"He has really done a lot."
These were the first words used by Zheng Li, executive deputy dean
of the Industrial Engineering Department of Tsinghua
University, to describe the work of Gavriel Salvendy since he
took over his post as dean of the newly established Industrial
Engineering Department last October. "He is undertaking all the
work a dean should do," Zheng Li said.
The first thing Dean Salvendy did was establishing departmental
goals and requirements: Outstanding students, first-class teachers,
scientific research projects contributing to the national economy
and people's livelihood and frequent international exchanges. A
stated goal is to encourage teachers' further studies and obtaining
Ph.D degrees from first-rate universities in the United States.
"The Industrial Engineering Department has started late, but it
must start to meet the international standards," Salvendy said.
Today specialized courses in the department are taught in English;
three years from now, all courses will be taught in English.
Salvendy is reported to have been working non-stop since the
semester started. The new dean has communicated with everyone of
the 14 teachers in the department, nearly all of whom are under 40.
Salvendy now requires that they publish three academic articles in
foreign journals each year.
"The teaching and research tasks are heavy in the department, but
all of staff are willing to work here, because they could see the
potential of development," said Professor Lin Heng, deputy dean of
the department.
In
listening to one teacher's research plan, Salvendy discussed with
the teacher a problem he saw, and the two redesigned the research
direction to give a better chance at publication in international
academic journals. He has held wide consultations with students,
getting to know what courses they are most interested in. Salvendy
also offered important suggestions on the overall direction of the
scientific research in the department. Such things as selection of
textbooks, establishment of key labs and planning of offices have
all been among his concerns.
Salvendy will stay in China for two to three months each year, but
every week he will send substantial e-mails to his colleagues and
in this way discuss problems with them. In 2002, he has assigned
three internationally known scholars to give lectures in June, July
and August in the Industrial Engineering Department.
Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering aimed at system
efficiency and benefits. Though most concepts related to industrial
engineering haven't been recognized in China, Salvendy and his
Chinese colleagues are not about to change their goal: To be one of
the world's first-rate departments. To achieve the goal, they have
put painstaking efforts into the past six months.
"Salvendy knows clearly each subject in industrial engineering, and
he is familiar with most experts in this field. Without his
academic position and influence, we could not complete so
much."
In
line with the teachers and students exchange program agreed to
between Tsinghua University and Purdue University, with which
Salvendy works, Tsinghua has sent some 20 postgraduates to study in
the TH Aechen University of Germany. On Salvendy's recommendation,
some professors at Tsinghua have become editorial members of
international academic journals or organizing members of
international academic conferences. Also, professors in the
department are publishing more articles in established magazines
than before.
Also, more excellent people are now hoping to work at Tsinghua,
including four Ph.D. degree holders from the United States. One of
them, who graduated from University of California, Berkeley and has
been hired, said, "I chose to come here because Tsinghua has
invited Salvendy. This shows its determination and possibility to
build itself into a world-class department."
On
his long working list of things to do, Salvendy has placed a plan
to build two world-level centers. One is a product usability
testing center, which aims at improving the usability, reliability
and competitiveness of China-made products. The other is nanometer
product manufacturing center, which will focus on production with
nano-technology. The plan is for the two centers to take a leading
role in the world.
"The efforts I've made is not only out of my responsibilities as a
dean. I hope the work will influence the thinking model of my
Chinese colleagues. The Chinese colleagues like to follow others,
learning from and imitating others. However, we encourage things
with originality, for our goal is to become the world leader in the
field of industrial engineering," Salvendy said.
Salvendy's challenges to his colleagues' thinking and thinking
habits have been great, and with an influence that is clear to an
international audience. Under the leadership of Salvendy, the
Industrial Engineering Department of Tsinghua University already
has become known across the world.
"No matter how famous Salvendy is, or how well-known the Tsinghua
University is, their combination in China has a far-reaching
influence," said Zheng Li, the executive deputy dean.
Reports on overseas media have said that Tsinghua's introduction of
a foreign professor is a new kind of approach to scholarly pursuits
that demonstrates China's opening-up attitude. This is a milestone,
they said.
In
the following five years, Tsinghua expects to employ 50
world-famous scholars to teach in the university. Undoubtedly,
Salvendy is a good beginning.
(科技日報 [Science and Technology
Daily], translated by Li Jinhui for china.org.cn, April 19,
2002）