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Institute of Advanced Studies

ISSUE 17 • May 2015

Editor-In-Chief: Prof Phua Kok Khoo Director, Institute of Advanced Studies, NTU, Singapore

Nobel Laureates Prof Chen-Ning Yang and Prof Carlo Rubbia,eminent scientists and higher-education leaders gatheredat the 8th OCPA International Conference on

Physics Education and Frontier Physics8th Asian Science Camp 28th General Assembly of the International

Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP)

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CONTENTS

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FEATURES04 8th Asian Science Camp with Nobel Laureates and Renowned Scientists 09 7th International Science Youth Forum with Nobel Laureates and Eminent Scientists in Singapore

13 28th General Assembly of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) 16 The OCPA8 International Conference on Physics Education and Frontier Physics: Looking forward to Quantum Physis and Beyond

19 ReflectionsontheOCPA8PosterAwards

21 My Journey to OCPA8

CONFERENCES and WORKSHOPS24 QuantumEffectsinBiologicalSystem2014Workshop

26 International Workshop on Exceptional Symmetries and Emerging Spacetime

29 International Workshop on Polyelectrolytes in Chemistry, Biology and Technology

31 Workshop on the Chemistry of Energy Conversion: From Molecular Design to Advanced Materials & The 6th MRS-S Conference on Advanced Materials

34 2nd IAS-CERN School on Particle Physics and Cosmology and Implications for Technology

36 International Conference on Massive Neutrinos

Editor-in-Chief Phua Kok Khoo

Members Kwek Leong Chuan Low Hwee Boon Xiong ChiChris Ong Louis Lim Maitri Bobba Charlotte Wee Erin Ong

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CONTENTS

NOBEL LAUREATE PUBLIC LECTURES38 Nobel Laureate Prof François Englert: The Origin of Mass and the Constituents of the Universe 40 Special Public Lectures in relation to the 28th General Assembly of IUPAP

44 Nobel Laureate Prof Alan Heeger: Creativity, Discovery and Risk — Nobel Prizes Past and Future 46 5th ASEAN Event Series: “Bridges — Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace”

50 Prof Lars Brink: Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Prizes

OTHER EVENTS54 The 3rd Workshop on the Standardisation of Physics Terminology in Chinese

55 Outreach Talk: “Why is Physics so Interesting? Looking to the stars...” by Prof Ngee-Pong Chang

FORTHCOmINg EVENTS

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8th Asian Science Campwith Nobel Laureates and Renowned Scientists

Minister for Education Mr Heng Swee Keat declaring the opening of the 8th Asian Science Camp 2014.

Atotal of 262 students and 36 accompanying teachers from 29 countries around Asia took part in the 8th Asian Science Camp at Nanyang

Technological University (NTU) involving five Nobel Laureates and one Field Medallist.

Held for the first time in Singapore from 24 to 29 August 2014, the camp is organised by the Institute of Advanced Studies, NTU and supported by the Ministry of

Education, the National Research Foundation and the Lee Foundation. The Asian Science Camp (ASC) aims to inspire promising science talents from Asia to undertake scientific research through interactions and dialogues with Nobel Laureates and eminent scientists. More importantly, it ensures that the ground remains fertile for the growth of science and research throughout Asia by exposing youths to the impacts of scientific discoveries.

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A mesmerising performance ‘Ying Tai Chu Zhuang’ by the NTU Cultural Activities Club (CAC).

The five-day camp for high school and university students is the largest since its launch seven years ago. The camp also has the honour of having one of the largest gatherings of Nobel Laureates at a single event.

The Opening Ceremony was graced by Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Education, who highlighted the importance of learning from various sources, such as nature and other disciplines, citing examples of well-known NTU research findings and discoveries. He mentioned how local scientists who were studying robotic arm for invasive surgery, drew inspiration from Singapore’s signature dish, the chilli crab.

During the camp, the participants took part in lectures and discussions chaired by scientific experts, such as Prof Aaron Ciechanover (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2004), Prof Sydney Brenner (Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 2002), Prof Makoto Kobayashi (Chairman of the Asian Science Camp Advisory Committee and Nobel Laureate in Physics 2008), Prof Ada Yonath (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2009), Prof Akira Suzuki (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2010), Prof Vladimir Voevodsky (Fields Medallist 2002), Prof Jackie Ying (The Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore or A*STAR in short), Prof Chorng-Haur Sow(National University of Singapore) and Prof Daniela Rhodes (NTU).

The Nobel Laureates and renowned scientists leading the camp presented various lectures and held long discussions on key scientific discoveries, and how they impacted mankind. Under their guidance, students got a broader view and understanding of science through activities such as plenary sessions, roundtable discussions, student-to-master dialogues and a creativity poster competition.

Prof Aaron Ciechanover spoke about how the world is exiting the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to medical treatment, and steering towards a new era of ‘personalised medicine’, where clinical treatments are tailored to patient’s medical profile, thereby driving the development of new drugs. On a separate note, Prof Sydney Brenner highlighted the path of modern medical research in human biology.

In his maiden trip to Singapore, Prof Makoto Kobayashi said, “I hope to inspire more young students to take up science because it is important to boost the potential capacity of scientific research in Asian countries” in response to his purpose of the camp. And in his lecture on “Matter and Antimatter”, he explained the complex

subject of electrons and quarks, which are the smallest building blocks of all matter. Prof Akira Suzuki gave a talk entitled ”Cross-Coupling Reactions of Organoboranes: An Easy Way for Carbon-Carbon Bonding”.

Prominent scientists like Prof Ada Yonath, Prof Vladimir Voevodsky and Prof Daniela Rhodes shared fascinating stories of what triggered their curiosity in science, math and human biology respectively. They spoke on all the hurdles they faced and how their conviction and focus helped them achieve success.

Local scientists, Prof Jackie Ying and Prof Chorng-Haur Sow disclosed the truths about Nanotechnology. Prof Ying spoke on how it is an enabling tool for the 21st century, while Prof Sow emphasised on the focused laser beam being a useful tool for nanoscience research.

Having these renowned scientists in the various scientific fields sharing about their research and achievements at

“ I hope to inspire more young students to take up science because it is important to boost the potential capacity of scientific research in Asian countries. ”

Prof Makoto KobayashiChairman, Asian Science Camp Advisory Committee

and Nobel Laureate in Physics 2008

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this camp elevated the learning experience of the students to a higher level. With such high-profile interactions, the Asian Science Camp created greater awareness among the budding science talents about the importance of broad-based scientific knowledge, keen curiosity, relentless tenacity and a global outlook in the pursuit of scientific research.

The panel discussion on “Can Discovery and Innovation Solve Global Challenges?” was chaired by President of NTU, Prof Bertil Andersson. The discussion promoted much dialogue among the students and the panellists.

The students also had the opportunity to visit some of the local labs in Singapore, such as the Science Demo lab

and the Nanomaterials Research Lab in NUS, and the A*STAR labs. They also visited the School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Additive Manufacturing Centre in NTU and the NEW CREATE labs. These lab visits were followed by a Singapore city excursion that covered the Marina Barrage, Merlion Park, Asian Civilisation Museum, Chinatown and the Gardens by the Bay.

The camp ended on a high note with all participants presenting posters on the lecture topics and subjects of their interest. It drew innovative and creative insights into the various fields of science and math. The most enriching, however, was the social interactions that developed between students of various countries. The Materials Research Society (MRS), Singapore sponsored

Distinguished speakers and guests at the opening ceremony:(From left) Prof Aaron Ciechanover (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2004), Prof Zvi Paltiel (ASC International Committee member), Prof Tom Haruyama(Secretary, ASC International Committee), Prof Ming-Juey Lin (Chairman, ASC International Committee), Prof Makoto Kobayashi (Nobel Laureate inPhysics 2008, Chairman of the ASC Advisory Committee), Mr Heng Swee Keat (Minister for Education, Singapore), Prof Bertil Andersson (NTU President), Prof Ada Yonath (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2009), Prof Phua Kok Khoo (Director of IAS), Prof Akira Suzuki (Nobel Laureate inChemistry 2010), Prof Vladimir Voevodsky (Fields Medallist 2002) and Prof Daniela Rhodes (School of Biological Sciences, NTU).

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Nobel Laureate Prof Sydney Brenner was highly popular with the students.

the 12 poster prizes that were given along with 3 popular prizes for the best presented posters.

Permanent Secretary (Education Department) of the Ministry of Education, Singapore, Mr Neo Kian Hong was the Guest-of-Honor for the Closing Ceremony, which was a lively affair. Apart from the poster prize distribution, participants from the 29 countries showcased their cultures through performances and displays.

The overall feedback from the participants, speakers and observers was very positive. The 8th Asian Science Camp had not only fostered many friendships but also numerous lifetime memories.

