In the starry sky of science, a bright star has slowly fallen. Official news confirmed the death of Tsung-Dao Lee, the first Chinese Nobel Prize winner and the proposer of the theory of non-conservation of universal symmetry, at the age of 98.
As soon as the news broke, a number of media outlets, including China News Weekly, confirmed the sad news. Tsung-Dao Lee, whose name represents the scientific spirit of an era, is a great loss to the scientific community around the world.
Tsung-Dao Lee's scientific achievements, especially the theory of non-conservation of cosmic symmetry jointly proposed with Yang Chen-ning, have changed the human understanding of the world of elementary particles.
Lee Tsung-dao's scientific career is a legend. Born in Shanghai, China in 1926, he spent his early years studying in many places, eventually entering Zhejiang University and Southwest Associated University. After World War II, Lee received a scholarship to study in the United States, pursued a doctorate at the University of Chicago, and quickly rose to prominence under the guidance of Enrique · Fermi.
Lee Tsung-dao's academic achievements are best known for his 1957 co-authorship with Yang Chen-ning's law of non-conservation of cosmic symmetry. This theory not only breaks the long-standing basic assumptions of physics, but also provides a new perspective for understanding the behavior of elementary particles. This discovery won them the Nobel Prize in Physics and made them the first Chinese scholars to win the prize.
In addition to the law of non-conservation of universal symmetry, Lee also has in-depth research in other fields of particle physics. He established the "Lie model", which played an important role in the fundamental problems of quantum field theory. In statistical physics and soliton theory, Tsung-Dao Lee also made pioneering contributions. His research not only promoted the development of physics, but also laid a solid foundation for subsequent scientific exploration.
Tsung-Dao Lee's scientific contributions have been recognized and respected by the global scientific community. He is not only an academician of the United States Academy of Arts and Sciences, an academician of the United States National Academy of Sciences, a foreign academician of the Italy Academy of Sciences, and an academician of the Taiwan "Academia Sinica". In 1984, he was awarded the honorary title of "All-University Chair Professor" by the University of Colombia, which is the highest recognition of his academic achievements.
Lee Tsung-Dao was not only an outstanding physicist, but also a great promoter of science education in China. Since returning to China for the first time in 1972 to give lectures, Lee Tsung-Dao has spared no effort to contribute to the progress of science in China. After the reform and opening up, his contribution was particularly significant, and his suggestions and efforts greatly promoted the development of science education in China.
Lee is one of the key promoters of the Beijing Positron Collider (BEPC) project. The establishment of BEPC not only enhances China's research capabilities in the field of high-energy physics, but also brings opportunities for international cooperation to the Chinese scientific community. In addition, he advocated the establishment of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, which played a crucial role in promoting the development of basic research and enhancing the ability of original innovation in China.
In terms of talent training, Tsung-Dao Lee's contribution is also indelible. He actively promoted the establishment of a postdoctoral system, which provided a new channel for cultivating high-level talents. What is even more commendable is that he selected and recommended 915 Chinese students to study in the United States, and most of these students later became leaders in their respective fields and made great contributions to the development of the country.
These contributions of Tsung-Dao Lee not only demonstrate his deep affection for the cause of science education in the motherland, but also have a long-term impact on the Chinese scientific community. His efforts have made Chinese science occupy a more important position on the international stage.
In the life of Lee Tsung-dao, we can see the growth trajectory of a genius boy. Born into a scholarly family in Shanghai, he showed an extraordinary interest in mathematics and physics from an early age. His study experience at Zhejiang University and Southwest Associated University allowed him to be influenced by a generation of famous teachers such as Shu Xingbei and Wang Ganchang, which laid a solid foundation for him.
Lee Tsung-dao's study abroad career began in the war-torn era. In the process of studying in the United States, he overcame many difficulties with his outstanding talent and tenacity, and finally obtained a doctorate in theoretical physics from the University of Chicago. His dissertation, "Hydrogen Content in White Dwarfs", was even appreciated by Nobel laureates and won him the Chancellor's Prize.
After receiving his Ph.D., Tsung-Dao Lee's academic path became wider and wider. He worked at the University of Chicago, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Princeton Research Institute, among others, and gradually established himself in the physics community. At the age of 27, he went to teach at Colombia University, where he soon broke the record for the youngest professor. At Columbia University, Lee not only established the "Lie model", but also made remarkable achievements in the fields of statistical physics and quantum field theory.
Lee Tsung-dao's life is the best interpretation of the spirit of scientific exploration. His academic career is not only a history of personal struggle, but also a microcosm of the rise of Chinese scientists in the international scientific community. His story will continue to inspire generations of young students in their quest for the truth and beauty of science.
Lee Tsung-dao's life is a perfect combination of a brilliant scientific career and a deep affection for the motherland. He has not only made remarkable achievements in the field of physics, but also selflessly dedicated his wisdom and strength to the cause of science education in China. With his passing, we have lost a giant of science, but his spirit and dedication will always be remembered in people's hearts.
As a scientist, Lee has earned global respect for his academic excellence. As an educator, he has cultivated countless scientific talents for China and injected a steady stream of vitality into the country's scientific development. Under his leadership, the status of China's scientific community in the international community has been continuously enhanced, and his work has pointed the way for future scientific research.
Today, when we cherish the memory of Lee Tsung-dao's life, we should not only mourn this great man in the scientific field, but also inherit and carry forward his spirit of pursuing truth and bravely scaling the peak of science. His life inspires us to persist in scientific exploration and contribute to the development of human knowledge, no matter what the circumstances. Tsung-Dao Lee's name will live on in the hearts of the world as much as the science he loves.