Scientist with a winning formula

Esteemed academician makes dream of building a world-class university in Shenzhen a reality, Xing Wen reports.

When a scientist with entrepreneurial experience makes establishing a world-class university in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, a thriving industrial center, his life's ultimate goal, anticipation swells — what kind of institution will emerge?

At 61, Fan Jianping, an esteemed academician of the International Eurasian Academy of Sciences, started this endeavor in 2018.

That year, Fan assumed the position of director of the preparatory office for the establishment of the Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology.

On June 5, the Ministry of Education announced the founding of SUAT, which is set to officially begin enrollment this September. The ministry hopes that the university will focus on serving the development of national strategic emerging industries and future industries. It aims to promote the integration of industry and education, as well as the convergence of science and education.

Additionally, the university expects to attract a top-tier faculty, develop world-class disciplines, cultivate talent, produce outstanding achievements, and actively explore new models for operating research-oriented universities.

Fan's expertise spans high-performance computing, cloud computing and parallel and distributed computing.

Fan's illustrious career, marked by significant contributions to the development of China's renowned "Dawning Series" supercomputers and the founding of the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, underscores his capabilities for this venture.

After earning his PhD from the Institute of Computing Technology at the CAS in 1990, Fan was engaged in the development of the Dawning I high-performance computer.

As a key founder of the "Dawning Series" supercomputers, he played a pivotal role in driving the large-scale industrialization of high-performance computing in China.

In 2006, his leadership extended to his role as the founding dean of the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, which has fostered close collaborations with enterprises in Shenzhen, addressing industrial challenges and pioneering key technological breakthroughs.

SIAT was jointly established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Shenzhen government and the Chinese University of Hong Kong in February 2006.