“As Kiwis, this unique opportunity has been an inspirational, life-altering experience. Coming from New Zealand at the bottom of the Earth, being exposed to ideas and a multitude of sights,

sounds and cultures has been an eye opener. From interacting with the professors, we have learnt that passion, creativity, hard work and asking the right questions are all key to finding success. From the 8th Asian Science Camp, we have learnt to appreciate the dynamic nature of our world and learnt the importance of collaborating regardless of culture or background. Science really has no boundaries.”

- The New Zealand delegation

“The best part of the Asian Science Camp is the golden opportunity it provides for meeting the Nobel Laureates, eminent scientists as well as talented science students across Asia. The event has certainly helped us to exchange views about the academic, scientific and technological interactions with each other. The lectures by all the speakers have been very fascinating, mesmerising and intriguing.”

- Pakistan delegation

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Students enjoying the excusion at the Marina Barrage.

Students trying their hands at Chinese Calligraphyat the Cultural Immersion event.

Asian Science Camp delegates at the Nanomaterials Research Lab at NUS.

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7th International Science Youth Forumwith Nobel Laureates and Eminent Scientists in Singaporeby Quek Xue Huan Clara, Chern Ning Xin, King Guan Xue and Nathan Ang Wei Xun Hwa Chong Institution

The International Science Youth Forum (ISYF) has entered its seventh year and was held from 18 to 22 January 2015. It was jointly organised by the

Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Hwa Chong Institution, with strong support from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Ministry of Education. Once again, the ISYF has successfully brought students from all over the world together, to share their passion for science and enhance

their knowledge through insightful discussions with scientists from various fields.

We were privileged to host seven eminent scientists: Prof Aaron Ciechanover (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2004), Prof Sir Andre Geim (Nobel Laureate in Physics 2010), Prof Arieh Warshel (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2013), Prof Claude Cohen-Tannoudji (Nobel Laureate in Physics 1997), Prof Sir Richard John Roberts (Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 1993), Prof Sir Tim Hunt (Nobel

(From left) Nobel Laureates Prof Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Prof Sir Andre Geim, Prof Arieh Warshel and the students chairpersons at the Nobel Forum held on 21 January 2015, Hwa Chong Institution.

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Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 2001) and Prof Ngo Bao Chau (Fields Medallist 2010).

The theme for ISYF this year was “Becoming a Modern Scientist”. Scientific breakthroughs that have improved our lives could never have been achieved if mankind did not have the audacity to face numerous challenges, from religious persecution to the limitations of technology. Today, as we stand at the frontier of mankind’s never-ending quest for a deeper understanding of our world, the journey ahead of a scientist is still filled with uncertainties and unexpected obstacles. What fundamental qualities should a future scientist possess in order to triumph over these unpredictable challenges? The theme for this year sought to motivate young minds – the scientists of the future – to search for their own answers as to what defines a modern scientist.

From around the world, a total of 109 participants and 39 educators gathered in Singapore to experience our world-class research facilities, beginning with a trip to A*STAR. At the various research institutes, the delegates witnessed the cutting-edge technology and modern scientific equipment in the laboratories. They were also introduced to the role of A*STAR in Singapore – as a key contributor to the development of the science and research industry.

The participants also had the opportunity to visit NTU and the university’s various schools, namely the School of Biological Sciences, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, School of Computer Engineering, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine. They had hands-on

The Nobel Laureates Panel Discussion at NTU, chaired by NTU President Prof Bertil Andersson (third from left), featured threedistinguished scientists: (from left) Prof Sir Tim Hunt, Prof Sir Andre Geim and Prof Lars Brink.

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experience of a range of science activities, such as solving a murder mystery and completing an obstacle course challenge using a mobile robot. Students were also treated to a tour around other research institutes, such as the Satellite Research Centre, Robotic Research Centre and the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

Following the laboratory visits, the participants engaged in an enriching discussion with a distinguished panel of eminent scientists, including Nobel Laureates Prof Sir Tim Hunt and Prof Sir Andre Geim, and Prof Lars Brink from Chalmers University of Technology. Chaired by Prof Bertil Andersson, President of NTU, the discussion covered topics such as the traits of a modern scientist, the evolution of scientific disciplines over the years as well as the joys and struggles of pursuing a career in science. Through this discussion, the participants were able to gain deeper insights into the lives of modern scientists.

This year also marked the introduction of a new event to ISYF: the Research Poster Competition. A wide variety of projects covering different fields of science were presented by both local and foreign students. Scientists from A*STAR were invited as judges, critiquing the projects based on their creativity, data collection and interpretation as well as poster presentation. After the preliminary round, four groups were selected for the final judging by three Nobel Laureates, Prof Arieh Warshel, Prof Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and Prof Sir Andre Geim. Teams from Hwa Chong Institution and NUS High School of Mathematics and Science emerged winners. The team from Hwa Chong Institution presented

their project on investigating the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of a passionflower to potentially fight cancer, while the team from NUS High School of Mathematics and Science shared their project on paintable energy storing devices.

One of the main highlights of ISYF is the intellectual exchange between students, Nobel Laureates and other eminent scientists as the experts shared their research experience with the young and aspiring scientists. During the masterclasses, the experts explained the concepts behind their discoveries in their scientific fields, augmenting the students’ levels of interest in their niche areas. In the dialogue sessions, students had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interact with the Nobel Laureates, with questions from career options to casual topics such as their hobbies.

The penultimate day of ISYF was another fulfilling one for the delegates, with both the Cultural Exhibition and Nobel Forum. In the morning, delegates set up booths in Hwa Chong Institution (College) to showcase the distinctive cultures of their countries, including games and food. This Cultural Exhibition was very well-received, with participants and students of the school alike visiting the various booths to try out the activities and taste the food from various countries.

The focus of the afternoon was the Nobel Forum Grand Ceremony, which brought together three Nobel Laureates for an engaging discussion – Prof Arieh Warshel, Prof Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and Prof Sir Andre Geim. The

Minister Mr S Iswaran viewing the poster by a Hwa Chong Institution team.

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ISYF participants gathered on stage during the Closing Ceremony and Dinner to sing “We Will Get There” by Stefanie Sun, as part of the SG50 celebrations this year.

Laboratory demonstration of the embryonic development in ovo of a chick at the NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.

Students engaged in the masterclass conducted by A*STAR scientist Dr Su Yi.

invited Nobel Laureates addressed a range of questions from the teaching of science in schools to embracing one’s curiosity in the realm of research. The ceremony was graced by Mr S Iswaran, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Home Affairs and Second Minister for Trade and Industry. In his speech, he emphasised the crucial role that young scientists play in addressing pressing issues the world faces today. “From climate change and environmental sustainability, to ageing and epidemics, these global challenges call for scientists with the intellect to push the boundaries of mankind’s knowledge, and the ability and strong sense of social responsibility to translate knowledge into solutions.”

Five days of interaction with fellow delegates, Nobel Laureates and eminent scientists culminated in the Closing Ceremony at Conrad Centennial Hotel, which was graced by Mr Lim Chuan Poh (Chairman, A*STAR). ISYF has provided a platform for students to interact with like-minded peers from various parts of the world, and offered an opportunity for them to further their interest in science while appreciating each other’s diverse cultures. Through the activities over the course of ISYF, participants have connected on a much deeper level, and the memories woven over that unforgettable week will remain etched in their minds for a long time.

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28th General Assemblyof the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP)

The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), held its 28th General Assembly at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in

Singapore from 5 to 7 November 2014. The Union, which is made up of 60 member countries, is governed by its General Assembly, which meets every three years in a different country.

The General Assembly was attended by nearly 100 delegates from member countries. The mission of the Union is1. to assist in the worldwide development of physics, 2. to foster international cooperation in physics, and 3. to help in the application of physics toward solving problems of concern to humanity.

The IUPAP 2014 Executive Council at the 28th General Assembly included (from left) Prof Bruce McKellar (current President),Prof Cecilia Jarlskog (Immediate Past President), Prof Sukekatsu Ushioda (Past President), and Prof Stuart Palmer (Immediate Past Secretary General).

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It works to achieve this mission through its 18 Commissions, eight Working Groups and four Affiliated Commissions. A major task of a General Assembly is to ensure that the Union has adequate representation of all fields of physics through its Commissions and Working Groups, and this General Assembly directed IUPAP to consider ways of enhancing its connection with Soft Matter Phyiscs and with Accelerator Physics, and to set up Advisory Working Groups to help with this task.

An exciting feature of the 28th General Assembly was the request from three member countries to increase their number of shares. The number of votes a member has increases with its shares, as does the number of places it can expect to have on Commissions.

The delegates from member countries elected the members of the Commissions, and also elected the New Executive Council comprising the President, President Designate, the immediate past President, the Secretary General, the Associate Secretary General, 5 Vice Presidents elected from the Commission Chairs and 5 Vice Presidents elected at large. The Executive Council

manages the Union in the three year period between General Assemblies, in accordance with the directions it has received from the General Assembly.

