nie Ming’s research group innovatively discovered a new mechanism of "temperature fluctuation adaptation", which provided a new way to improve the forecasting ability of ecosystem carbon cycle feedback climate change. Relevant research results were published in the international academic journal Nature, Ecology and Evolution, which was recommended as a key paper by the editorial department and distributed with editorials. "This is the largest single grant I have received since I did scientific research. It is more flexible to use, and I don’t need to make a detailed budget. I can also adjust the scientific research plan at any time. You only need to report the progress of scientific research every year, and the number of words is not limited. " Nie Ming said that this is a great trust in researchers.

According to the relevant person in charge of the Research Institute of Fudan University, two batches of 37 people have been selected into the "Basic Research Special Zone"; When selected, the average age is about 38 years old, and the youngest is 29 years old. "The SAR plans to encourage original innovation and cross-integration of academic ideas, support young researchers to challenge scientific problems and climb scientific peaks, and at the same time try their best to make researchers concentrate on their research and have no distractions through various safeguard measures."

"There is no’ cold bench’ here", and behind the state of mind is ecology.

What is the ideal basic research environment? Zhang Yuanbo, a professor of physics at Fudan University, believes that the most important thing is to have stable research funding support, so there is no need to worry that funding will be "cut off". Secondly, assessment is also needed, such as expert evaluation in the industry, not only papers but also "hats".

Fudan University has implemented the evaluation mechanism of "representative achievements" since 2013 to "reduce the burden" for researchers. In 2019, the "Key Support Plan for Original Innovation" was further established to provide personalized support for highlighting the original innovation of scientific research, the source innovation of cutting-edge core technologies, and young researchers. The amount of project support can reach 10 million yuan, and at the same time, according to the actual needs of applicants, support is given in space, team building, postgraduate enrollment and other aspects.

Relying on the stable support of the school, Zhang Yuanbo’s team did a great thing-took the lead in developing an ultra-high vacuum sample preparation system for the research of new two-dimensional materials in the world. Most two-dimensional materials are very easy to deteriorate in air, and their quantum properties will disappear. Can the whole sample preparation process be put into ultra-high vacuum environment? This needs to overcome many engineering problems. Independent research and development of equipment itself requires a lot of money, but in most scientific research projects, the proportion of equipment costs is relatively small. "When we started doing this, there was no such equipment in the world." Zhang Yuanbo said.

Basic research is "source power" and "meta-strength". Since 2021, Fudan University has made great efforts to implement the "First-class Discipline Training Action", aiming at the key areas to be broken through, setting up a training team, and further consolidating the discipline soil of basic research.

A few days ago, the "Low-dimensional Quantum Materials" project team led by Zhang Yuanbo was supported by the above plan because of its systematic and excellent scientific research foundation in the early stage. "The competition in this field is very fierce, and we don’t have a’ cold bench’ for basic research here." Zhang Yuanbo said with a smile that the young people in the team are full of momentum, and everyone is thinking about how to do better work.

This state of mind is not unique in Fudan University. When the world enters the era of great science, the degree of organization of basic research is getting higher and higher, and the influence of system guarantee and policy guidance on the output of basic research is increasing. But basic research is creative, forward-looking and deep-rooted. Under the current investment structure of basic research, which is still dominated by external competitive funds, as the direct "organizer" of basic research, it is very important for universities or research institutes to make use of limited resources, see the value of creativity, forward-looking direction and deep-rooted strength, step forward in time and extend a helping hand. To some extent, this kind of "timely rain" support is the most needed for the frontier exploration of basic research.

Behind the mentality and state is ecology. From "having a unique idea can be supported" to "being able to adjust the scientific research plan independently", and from individual-oriented to discipline-oriented, Fudan University continuously optimizes the supporting ecology of basic research, so that researchers have a sense of certainty and value. This makes us full of expectations for high-quality scientific and technological innovation in the future.