Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) visits iCeMS

On 11 April, a delegation from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) visited WPI-iCeMS. CAS is an enormous research institution comprising over 100 research institutes and more than 70,000 researchers. They are exploring new models for creating, managing, and funding research institutes. They are particularly interested in Japan’s WPI system for establishing world class research institutes within the country’s top universities. The delegation visited five WPI institutes, including iCeMS.

The delegation included Prof Li Xiaoxuan, Prof Dai Tao, Prof Aruhan, and Assoc Prof Xiao Xiaoxi, who are all members of the Institutes of Science and Development, CAS, and Prof Ren Yun (J. F. Oberlin University). They were welcomed to iCeMS by Dir Motonari Uesugi, Dep Dir Mineko Kengaku, Dep Dir Aiko Fukazawa, and RAD Dir Kazumitsu Ueda.

Dir Uesugi introduced the history of iCeMS from its founding in 2007. He discussed many challenges that the institute has had to overcome as one of the first WPI centers. Representing CAS, Aruhan said their interests focused on three main themes: The motivation to build this kind of new center on the old system; how to incentivize the researchers; and how to evaluate researchers and whole institutes.

The spirited discussion covered many other topics including funding, globalization through the On-site Lab program, and the patience and motivation required to bring together researchers from different fields and backgrounds around a common goal. Uesugi also talked about two of iCeMS newest initiatives to achieve sustainability and growth: The first, focusing on students through active recruitment and internship programs, and by giving hands-on research experience beginning from the undergraduate level. The second, developing startups to bring the fundamental research at iCeMS to the applied level, returning results to society.