The General Assembly was preceded by the annual Council and Commission Chairs meeting, from 3 to 4 November 2014.

The secretariat and administration work for IUPAP had been hosted by the Institute of Physics in London, England for the last six years. From 1 January 2015, the secretariat responsibilities has been transferred to Singapore hosted by NTU. The move of the IUPAP office to Asia acknowledges and supports the strongly growing physics activity in this region. Observers from ASEAN countries, which are not yet IUPAP members, attended the General Assembly. We hope they will build fruitful relations with IUPAP and will eventually become members.

Building on a very successful 2014 General Assembly, IUPAP looks forward to an exciting three years until the next General Assembly in 2017.

NTU President Prof Bertil Andersson was the Guest-of-Honour at the Assembly.

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The 2014 commission members and liaison committees of IUPAP gathered for a group photo.

Melodious musical performances by talented students of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts enthralled the IUPAP delegates.

Prof Bertil Andersson (NTU President) shared his experience in doing research and working in Singapore.

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The OCPA8 International Conference on Physics Education and Frontier Physics: Looking forward to Quantum Physics and Beyond

The OCPA8 participants were wreathed in smiles against the lush background of green.

by Ngee-Pong Chang City College of New York and Institute of Advanced Studies, NTU

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T he OCPA conferences began in 1995 and have become effective forums to highlight the latest breakthroughs and achievements by physicists

and astronomers worldwide. It has also been an active forum to promote physics research and teaching, and to enhance international collaboration among ethnic and non-Chinese scientists from various parts of the world.Organised by the Institute of Advanced Studies at NTU from 23 to 27 June 2014, the event is supported by the Lee Foundation, the International Organisation of Chinese Physicists and Astronomers (OCPA), and the American Physical Society. The distinguished speakers included Prof Chen-Ning Yang (Nobel Laureate in Physics 1957) and Prof Carlo Rubbia (Nobel Laureate in Physics 1984), as well as eminent speakers from leading institutions in Asia, Australia, Europe, and the US. The theme of the conference was Physics Education and Frontier Physics.

The conference was organised under the co-chairs, Phua Kok Khoo (Director, IAS) and Nai-Chang Yeh (California Institute of Technology, then President of OCPA). The scientific programme committee comprised the divisional heads of OCPA from all over the world and local researchers from NUS and NTU.

Plenary speakers on Frontier Physics included Prof Sau-Lan Wu (University of Winconsin-Madison) and Prof Dave Charlton (ATLAS spokesman) on Higgs and LHC physics, Prof Michael Turner (American Physical Society) and Prof Chao-Lin Kuo (Stanford University) on inflationary cosmology, Prof Yifang Wang (Institute of High Energy Physics) on neutrino physics at Daya Bay and beyond, Prof Dongping Zhong (Ohio State University) on biophysics, Prof Xiang Zhang (University of California, Berkeley) on photonics, Prof Cheng Chin (Chicago University) on ultra-cold atoms, Prof Qikun Xue (Tsinghua University) on advances in Quantum material growth, and Prof Steven Louie (University of California, Berkeley) on Quantum Theories of Materials.

Nobel Laureate Prof Chen-Ning Yang gave a plenary talk on “Conceptual Origin of Maxwell Equation” as well as a public lecture on his experience as a student and researcher, which attracted an audience of over 1000.

Including the four parallel sessions each afternoon, there were over 250 speakers who attended the conference. The sessions covered 10 different subfields of physics: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics; Accelerator, Astrophysics, Cosmology, Nuclear and Particle Physics; Biophysics, Chemical Physics and Soft Condensed Matter; Condensed Matter and Materials Physics;

(From left) Prof Michael Turner (Former President of American Physical Society) engaging in a discussion with Nobel Laureate Prof Carlo Rubbia.

Prof Nai-Chang Yeh (then President of OCPA) deliveringher welcome address at the conference.

Prof Guaning Su (President Emeritus, NTU) chatting with Nobel Laureate Prof Chen-Ning Yang before the start of the lecture.

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C o m p u t a t i o n a l a n d M a t h e m a t i c a l P h y s i c s ; Interdisciplinary Sciences; Physics Education; Photonics and Photovoltaics; Plasma Physics; and Statistical Mechanics and Nonlinear Physics.

There were also plenary sessions on Women in Physics, Science Education, and International Cooperation. The session on Science Education was followed by an animated Panel discussion with Skype participation by Mr Mark Pan (Coursera) and Prof David Pritchard (MIT) on Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), an online course aimed at unlimited participation and open access on the web that aids in distance learning. Prof Chorng-Haur Sow (National University of Singapore) gave an entertaining and insightful science demonstration on “The Professor’s Suitcase of Science Wonders”.

The conference also featured the OCPA-APS Outstanding Conference Poster Awards. Over 90 posters were submitted and judged by a panel chaired by Prof Albert Chang* (Duke University, then Vice-President of OCPA). The winners were honoured at the OCPA8 banquet and were presented their award certificates jointly by the 2013 APS President Prof Michael Turner (University of Chicago) and Prof Albert Chang. The names of the poster award winners and their affiliations can be found at the OCPA8 website: http://www.ocpaweb.org/new. Chairman Miin Wu of the Macronix International Co., Ltd., who generously sponsored the OCPA Outstanding Young Researcher Award (OYRA, Macronix Prize) was the keynote speaker at the banquet.

Prof Liang Fu (MIT) receiving the OCPA Outstanding YoungResearcher Award (OYRA, Macronix Prize) from ChairmanMiin Wu.

The Science Education Panel, featuring (from left) Prof Jie Zhang (Shanghai Jiao Tong University), Prof Maw-Kuen Wu (Academia Sinica, Taiwan) and Prof Qikun Xue (Tsinghua University).

Light-hearted atmosphere at the banquet.(Seated, from left) Prof Guaning Su (President Emeritus, NTU),Mrs and Prof Chen-Ning Yang, Prof Phua Kok Khoo (Directorof IAS), Prof Carlo Rubbia (Nobel Laureate in Physics 1984)and Dr Delia Salmieri (CERN).

In all, the conference drew nearly 200 general participants, over 30 local high school students and 50 undergraduate and graduate students from NUS and NTU.

OCPA9 will be held in 2017 at the Tsinghua University in Beijing and will be jointly hosted by Tsinghua University, Peking University, and the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Prof Qikun Xue and Prof Albert Chang will be the co-chairs for OCPA9.

*Current President of OCPA with effect from 1 January 2015.

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Reflections on theOCPA8 Poster Awards

The OCPA8 International Conference on Physics Education and Frontier Physics held from 23 to 27 June 2014 at the Institute of Advanced

Studies (IAS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), was the first international conference where my team and I were given the opportunity to present our research work.

Along with other high school students participating in this conference, I was given the chance to learn more information about the different fields of research and share the passion for science. Gathering here in Singapore from different continents, some of the presenters had been subject to different social conditions both at home and work, and I realised that these differences are what helped to shape the types of inventions and path that a person aspired to embark on. For example, only someone who had experienced the trouble of getting warm water in a freezing cold climate would think of an ingenious way to heat water unlike another person who had electricity available to heat water all his or her life.

Of course, meeting international students is always a pleasure, especially since we are able to keep in contact through var ious soc ia l networks . Furthermore, some of them would be returning to Singapore to present their research at other competitions such as the Singapore International Science Challenge (SISC) and it would be great to be able to meet them again and share our progress.

In the OCPA8 conference, there were many presentations held about the discoveries in frontier physics such as cosmology, nanoscience and particle physics. Even though most of them were too advanced for me to understand as they were, more often than not, targeted at the adult scientists who were there to share their research insights, it was still

an enjoyable experience to look on as they brainstormed about theories that seemed to contradict while exchanging their opinions. Thankfully, having been to other presentations about Quantum Physics, I was able to gain some insights from some of the presentations. For some others, they would remember snippets of information here and there that might be useful in the future. However, it was a pity that some presentations were held in parallel sessions at different lecture theatres and thus I was unable to listen to all of them.

On the third day of OCPA8, a day after our poster presentation, a conference banquet was held at the Yunnan Garden Restaurant. It was a scrumptious meal highlighted with melodious violin, flute and piccolo performances by two talented primary school students. The banquet culminated in the prestigious poster award ceremony. I did not know that awards were also given to High School Category. My team

by Sharon Tan National Junior College

Prof Phua Kok Khoo (Director of IAS) presenting the award to the author, Sharon Tan.

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and I were really shocked when the organiser came to our table to inform us that we would be getting an “Outstanding Conference Poster Award” for our poster presentation. Walking up to the stage to receive the award was a nerve wracking experience, much more than presenting to a single judge the day before as all eyes would be fixed on us. The VIPs included two Nobel Laureates, Prof Chen-Ning Yang and Prof Carlo Rubbia, and President Emeritus of NTU, Prof Guaning Su. I was

Poster judging for the OCPA-APS Outstanding Conference Poster Awards commenced on the second day of the conference.

