“Teaching makes me happy. Many colleagues have asked whether I feel tired of conducting so many classes. I said that I have never felt tired, because I enjoy spending time with students.” Professor Zhao Jiangnan reveals. With a strong accent, Professor Zhao dishes up the stories and secrets of the universe in a humorous and inspirational way in his A New Concept of the Universe course.
Professor Zhao Jiangnan
Zhao Jiangnan, professor and master’s tutor of the School of Electronic Information of WHU, set up a general elective course called A New Concept of the Universe in 1995. It has since become one of the most popular general courses of science in WHU. In 2014, this course was selected for inclusion in the national quality education courses collection for college students. In March 2016, it was officially launched as a MOOC, on a massive open online course platform and named as one of the open online courses of national-level quality a year later.
In accordance with the course content, in 2003, Professor Zhao published the first version of A New Concept of the Universe, a textbook sharing the same name as this course. Since then, Professor Zhao has kept revising A New Concept of the Universe nearly every five years, incorporating new concepts and discoveries in astronomy into the latest version. As of September 30 this year, the fourth version of A New Concept of the Universe has been sent to the press.
As a general course, Professor Zhao hopes this course will not only arouse students’ interest in astronomy, but help students grasp the methods of doing scientific research. “I hope students can really learn something from my class. Apart from knowledge in astronomy, I also teach them how to combine the methodologies of discovery and observation with major theories and apply them to scientific research, hoping to inspire their future work. It’s a long-term and gradual process for them to really grasp the essence, and the result is intangible. But I think it’s very important to offer them this lesson, for there is no course in our university specifically designed for this goal.”
How can the seemingly dry theoretical knowledge be made more interesting and vivid for students? In his many years of teaching, Professor Zhao has been unremittingly pondering about innovation in learning. Just as the saying goes, “No practice, no gain in one's wit.” Professor Zhao believes that theory can only serve as a foundation, while on-site observation is the key for the cultivation of students’ ability.
Professor Zhao had applied for funding from the school to support the construction of an observatory. After years of efforts, the astronomical observatory was officially put into use at the beginning of 2019 with support from the school. Since then, Professor Zhao has taken students to make astronomical observations once or twice every semester. Combined with knowledge acquired in classes, students can understand astronomy in a more direct and intuitive way and understand life by exploring the mysteries of the universe.
Photos taken during astronomical observations
Compared with doing research, Professor Zhao prefers setting himself an example to students. “I’ve spent 2/3 of my time on teaching and 1/3 of time on doing research. I like being with students.” Professor Zhao hopes that the thoughts he posed and the stories he told in his classes will remain fresh in students’ memories and enlighten them throughout their lives. “I don’t care how successful I will be. If my students still remember me eight or ten years after graduation, if they continue to benefit from the inspiration gained in my class, and occasionally contact me on WeChat, then I will be satisfied. I think that's the value of a teacher.”
Erudite and upright, Professor Zhao has shared his passion for astronomy, his perseverance in education, and his pursuit of noble goals with words and deeds.
Photo by students in the New Concept of Universe Course
Edited by Chen Jiaqi, Wei Yena, Zou xiaohan
