Prof. Michael F. ASHBY attending the Master Forum
Professor M.F ASHBY (FRS.NAE) arrived at 13.30 in the afternoon of June 24th, 2016, at the invitation of School of Materials Science and Engineering and Publishing House of Shanghai Jiao Tong University(SJTU) to attend the Master's Forum and to present the Chinese version of his acclaimed book Materials and the Environment-Ecoinformed materials choices. When he arrived at the 8th floor meeting room of the Information Building he was warmly welcomed by. Jie Zhang -- president of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Jiansheng Pan -- professor of School of Materials Science and Engineering of SJTU, member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, J. David EMBURY - Professor Emeritus of McMaster University, member of the Canadian Royal Society, member of the American Academy of Engineering, consultant professor of SJTU, Yves BRECHET -- Professor of French Higher Institute of Engineers, member of the French Academy of Sciences, guest professor of SJTU, Ke Lu -- Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences and the German Academy of Sciences, Kui Zhang -- Professor of University of Reims Champagne - Ardenne France, visiting professor of SJTU, Professor Zhang Kui is the translator of the Chinese edition of Materials and the Environment: Eco-informed Material Choice. Also present to welcome Professor Ashby were Baode Sun -- Dean of School of Materials Science and Engineering of SJTU, Jianmin Han -- Director of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press, prof. Min Wang -- vice Dean of School of Materials Science and Engineering.
At the book launch, president Jie Zhang extended a warm welcome for prof. ASHBY and spoke highly of the great significance of his work on today's scientific research. Then, Prof. ASHBY made a brief introduction of the book and expressed his gratitude for Prof. Kui Zhang and Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press. Prof. Jiansheng Pan, who has written the foreword to the Chinese version of the book, spoke highly of the value of the book on the field of materials. Prof. EMBURY, Prof. BRECHET and Prof. Ke Lu also spoke of the idea of the importance of the new book to the future of China and of and Prof. ASHBY’s seminal contributions to many areas of Materials Science.
Prof. ASHBY was a leader of materials and education field, and the guide in regard to environmental protection and the Sustainability of the Earth's materials. President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press Jianmin Han said that prof. ASHBY contributed much to society by writing the book, and after more than three years' hard working, Prof. Kui Zhang finally accomplished the translation, He said that the book would lead to a broader effort in environmental protection by industry in China. Prof. Kui Zhang spoke of the value of the book for future generations of Chinese students and expressed her gratitude for Prof. Ke Lu and Prof. Min Wang's help in publication of the book. She also made a brief introduction of the highlights of the book for the benefit of the audience.
Subsequently, at the book donation ceremony, prof. Kui Zhang and Jianmin Han presented copies of the book to Prof. Baode Sun and student representatives, and took group photos. Prof. Baode Sun expressed his gratitude to prof. ASHBY and the publishing staff, and said that this was a rare materials science book and textbook, and it would bring wisdom and inspiration to students.
Prof. ASHBY presented a lecture entitled Green design in a resource constrained world: a materials perspective .. Prof. ASHBY, began by considering both population and the Earth's resources and illustrated this with reference to automobile production, He summarized the evolution of materials in product design and development, and the interaction and associations among human, resources and society, and put forward the concept of extending the lifetime of materials. He advocated taking the needs of product components into full consideration from the start of the product design, making use of the materials rationally, and enriching and optimizing the functionality of the materials, such as redesign, reproduction, and reuse, prolonging the use cycle of materials, improving or expanding the utilization rate of materials, to achieve environmental use of materials. Prof. ASHBY showed interesting maps and diagrams to illustrate his talk maps, and demonstrated his own environmental protection concept vividly, thus convincing the audience of the need to recognize the close relationship between materials and the sustainability of the environment.
After the lecture, the participants responded enthusiastically to the topic of materials and environmental protection, and wanted to ask further questions of Prof. ASHBY. During the question section, students asked about topics, such as recycling ways of materials design, the association between materials and economy. Many scholars seized this precious opportunity to exchange views with Prof. ASHBY about the ideas of material design, and directions of future work.
Students participating in the activities got the new book of of Prof. ASHBY and said that the book gave them a new understanding of their own professional knowledge and materials. After the session Prof. ASHBY signed signatures for students and said that he was very happy to have such a chance to communicate with the students and was glad that there were more followers on the environmental causes.