Apart from presenting, the students also went around to observe and learn from other poster presentations.

so afraid that I would trip and fall and cause embarrassment to myself. Luckily, nothing eventful happened and I was able to return to my seat safely. Cheers!

All-in-all, it was a pleasure to have been given this opportunity to attend an international conference and I hope to attend another one in the near future.

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My Journey to OCPA8

My passion for science research is inextricably linked to my curiosity about nature – the need to better understand the way the natural world

works, and the laws that govern the physical universe – and my desire to discover new knowledge by myself. In retrospect, my experiences in high school science research are collectively a journey of self-discovery and exploration of my passion in science, a journey that will eventually culminate in my participation in the poster competition of the OCPA8 International Conference on Physics Education and Frontier Physics. By participating in the poster competition of OCPA8, I had the invaluable opportunity of witnessing the latest exci t ing

by Wang Shilin Hwa Chong Institution

A High School’s Student’s Reflections on Science Research

developments in theoretical, experimental and applied physics, and, no less importantly, the culture of collaboration and exchange of ideas in research that has been crucial in accelerating the growth of science. Science research has greatly expanded my horizons and deepened my understanding of science, and it is my hope that this will be one of the first steps that I take to pursue a career in science in the future.

The OCPA8, hosted by the Institute of Advanced Studies at NTU, was held from 23 to 27 June 2014. For five days, eminent physics researchers from across the world, including Nobel Prize winners Prof Chen-Ning Yang and

The writer, Wang Shilin, posing in front of Hwa Chong Institution’s Science Research Centre.(Photo courtesy of Dr Lim Jit Ning, Hwa Chong Institution)

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Prof Carlo Rubbia, gathered and discussed the latest developments in physics research and education. As a high school student, I was given the opportunity to participate in the poster competition of this conference. Not only did I have the chance to bear witness to the extraordinary work done by modern physics researchers, and their contributions to fields such as particle physics, nuclear physics and high energy physics, I was also given an invaluable opportunity to present my research project to several judges, and thus gain first-hand experience of the way researchers have to organise, communicate and exchange their ideas. Yet, my participation in the poster competition of this conference is part of a much larger personal journey of discovery and exploration.

Science is arguably the most exceptional branch of human knowledge, because it demands clear, logical and unbiased answers to complex questions in nature. As a student, my fascination with science is in no small part due to my desire to understand what makes the world tick. I was most attracted to physics due to its intricate relationship with mathematics, which, in the words of Galileo, is the true language of nature and the physical universe. Hence, I have always sought to maximise the different opportunities given by my school to further explore and discover my interest in science. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to embark on a research project in my upper secondary years, which, like a spark, truly kindled my passion for science and research. Science research appealed strongly to my adventurous spirit, and I caught a glimpse of the independent inquiries conducted by researchers into the most remarkable branches of human knowledge. There was also immense pleasure to be derived from hands-on experimental work in the laboratories, a refreshing respite from textbook learning that can occasionally become dull. The application of existing scientific knowledge to solve practical problems, and to discover new knowledge by myself, proved to be irresistible, and captured my imagination. Hence, it was only natural that I took up another research project when I entered junior college.

My junior college research journey would prove to be one of the most fruitful and intriguing learning experiences in my schooling life. My research project is related to the study of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), a class of carbon nanomaterials that have gained increasing interest in the research community due to their exceptional mechanical and electrical properties.

Depending on the arrangement (chirality) of carbon

atoms in a nanotube, a CNT can have different electrical properties. Thus, CNTs have already found applications in the electronics industry, such as in the manufacturing of transistors, low-resistance wires for power distribution grids and lightweight conducting wires for use in vehicles in which mass is an important consideration, such as space shuttles. In addition, the carbon-carbon bonds found in a CNT are well known to be among some of the strongest bonds in nature, hence a CNT can be up to five times stronger than steel. Size matters little in the case of a carbon nanotube, which has already proven itself to be one of the most exceptional materials ever found in nature, after nearly two decades of extensive research into its structure and properties since it was first synthesised by the Japanese researcher Sumio Ijima in 1991. My research project aims to propose a new method for the efficient and accurate characterisation of the structure of synthesised carbon nanotubes using Raman spectroscopy.

I was given the exhilarating task of conducting an inquiry into the study of carbon nanotubes, and was required to study this broad and complex topic by compiling and reading various relevant research papers. In the course of doing this project, I also worked closely with my mentors, a post-doctorate student and an associate professor from Nanyang Technological University. It is often that I find myself engaging in thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating discussions with my mentors via email correspondence after school. Conducting experiments and collecting results proved to be most exciting, and were the fruit of months of

Nobel Laureate Prof Chen-Ning Yang delivering his plenary lecture at the OCPA8 conference.

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FEATURES

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laborious theoretical study. Collaborating with external researchers from a tertiary institution also put me under considerable pressure, as I was aware of the high standards of work that were expected. I had to ensure, in every step of the way, that the work produced was of the highest quality attainable.

Indeed, although the learning curve was initially steep, and the work physically and mentally exhausting, once I adapted to it, my knowledge of science outside of the school curriculum expanded dramatically. By standing on the shoulders of giants, I was able to see beyond my narrow horizons and hence deepen my understanding of the nature and purpose of scientific research, as well as its utility to society. I also became aware of research ethics, and the rigour that is demanded of research work in science.

My participation in the poster competition of OCPA8 is the culmination of nearly a year’s worth of hard work and collaboration with my mentors. I was required to present my research project to several judges, all experts in their respective fields, and defend my research

findings. It proved to be an intriguing experience; challenging questions posed by the judges tested my knowledge of all aspects of my research project, and I engaged in an in-depth discussion with the judges with regard to my project, giving me new insights and perspectives into my research work. In addition, I treasure the opportunity to view the posters by senior researchers from local universities and overseas institutions (e.g. the Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences). Viewing these posters allowed me to have a glimpse of the latest developments in theoretical and applied physics, and broadened my understanding of science research in terms of the work that is currently being done at the tertiary level and beyond.

My participation in OCPA8 is thus a fruitful conclusion to my junior college research project. However, it is not an end in itself, but is, rather, an important milestone in my personal learning journey. Hopefully, this will be one of the first steps that I take to pursue a career in science, as it has been a highly enlightening and intriguing learning experience.

Roundtable discussion on International Collaboration at the conference.Chaired by Prof Ngee-Pong Chang (standing), the panel speakers were (seated from left) Profs Bangfen Zhu (Tsinghua University),Swee-Ping Chia (University of Malaya), Joseph Niemela (UNESCO and ICTP), Phua Kok Khoo (IAS, NTU), Carlo Rubbia (CERN) andFu-Jen Kao (The Physical Society of Republic of China).

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CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

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Quantum Effects in Biological System2014 Workshop

The Quantum Effects in Biological System (QuEBS) 2014 Workshop was held from 2 to 5 December 2014 at the Nanyang Technological University. The

event was organised by the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) and the College of Science at NTU, and the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) with sponsorship from the Lee Foundation. QuEBS 2014 is the 6th workshop, following the success of the previous workshops in Lisbon 2009, Harvard 2010, Ulm 2011, Berkeley 2012 and Vienna 2013. Chaired by Prof Jianshu Cao, this first QuEBS workshop in Asia covered the most recent developments in this interdisciplinary field and fostered exchange of ideas among scientists from different backgrounds and continents.

The scientific program of the workshop featured a variety of topics including the intriguing effects of quantum coherence in photosynthesis and other complex biological processes, novel developments in optical spectroscopy, single molecule technology, quantum dissipation, coherent transport, quantum information, and computational methods, and emerging examples to demonstrate how the insights learnt from biological systems can guide the optimal design of artificial systems with potential applications to solar cells and chemical sensors.

In keeping with the tradition of the previous workshops, the program had a mix of invited and contributed talks to highlight the recent contributions. Poster presentations were also organised to encourage the participation of young and budding scientists. The workshop had a total of 31 speakers (16 invited speakers including 2 Nobel Laureates and 15 contributed speakers).

Prof Jianshu Cao from SMART (Singapore-MIT Alliance forResearch and Technology), chairman of the workshop, delivering his welcome address.

Prof Bertil Andersson (NTU President) graced the OpeningCeremony as Guest-of-Honour.

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A memorable group photograph.

Prof Rudolph Marcus (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 1992) delivering his presentation.

Prof Alan Heeger (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2000) presenting his keynote lecture.

Prof Rudolph Marcus (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 1992) is the Noyes Professor of Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He gave a keynote lecture on, “Single Molecule Intermittent Fluorescence Studies, Quantum Dots, Charge Injection into Surfaces, Electron Transfers and Diffusion”. Prof Marcus participated actively throughout the workshop and was open to one-on-one discussion with students and colleagues over the coffee breaks. The Q&A session garnered much discussion with inquisitive students and participants.

