Samuel Chao Chung Ting, a Chinese-American scientist and Nobel Prize winner in physics, was appointed as honorary dean of the advanced technology research institute of Shandong University (SDU) during his visit to SU from June 28-30.

Fan Liming, president of SDU, presented the appointment letter to Ting. She noted that since 1994 when Ting visited the university for the first time, he has been working hard to guide the university's teachers and students on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) project.

AMS is a large-scale international scientific cooperation project with the objective of searching space for the presence of dark matter, antimatter, as well as new physics and astrophysics phenomena such as strangelets. The project has offered the university's teachers and students a chance to work with the world's top scientists, helping SDU train talents and boost its subject development.

Shandong University established the advanced technology research institute in November 2018 under Ting's suggestion. The institute aims to join in the scientific experiments of AMS, host part of the experiments, and become a key base for international dark matter research. In addition, the institute will gather a group of the world's top scientists, introduce new scientific facilities, as well as improve the university's scientific level and innovation capability.

According to Ting, the AMS project plays a significant role in human beings' landing on Mars and the moon in the future. He also praised Shandong University's contribution to the AMS project. 

"In the past eight years, Shandong University, with a highly respected team, had maintained its world's top scientific research competence and experimental technology level," he said.

Ting expressed hope that the institute will attract more world-leading science teams, conduct cutting-edge scientific research, build world-class research platforms, help SDU teachers and students participate in more international science projects, as well as make new contributions to the development of space science.

Shandong University will offer full support to Ting's sci-tech research and talent training to transform the institute into an international platform for academic research and communication, as well as contribute to global scientific research.

Samuel Chao Chung Ting, a Chinese-American scientist and Nobel Prize winner in physics, is appointed as honorary dean of the advanced technology research institute of Shandong University. [Photo/media.sdu.edu.cn]

Samuel Chao Chung Ting, a Chinese-American scientist and Nobel Prize winner in physics, visits Shandong University from June 28 to 30. [Photo/media.sdu.edu.cn]

Samuel Chao Chung Ting, a Chinese-American Nobel laureate. [Photo/media.sdu.edu.cn]