In this fast paced era, everyone needs to find their own personal space where they can relax and be themselves. In this interview, the library invited Professor KE Yuehai, Dean of the Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, to share his own book collection in his study room, his life experience of work and his perspective of reading.
Scholar Introduction
KE Yuehai, Professor and doctoral supervisor of Zhejiang University, Dean of Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJE) and Associate Dean of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. He was born in 1972, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, and earned his PhD from Fudan University (2001).
His main research interests are lung injury and repair, regional immunity, inflammatory and cancer microenvironment, and complex disease phenotype group research, etc.
Self-exploration
The day before the interview, Professor KE Yuehai retrieved a book that he had given to the students in his lab as a gift two or three years ago. This special book's name is “Skins.” In his opinion, this is the perfect book for researchers to read:
"As the book says, everyone has his or her own skin, but more importantly, people are always looking for interesting souls."
Professor KE believes that researchers also follow the philosophy of life that is described in the book. They all try to find something interesting in their work. The forms of articles and experiments are like skins, and researchers need their own inspiration to delve into the interesting aspects beneath the surface of these skins.
Out of love and respect for the book, Professor KE named his personal study room “Skins.” Now, his study room is filled with books and conference materials. In his spare time, he reads all kinds of books. Nowadays, he particularly likes to read history books.
Professor KE also likes reading newspapers. Every morning, he reads newspapers while he is having breakfast. Whenever he comes home from a business trip, he likes to flip through a selection of newspapers to relax. Reading newspapers every day has become a way of life for him, providing a sense of relaxation to his day.
In addition to his regular habits, Professor KE has now introduced swimming into his lifestyle. Every evening from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., he spends his time enjoying a refreshing swim. Like reading, swimming is an activity that allows a person to escape from the daily routine and immerse themselves in their own world. For him, the pool is like another personal study room, offering peaceful ambience for reflection.
Professor KE has found happiness in persistence. One small thing has remained particularly vivid in his memory to this day. One Christmas Eve, he was working alone on his experiments in a laboratory in the United States, away from the holiday crowds. However, at that moment, he suddenly realized that he was doing what he truly loved. On the journey of personal growth, self-affirmation is of vital importance to every individual.
Educating: "Inspiration" Intertwined with "Emotion"
Professor KE's courses are always crowded with students. The secret might be that he “tells stories” to his students. In contemporary education, students acquire knowledge by various means. The definitions in textbooks are there for everyone. However, how to connect these pieces of knowledge and sort out their internal logical relationships requires guidance. He calls this “constructivist” education.
The teacher educates and nurtures, which is a process of helping the student to build the study room he is interested in. As for the structure of the bookshelves and what to place on them, that is up to the students themselves. Professor KE has been through the process of building his own study room, experiencing both failure and success, so he says it's his job to use his years of experience to help make his students' study rooms stronger.
Another education mode that Professor KE mentioned is the “heuristic” teaching method, in which learning and research should always be problem-oriented, and students' interests should be cultivated through continuous exploration and pursuit. Knowledge can never be taught completely because it develops too rapidly. Therefore, the most important thing is to inspire students to explore on their own. Instead of dumping knowledge on students, it is better to ignite their interest with things that truly touch them, and they will naturally realize what path to take in the future. Professor KE believes that this is the true responsibility of a teacher.
The day before the interview, several of Professor KE's PhD students completed their graduation thesis defenses. One of them expressed his gratitude, saying that it was KE's encouragement and instruction that had ignited the twinkle of his passion for scientific research and that he has been making steady progress ever since.
The things KE referred to were already fading from his memory, but the student's words still deeply moved him and made him proud. What touches the heart may vary from person to person, but the true feelings of that moment must strike the soul.
A Dialogue between History and Reality
Professor KE recently read an autobiography, The Long Biography of CHEN Yizhang. CHEN Yizhang was an academician and a member of the very first cohort of students to enroll at the School of Medicine at Zhejiang University, and later became Dean of the school. His autobiography is not only a record of scientific exploration but also full of humanistic concerns. It vividly and truthfully depicts the growth and colorful life of a distinguished academician. Professor KE was deeply touched by the book and felt a close connection with the story it tells. Many familiar figures leap off the pages, such as Professor ZHENG Shu, the former President of Zhejiang Medical University, and his supervisor, Professor TAN Jiazhen, the founder of Chinese genetics. These people played a crucial role in KE’s academic career and left an indelible mark on his heart.
CHEN Yizhang’s autobiography moved Professor KE deeply, as the memories it contains are not just the past times of his teachers but also the key to shaping him as he is today. He said, "Actually, I really hope my students can film those moments from the book. Videos can help them better understand and record the history." As the Dean of ZJE, KE feels that he also has a responsibility to tell his students, "Why do we join the International Campus?" Just like the pioneering scholars, he wants to pass on the spirit of persistence and truth-seeking.
History is not just words in a book; it teaches us to respect the past and cherish the present. Everyone's life is a history of their exploration of their own soul, whether directly or indirectly, and the past moments that have become part of their life. Reading a book is also reading the mind, never forgetting where we came from and always remembering the intentions we set out with.
Words to Graduates
"Whether we choose to get a job or carry on with our studies, I think we should keep pursuing ourselves, keep learning to surpass ourselves, to have fun, and to chase the interesting soul within ourselves."
Recommendations
1.《皮囊》，蔡崇达著
2.《陈宜张自传长编》，陈宜张著
3.《毛泽东选集》，毛泽东著
4. Guns, Germs, and Steel Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, by Jar-ed Diamond (US)
5. Of Human Bondage, by W. Somerset Maug-ham (UK)
6. The Consilience：The Unity of Knowledge, by Edward O. Wilson (US)
7. Ruth Bader Ginsburg : A Life, by Jane She-rron De Hart (US)
8. The Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts (Australia)
This is a dialogue journey about the soul, written by Professor KE Yuehai's introspective self-reflection and profound educational philosophy. May you find the interesting soul that belongs to you.
Once again, here’s our deepest respect to Professor KE Yuehai for accepting this interview.
Planner: XU Shunan, ZHU Linyi
Article: LIN Suting
Photography: QIN Difan
Translation: ZHU Linyi
English Reviewer: Bruce Prentice
Editing: LIN Suting, QIN Difan
Editing in charge: ZHANG Yi
Reviewer: YANG Yi