Prof Alan Heeger (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 2000) is an American Physicist who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry along with Prof Alan MacDiarmid and Prof Hideki Shirakawa for their discovery and development of conductive polymers. He presented a keynote lecture on the topic “Ultrafast electron transfer over 10-20 nm in 50 fs: A New Phenomenon”.

The QuEBS 2014 Workshop was well attended with over 145 registered participants including more than 60 overseas participants. More than 35 posters were presented for which 5 poster awards were given at the end of the workshop.

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International Workshop on Exceptional Symmetries and Emerging Spacetime

T he International workshop on Exceptional Symmetries and Emerging Spacetime was held at the Nanyang Executive Centre, NTU from

10 to 12 November 2014. Twenty invited speakers came to the meeting, including 2013 Physics Nobel Laureate Prof François Englert (Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium) and Prof Pierre Ramond (Winner of the 2015 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics, University of Florida). Altogether there were three speakers from the US, fifteen from Europe and two from Asia. The workshop gathered some thirty participants from local universities. The event was sponsored by the Lee Foundation.

When the maximally supersymmetric supergravity theory in four dimensions of spacetime, the N=8 Supergravity Theory, was constructed by Cremmer and Julia in 1979, they found a somewhat unexpected symmetry of the equations of motion. The symmetry group is E7(7), one of the exceptional groups in Cartan’s classification. It was a duality symmetry. The first speaker of the conference was Prof Bernard Julia from Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, who gave a comprehensive talk about exceptional symmetries beyond Lie groups. Some years later, it was speculated by Prof Bernard de Wit and Prof Hermann Nicolai that at least remnants of this symmetry could be found also in the supergravity theory in eleven dimensions, which is the mother theory of all maximally supersymmetric supergravity theories. Prof Bernard de Wit from Utrecht University in the Netherlands gave a talk about recent progress in this programme at the workshop. Prof Hadi Godazgar and Prof Mahdi Godazgar both from Cambridge University, England also talked about

how to go between four dimensions and eleven dimensions. A more recent trend has been to associate even bigger symmetries with the maximally symmetric theory, namely extensions of the exceptional algebras to so-called infinite-dimensional Kac-Moody algebras. Prof Hermann Nicolai from the Albert-Einstein-Institute for Gravitational Physics in Potsdam, Germany and Prof Marc Henneaux from Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium talked about representations of the algebra E10, and Prof Peter West from King’s College, London about the algebra E11. Most of these talks dealt with bosons in these theories and they were

by Lars Brink Chalmers University of Technology

Prof Lars Brink gave a warm welcome to the participants.

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(Front row, second from left) Prof Phua Kok Khoo (Director of IAS), Prof Lars Brink (Chairman of the workshop), Prof François Englert (Nobel Laureate in Physics 2013) and Prof Pierre Ramond (winner of the 2015 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics,University of Florida).

Prof François Englert (Nobel Laureate in Physics 2013) delivering his talk at the workshop.

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Prof Pierre Ramond, winner of the 2015 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics, discussed the topic on “Exceptional Flavour Symmetry: the Eightfold Way” in his presentation.

complemented by Prof Axel Kleinschmidt also from the Albert-Einstein-Institute for Gravitational Physics in Potsdam, Germany who talked about fermions and hidden symmetries.

The exceptional symmetries are also present in the Superstring Theory for which the N=8 Supergravity Theory is the low-energy limit. There they are of the discrete type but still very important. An interesting feature of a string theory happens if it is dimensionally reduced such that one dimension is periodic. Then the winding around this coordinate is quantised. This also happens to the momentum and in a sense we have a doubling of the phase space. This is studied in the field theoretic limit and is dubbed “double field theories”. It has mainly been studied by Prof Chris Hull from Imperial College, London, Prof Barton Zwiebach from MIT, Cambridge, US and Prof Ola Hohm also from MIT. All three gave talks about their work at the workshop. Another important person for this development is Prof Martin Cederwall from Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. He talked about T-duality and non-geometric solutions from double field theory.

Some of the other speakers talked about other exceptional phenomena. Prof Eric Bergshoeff from University of Groningen talked about exotic branes. Prof Malcolm Perry from Cambridge University, England talked about a twistorial formulation of the Superstring Theory. Prof Geoffrey Compére from Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium talked about black hole solutions in the N=8

Supergravity Theory. Prof Bengt Nilsson from Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden talked about topological conformal theories in three dimensions. Prof Sung-Soo Kim from Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul, talked about exceptional symmetries and gauge theories in five dimensions and Prof Sudarshan Ananth from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research about higher spin actions in four dimensions.

Nobel Laureate Prof François Englert talked about work that he had done in the 1980s but taken up recently. He showed how one can find all Superstring Theories in the 26-dimensional bosonic string theory. Prof Pierre Ramond concentrated on the flavour symmetry of the Standard Model. This is still a mystery but he had found an exceptional discrete group that seems to be very promising to make progress on this very difficult problem.

It was a remarkable event to be able to gather twenty world-leading experts in this fundamental but for outsiders somewhat esoteric field. There was a great atmosphere, and the speakers were all very happy to have been able to participate. Being of the right size, the workshop allowed very free and constructive discussions. The fact that all the speakers stayed in the Nanyang Executive Centre in NTU also helped to make the spare time very useful and constructive. Not to mention the banquet that was superb with a very friendly and nice atmosphere. Almost all speakers asked afterward if there will be a sequel next year.

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International Workshop on Polyelectrolytes in Chemistry, Biology and Technology

Th e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Wo r k s h o p o n Polyelectrolytes in Chemistry, Biology and Technology, was organised by the Institute

of Advanced Studies and the College of Science, NTU from 26 to 28 January 2015. It was strongly supported by the Lee Foundation, Procter & Gamble and Bruker Corporation.

The meeting was chaired by Prof Björn Lindman (School of Materials Science & Engineering, NTU & Lund University, Sweden). The co-chairs for the workshop were Prof Lars Nordenskiöld (School of Biological Sciences, NTU), Prof Phua Kok Khoo (Institute of Advanced Studies, NTU), Prof Johan van der Maarel (National University of Singapore) and Prof Chandra Verma (Bioinformatics Institute - A*STAR).

The workshop had a clear interdisciplinary character including chemical, biological and technological aspects. It addressed both fundamental and applied aspects of simple and complex polyelectrolyte systems. The workshop covered systems as defined in a broad sense including all highly charged synthetic and biological polymers and aggregates formed from surfactants in aqueous medium including polyelectrolyte-polymer interactions and self-assembly. Furthermore , a l l in teres t ing manifestations of polyelectrolyte interactions and self-assembly in biological systems, such as DNA, filamentous proteins and chromatin were

Prof Björn Lindman giving his welcome address at the Opening Ceremony.

included. The main themes of the workshop were: Theory and Simulations of Polyelectrolyte Systems, Polyelectrolytes in Biological Systems and Technological/Industrial Applications of Polyelectrolyte Systems.

The workshop presented a great opportunity and platform for scientists to discuss broadly current developments in the polyelectrolyte field. In addition, it offered an excellent occasion to celebrate the 60 year anniversary of one of the pioneering

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publications on polyelectrolyte theory by Prof Rudolph Marcus (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 1992) - the 1955 paper “Calculation of Thermodynamic Properties of Polyelectrolytes”. Prof Marcus gave an opening lecture for the workshop which was very well attended.

The invited speakers spoke on varied topics, as can be seen from the below table. Along with the invited speakers, there were 16 contributed talks. A total of 22 posters were presented in conjunction with the workshop. Although no poster awards were given, active participation of the presenters and the audience took place leading to much discussion on the topics. The workshop was well attended by over 130 participants.Prof Rudy Marcus (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry 1992) talking

about the topic on “Early steps in polyelectrolytes’ study and a leap into the electron transfer theory”.

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(From left) Prof Peidong Yang (University of California, Berkeley), Prof Phua Kok Khoo (Director of IAS), Prof B V R Chowdari (National University of Singapore) and Prof Freddy Boey (Provost of NTU).

Workshop on the Chemistryof Energy Conversion:From Molecular Design to Advanced Materials &The 6th MRS-S Conference on Advanced Materials

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This workshop and conference focused on the importance of advancement of new materials design and development with efficient energy

conversion, so as to provide for a sustainable energy future that does not rely on fossil fuels. However, materials development is still at its infancy. There is an imperative to develop new energy conversion strategies. This workshop and conference brought forth many distinguished speakers to share their views on this topic and also showcase the recent developments in the field.

As it is known, in nature, plants harness sunlight and convert them into chemical energy. The ability to mimic nature by combining synthetic nanoscopic and molecular components to produce chemical fuels is the “Holy Grail” to achieving sustainable energy production.

The Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS), the College of Science and the School of Materials Science and Engineering at NTU, and the Materials Research Society of Singapore (MRS-S) jointly organised this workshop and conference. Its primary aim was to create dialogues among scientists in the energy conversion field, with the ultimate goal of facilitating breakthroughs in materials design for energy conversion. It also brought together many experts on chemistry of energy conversion from

around the world to the doorstep of the materials research community in Singapore and provided a platform for participants to meet, network and exchange information about recent research findings on advanced materials.

The program had a good mix of the 13 overseas and 27 local speakers. Chaired by Prof Peidong Yang of the University of California, Berkeley and co-chaired by Director of the Institute of Advanced Studies, Prof Phua Kok Khoo and President of MRS-Singapore, Prof B V R Chowdari, the workshop and conference was divided into 12 sessions. Every lecture was followed by a 10 minute Q&A session, where students and professors took an active interest in discussing the lecture topics and further dwelling into the information provided.

The Opening Ceremony was graced by Prof Freddy Boey, (Provost of NTU), a materials scientist himself. With a total of 225 registered participants and 168 abstract submissions, the workshop and conference was very successful in drawing 153 poster presentations. These posters were judged by a panel of distinguished speakers. A total of 8 poster awards sponsored by the MRS-Singapore were presented.

Speakers and participants of the workshop.

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“The conference provided a very good learning experience in chemistry of energy conversion through interdisciplinary research areas. The poster presentation session was good. The keynote speakers presented very useful and cutting edge information. I especially liked session 2 (lectures by Prof Jim McCusker, Prof Xu Li and Prof Jeff Long) particularly those on energy harvesting research.”

- Patinharekandy Prabhathan

Staff, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, NTU

“I found session 6 (lectures by Prof Dunwei Wang, Prof Hui Ying Yang and Prof Fan Hongjin) very useful. I was able to learn about the MOF, Supercapacitor and Solar Cell in this workshop and conference.”

- Hu Yating

Student, Material Science and Engineering, NUS

“The presentation by Prof Jim McCusker was most useful. The presentation was very clear and it gives our research more significance. The lectures taught me three things - that oxide materials is a promising material for photoanodes, the development of meter scale carbon nanotubes and the importance of inorganic chemistry in designing materials for photo and catalytic experiment. However, as material science is quite broad, may be it would be better to have a conference/symposium for each category of key frontier technologies such as energy storage, energy conversion, sensing, catalysis, biomedical applications, environmental remediation and etc.”

- Christopher Yec

Student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, NUS

Participants browsing at poster presentations during coffee break.

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2nd IAS-CERN Schoolon Particle Physics andCosmology and Implicationsfor Technology

by Xiao-Cong Ai Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Following the success of the 1st IAS-CERN School in January 2012, the 2nd IAS-CERN School on Particle Physics and Cosmology and Implications

for Technology was held at the Nanyang Executive Centre, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) from 2 to 6 February 2015. Organised by the Institute of Advanced Studies at NTU, the event was supported by the Institute of High Energy Physics, South East Asia Theoretical Physics Association, and School of Physics and Mathematical Sciences at NTU. It aims at bringing together interested researchers to join in the scientific exploration in the exciting fields, such as frontier topics in particle physics and cosmology, and the latest technologies in accelerator and detector physics.

Fourteen distinguished scientists were present at this occasion. The school attracted 49 participants, consisting of undergraduates, PhD students and postdocs from around the world.

Prof Harald Fritzsch (University of Munich & IAS, NTU) delivered a talk on the Standard Model, a theory of elementary particles which is currently the most accepted way to explain how particles behave as well as the forces that mediate among themselves. However, problems such as the similarity between leptons and quarks, the origins of the neutrino masses and matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe, still remain unsolved. Prof Amitava Raychaudhuri (University of Calcutta) provided an introduction to the Grand Unification Theory beyond the Standard Model in his lectures. Prof Albert de Roeck (CERN) discussed issues concerning measurements and tests of the Standard Model and the Higgs boson, with a focus on the results from the Large Hadron Collider at

CERN, Geneva. Prof Ignatios Antoniadis (CERN) focused on the topic of String Theory. Prof Ngee-Pong Chang (City College of New York & IAS, NTU) explored the richness of the Higgs family and encouraged the audience to think about the enigmatic question, “Could the Higgs have many brothers?” The Standard Model and beyond was also elaborated upon by Prof Chao-Qiang Geng (National Tsing Hua University).

The developments of particle accelerators and the machineries for effective collision are indispensable for testing predictions and enabling new discoveries. The subjects of particle detectors and particle accelerators were discussed by Prof Emmanuel Tsesmelis (CERN) and Prof Philip Burrows (University of Oxford).

Prof Emmanuel Tsesmelis (CERN) speaking on the interestingtopic of particle detectors.

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Participants enjoying discussion with Prof Henry Tye (Institute for Advanced Study, HKUST) during lunch break.

One of Prof Ngee-Pong Chang’s slides shows real CMS proton-protoncollision events in which four high energy electrons (green lines and redtowers) are observed. The event shows characteristics expected from thedecay of a Higgs boson but is also consistent with background Standard Model physics processes.

Frontiers in Cosmology, Dark Matter and Dark Energy were topics covered by Prof Joan Solà (University of Barcelona) and Prof Henry Tye (Institute for Advanced Study, HKUST). They were also mentioned by Prof Chao-Qiang Geng and Prof Albert de Roeck in their lectures. The nature of the neutrino, in particular concerning the Dirac neutrino or Majorana neutrino, was discussed by Prof Zhi-Zhong Xing (Institute of High Energy Physics). Prof Serguey Petcov (SISSA/INFN and Kavli IPMU, University of Tokyo) also gave a talk on neutrino physics and Prof Yifang Wang (Institute of High Energy Physics) gave an introduction to neutrino experiments and their missions, such as determination of mass hierarchy of neutrinos and the CP phase.

There were also four seminars focussing on special technologies by local experts: Prof Mark Breese (Singapore Synchrotron Light Source, NUS), Prof Leong-Chuan Kwek (Institute of Advanced Studies, NTU), Prof Cesare Soci (NTU) and Prof David Townsend (Clinical Imaging Research Centre).

The school helped to broaden the knowledge of both lecturers and students by exposing them to a wide range of topics on cutting edge physics, such as the Standard Model and theories outside the Standard Model, dark matter and antimatter and neutrino physics. The lectures aroused the deep interest of students and encouraged them to be the “heroes” for the next generation of physicists, a quote taken from the memorable words of Prof Chao-Qiang Geng. With the end of this fulfilling and

exciting experience, both students and lecturers are looking forward to the next IAS-CERN school.

“Participating in the IAS-CERN school was a rewarding experience in my career in particle physics. The school has not only shown us the frontier research of particle physics and cosmology, but also, more importantly, planted seeds among young scholars for future interdisciplinary collaborations. As a cosmologist, I greatly appreciate this fantastic winter school organised by IAS, NTU, and I am really looking forward to the future collaborations with other particle physicists and cosmologists.”

- Chaoli Zhang

Peking University

“Attending this school sparked my interest in particle physics and cosmology. I’ve learned more about the history of particle physics. In addition, I am enlightened as to which direction physics research is going. I am particularly interested in the unknowns, such as dark matter, dark energy, as well as neutrino physics. The school has also successfully introduced me to some of the state-of-the-art technology such as quantum computing and nanotechnology. As I will be going to CERN in May this year, I believe that the school has equipped me with the necessary knowledge in this topic of interest. Although all the lectures are undoubtedly enlightening, I would say that the most interesting session is the breakout session. This is because during all the breaks, I get to interact with the friendly seniors and professors from various countries. I hope I will have the chance to meet them again in the future, and possibly collaborate with them in this field.”

- Shelvia Wongso

CN Yang Scholar, NTU

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International Conference onMassive Neutrinos

The International Conference on Massive Neutrinos, organised by the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS), was held at the Nanyang Executive Centre

from 9 to 13 February 2015. 56 top notch scientists from Asia, Europe and US attended the 5 days conference at NTU, which was strongly supported by the Lee

Foundation. The key speakers included 2 Nobel Laureates, Professors Makoto Kobayashi (KEK) and Carlo Rubbia (CERN) as well as Professors Harald Fritzsch (University of Munich), Zhi-Zhong Xing (Institute of High Energy Physics). Manfred Lindner (Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik), Serguey Petcov (SISSA, Trieste), Georg Raffelt (Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik), Elisa Resconi (TUM, Munchen), Jonathan Rosner (University of Chicago), Alexei Smirnov (Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik), Atsuto Suzuki (KEK) and Yifang Wang (Institute of High Energy Physics). Both new theoretical ideas and new experimental data were discussed at the conference.

The Standard Theory of Particle Physics describes very well the phenomena in particle physics. But most physicists think that the Standard Theory is just a good approximation, and that at very high energies, it is probably not correct. The discovery of masses for the three neutrinos was the first solid evidence for new physics beyond the Standard Theory, in which the three observed neutrinos were assumed to be the massless left-handed particles.

About 15 years ago, neutrino oscillations were observed with the Super-Kamiokande detector in Japan, where the atmospheric neutrinos, produced by cosmic rays in the upper atmosphere, were studied. Neutrino oscillations can only be explained by non-zero neutrino masses and flavor mixing. In the recent years, several new detectors were built in Canada, China, Japan, US and Korea. With these detectors, one can investigate the neutrinos emitted by nuclear reactors and by the sun, or the neutrinos produced in accelerators.

Thus far, not much is known about the details of the mass spectrum of the three neutrinos — the neutrino oscillations give only information about the mass-squared differences of the neutrinos. The neutrino

Prof Harald Fritzsch, Chairman for the International Conference on Massive Neutrinos, delivering his opening address.

Prof Makoto Kobayashi (Nobel Laureate in Physics 2008) giving his talk at the International Conference on Massive Neutrinos.

by Harald Fritzsch University of Munich and Institute of Advanced Studies, NTU

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masses must be very small, probably they are less than one electron volt.

The neutrino oscillations are described by three mixing angles and a complex phase, describing the violation of the CP-symmetry. Two of these angles are large (about 34 degrees and about 45 degrees). The third angle was observed recently by the Daya Bay detector in China. It is rather small, about 9 degrees. Nothing is known about the CP-violating phase.

Many efforts have been made to understand the origin of the very small neutrino masses, the pattern of the lepton flavor mixing, a possible connection between leptonic CP violation and the cosmological matter-antimatter asymmetry as well as other consequences of the massive neutrinos in cosmology and astrophysics.

The next-generation experiments of neutrino oscillations will determine the masses of the three neutrinos and the CP-violating phase. It might be that the neutrino masses are not normal masses as that of the electron, but the Majorana masses. This will be investigated by the neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments.

Yifang Wang (IHEP) discussed the various experiments with neutrinos emitted by nuclear reactors. Atsuto Suzuki (KEK) reviewed the experiments with the Super-Kamiokande detector. The neutrinoless double-beta decay was the topic of the lectures by Giorgio Gratta (Stanford University), Werner Rodejohann (Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik) and Zhi-Zhong Xing (IHEP). Besides the three observed neutrinos, there could exist new kinds of neutrinos, the “sterile” neutrinos, as discussed by Carlo Giunti (INFN, Torino) and Jonathan Rosner (University of Chicago).

The flavor mixing angles of the quarks and leptons are presumably related to the masses of the quarks and leptons. If the masses are changed, the mixing angles change as well. They can be calculated, if the mass matrices of the fermions have “texture zeros”, as discussed in the lectures by Harald Fritzsch and Manmohan Gupta (Panjab University).

Neutrino physics with the Ice Cube detector was the topic of the talk by Elisa Resconi (TUM, Munchen). Georg Raffelt (Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik), and Yvonne Wong (UNSW, Sydney) discussed the role of neutrinos in astrophysics and cosmology. In specific cosmological models, the sum of the three neutrino masses must be less than about 0.32 eV.

Prof Harald Fritzsch and his family at his 72nd birthdaycelebration at the Neutrinos conference dinner banquet heldat Chui Huay Lim Club.

Prof Yifang Wang speaking on the present and future Reactor Neutrino Experiments.

Prof Carlo Rubbia (Nobel Laureate in Physics 1984) presenting his findings at the conference.

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NOBEL LAUREATE PUBLIC LECTURES

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Nobel LaureateProf François Englert:The Origin of Massand the Constituentsof the Universeby Christian Zielinski School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, NTU

Students with an interest in learning about the fundamental buildings blocks of the universe had a unique opportunity towards the end of 2014. On

13 November 2014, two experts from their respective fields gave public talks aiming at a wider audience. The first speaker was Prof François Englert, who was awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics for a mechanism

Prof François Englert (Nobel Laureate in Physics 2013) delivering his talk.

giving insights into the origin of mass of subatomic particles. He was followed by Prof Pierre Ramond, winner of the 2015 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics, and director at the Institute for Fundamental Theory at the University of Florida.

The talks were held at the Tan Chin Tuan lecture theatre at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), which was densely packed with an audience of over 350 students and faculty. Not only large numbers of university students, staff and faculty attended the talk, but also many high school and junior college students with an interest in recent developments in physics.

Prof Englert started his talk “The origin of mass and the Brout–Englert–Higgs boson” with an overview of the constituents of atoms and central ideas of relativity and quantum physics. Keeping the mathematical part of the talk to a minimum, Prof Englert explained the idea of spontaneous symmetry breaking by making use of examples such as ferromagnets and the Goldstone model. After all these “ingredients” were introduced, the audience finally learned about the famous Brout–Englert–Higgs mechanism. This mechanism explains why the associated force-carrying particles of the weak interaction, namely the W and Z bosons, are massive while gauge bosons are normally massless.

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The audience was captivated by Prof Englert’s intriguing lecture.

The second talk was given by Prof Pierre Ramond (winner of the 2015 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics, Universityof Florida).

The second half of the evening was dedicated to Prof Ramond’s talk, “Putting Humpty Dumpty Back Together: Searching for the Elementary Constituents of the Universe”. Prof Ramond gave an overview of the wide spectrum of elementary particles known today. One can characterise these particles by their mass, spin, electric charge, weak charge and colour charge. However, to classify them, symmetries are the key. Symmetries play a fundamental role in modern physics and it is remarkable that nature’s fundamental forces can be derived from them. The audience was also introduced to highly influential and actively debated ideas of modern particle physics such as grand unification, supersymmetry and superstrings. It remains to see what the Large Hadron Collider will find in the upcoming years and if it can help in solving some of the big questions of contemporary physics.

The evening came to a close with the Q&A session with questions from the audience, which Prof Englert and Prof Ramond were happy to answer. When everybody eventually headed back home, there was little doubt that everyone had a much better idea of what questions the scientific community is currently interested in.

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Special Public Lecturesin relation to the 28th General Assembly of the IUPAPIn relation to the 28th General Assembly of the IUPAP (International Union of Pure and Applied Physics) hosted by the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, two special public lectures series were organised to commemorate the occasion. Prof William Phillips (Nobel Laureate in Physics 1997) and Prof Antonio Castro Neto (National University of Singapore) delivered their talks on 5 November 2014 at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) Auditorium. On 7 November 2014, Prof Brian Schmidt (Nobel Laureate in Physics 2011), Prof Tanya Monro (Director of the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, University of Adelaide) and Prof Chorng-Haur Sow (National University of Singapore) gave their lectures at the Nanyang Executive Centre.

Nobel Laureate Prof William Phillips: “Time, Einstein and the Coolest Stuff in the Universe” & Prof Antonio Castro Neto (Director, NUS Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research Centre): “From Graphene to Phospherene: the 2D Zoo”

by Munir Shahzad School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, NTU

In his lecture entitled “From Graphene to Phospherene: the 2D Zoo”, Prof Antonio Castro Neto talked about the exotic and intriguing phenomena observed in

Graphene and other 2D materials both from the theoretical and the experimental point of view. He metaphorically described the classes of 2D materials as various animals in a zoo. He also discussed the broad range of physical and chemical properties of these 2D materials and showed how these materials can be useful for applications in different areas of science and

engineering. The field of 2D materials is expanding at such a rapid pace thanks to the sophisticated methods that have made the isolation and synthesis of many atomically thin crystals possible.

Nobel Laureate William Phillips next gave a captivating talk titled “Time, Einstein and coolest stuff in the Universe”. He began by talking about the atomic clock that was built at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) with the highest accuracy achieved so far. He then

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A jubilant Prof William Phillips delivering his talk. The second talk was delivered by Prof Antonio Castro Neto(Director of the NUS Centre for Advanced 2D Materials andGraphene Research Centre).

An exciting experiment by Prof William Phillips (Nobel Laureate in Physics 1997).

proceeded to discuss the cooling of atoms and how one could measure the speed of these fast atoms accurately. There were lots of experimental demonstrations with liquid nitrogen and balloons etc making the lecture fun and lively. He also discussed various methods of cooling, including the technique of trapping the atoms by laser light using two or more beams of laser from opposite directions on the atoms. With the help of various laser cooling methods, the experimentalists were able to

achieve the famous ‘Bose Einstein Condensate’. He anticipated that the recent developments in the field of cold atoms can lead to better technologies for clocks and quantum computers. These techniques can also be applied to enhance our basic understanding of nature.

The HSS Auditorium was fully packed with crowd of enthusiastic audience who was mesmerised by the exuberant and light-hearted talks of both experts.

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Nobel Laureate Prof Brian Schmidt: “The AcceleratingUniverse”, Prof Tanya Monro (University of Adelaide):“The Third Photonics Revolution: Light as a Measurement Tool”& Prof Chorng-Haur Sow (National University of Singapore): “The Professor’s Suitcase of Science Wonders”

by Bin Bin Zhu School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, NTU

Nobel Laureate Prof Brian Schmidt gave an interesting talk titled “The Accelerating Universe” in which he explained the vastness of the universe with vivid

illustrations and pictures. During his PhD period at Harvard, he has attempted to measure the life span of the universe, estimated at 13.7 billion years old. However, as it was not an easy measurement, it was important to devise better ways to measure distances in the universe. The method of using standard candles was then developed with Type 1a supernovae chosen for benchmarking standard candles, assuming that all the peak intensity of supernovae are roughly the same. The further the distance of the supernovae, the fainter the signal will be. Moreover, if the supernovae move away from us, the light detected will be redshifted and if they move toward us, there will be blueshifted. From detailed observations and measurements, it was subsequently found that the lights detected were all redshift. By looking at the measurement of the redshifted lights, an inevitable

conclusion is that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate.

But what is the force that pushes everything away? Dark energy, which is connected with universe, accounts for 72% of the total universe, while another 4% of the universe is made up of atoms and 24% is dark matter (different from dark energy). Dark energy may be described as a fluid with negative pressure. If the universe continues to expand at an accelerated pace, unless something else drastic happens, this theory predicts a very bleak future. As the space stretches, it carries away all the stars and galaxy currently within our telescopic sights. With time, the receding speeds of these stars and galaxy will reach the speed of light. When that happens, there will be a new cosmological horizon, changing the landscape of the local cluster. Prof Schmidt’s

A light-hearted talk by Nobel Laureate Prof Brian Schmidt. Prof Tanya Monro (Director of the Institute for Photonicsand Advanced Sensing, University of Adelaide) delivering her lecture with gusto.

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discovery has made dark energy a fundamental scientific concept that changes the way we understand and probe the universe within astronomy and physics: we now know that the universe is not static, nor is the universe slowing down.

The next lecture was delivered by Prof Tanya Monro, who spoke about “The Third Photonics Revolution: Light as a Measurement Tool”. She discussed new advances in the research areas of photonics, nanomaterials and surface science, and how scientists are now making it possible to explore new environments that were previously inaccessible, such as processes in the human body or the living human brain, or probing an artery, next to a developing embryo or in the development of aircraft, or even in currently inaccessible regions such as deep within the earth’s crust. These are places that cannot be accessed currently with existing conventional measurement tools, but it may be possible one day with optical fibres. The convergence of many different disciplines is creating new tools for science and enhancing the development of solutions for many industries, such as in medicine and environment engineering. Using diagrams and examples to illustrate her concepts, Prof Monro’s talk was both engaging and easy to understand, even for many people who are not scientists in the audience.

The day’s final talk was delivered by Prof Chorng-Haur Sow, entitled “The Professor’s Suitcase of Science Wonders: Engaging Learners with Visual Demonstrations”. He explained how science demonstrations provide an invaluable tool in the classroom for effective teaching and learning. True to the spirit of his lecture, each of the points Prof Sow mentioned was punctuated with a

Bang! Students were invited on stage to smash blocks of ice with a hammer. The plain ice block (left) broke easily with little effort, whereas the ice block that was fortified with newspaper (right) was unbreakable.

Fancy seeing a packet of tomato sauce move with your finger? Prof Chorng-Haur Sow (Head of Department of Physics, National University of Singapore) demonstrating his “magic”.

demonstration that involved the younger scientists in the auditorium, or a video showing his experiences in classroom teaching. It was an enthralling ride for the audience. Aside from learning how science experiments can effectively engage students in learning, the audience also witnessed firsthand how to visualise sound waves and observe how extreme temperatures can affect m a g n e t i s m . T h e re w e re p l e n t y o f h a n d s - o n demonstrations and several younger members of the audience were invited on stage to assist with experiments, such as smashing a huge block of special ice with a hammer. The attempt on the special ice was unsuccessful, as the ice structure was fortified with shredded newspaper. In contrast, the untreated regular ice shattered easily as it was brittle. This talk was particularly appealing for the younger audiences as they were completely fascinated and inspired by the wonders of science.

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Nobel LaureateProf Alan Heeger:Creativity, Discovery and Risk — Nobel Prizes Past and Future

Prof Alan Heeger is an American physicist who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry along with Prof Alan MacDiarmid and Prof Hideki Shirakawa for their discovery and development

of conductive polymers. Prof Heeger is currently a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Much of his work is

interdisciplinary. He is also a co-founder of start-up companies, including UNIAX Corporation, which was founded in 1990 and was later acquired by DuPont. In addition, Prof Heeger has a deep interest in the theatre. He has on several occasions conducted Tony-award-winning public staged performances in Copenhagen.

In conjunction with the Quantum Effects in Biological Systems (QuEBS) 2014 Workshop, Prof Heeger presented a Public Lecture on 3 December 2014 on the topic, “Creativity, Discovery and Risk – Nobel Prizes Past and Future”.

He began his talk with a brief comment that creativity is very important in the field of science and research and that creativity is more important than discovery. He then elaborated this thought with nostalgic examples from his own life, particularly during his childhood days when he derived much satisfaction through playing creatively with toy soldiers, and designing the games that were subsequently well regarded by his friends. With these initial gratifications, his desire for creative ideas grew. Creativity A thought-provoking public lecture by Nobel Laureate Prof Alan Heeger.

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therefore made him more interested in many new phenomena during his study and research.

He remarked that everyone possesses the ability to be creative. The most critical component is the thought process. One needs to cultivate this thinking process by looking at all sorts of phenomena. To be creative, one needs to practise it constantly and learn from experience. Ultimately, what makes us different from one to another, according to Prof Heeger, is our creative minds.

On the other hand, his notion of ‘discovery’ pertains to the ability to investigate the truth in nature, especially in science. Our discovery can help us learn the nature and the principles in the world. It gives us greater meaning to the day-to-day actions of society and nature. He then explained that, great discovery is not gained from one days’ work. it is accumulated through many years of hard work, sometimes many generations of struggle. So to be a scientist, we need to put in a lot of effort and we need to be patient and dedicated. We also need to exploit past discoveries in order to create new ones.

Risk is necessary for breakthrough. People need to take risk and face challenges to gain better experience. From his own experience, Prof Heeger thought that one of his greatest idea (conducting polymer) was initially in some sense a risk. Normal people would simply believe that the only electrical conductors are metals. This belief has led to the extensive use of metal conductors in industry, which has in turn led to many problems in our world today – the shortage of resources, extensive environmental pollution, rising prices of metals, and so on. Keeping all these challenging issues in mind, he came up with the somewhat crazy idea of replacing metal with organic

One of the many practical applications of Prof Alan Heeger’sdiscovery of conductive polymers is Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs), which are used to create digital displays indevices such as television screens, computer monitors, and mobile phones.

compounds such as polymers. At that time, he took the risk of challenging the pre-conceived notion of metallic electrical conductors. After much study and collaboration, he found that his initial assumption of non-metallic conductors is indeed possible! With the advent of ‘the organic conductor’, a series of polymer conductors were discovered and introduced to the world. Prof Heeger was instrumental in opening the doors into a new area, making it cheaper and easier to get energy in some countries. This was the outcome to a risk he took when he embarked on a search for an alternative material!

Finally, Prof Heeger described his expectation of the future research: he hoped that more scientists could focus on research into areas of alternative energies, Naturally, he reiterated that any achievement of significant impact to the society needs a group of patient and dedicated scientists.

The lecture was delivered to an audience of over 320 students and teachers. There was intense discussion between the speaker and the many inquisitive students and participants during the Q&A session. Overall, many people who attended the public lecture found the lecture stimulating, informative and interesting.

“ ... great discovery is not gained from one day’s work, but from many years of hard work, sometimes after many generations of struggle. To be a scientist, we need to put our energies into being patient and earnest to study the logic among past discoveries so as to create new ones.”

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5th ASEAN Event Series:“Bridges – Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace”

Prof Sir James Mirrlees is 1996 Nobel Laureate for Economics and the Master of Morningside College at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In his

talk, Prof Mirrlees spoke on the ways to resolve conflicts and determine concerted and coordinated policies to so lve ma jor economic problems , amids t the unprecedented level of development and cooperation in an increasingly globalised economy. He contrasted arrangements that attempt to do what is right with those that involve negotiated bargains.

To illustrate his points, he gave revealing examples to show the difficulty of achieving either form of agreement in many policies such as those involved in the management of climate change and the resolution of

territorial claims. He explained at length what constitutes a conflict and the typical reactions of humans to such crisis: whether to fight or to flee. He suggested that the successful “negotiation” of a settlement can greatly help to avoid further costs of war, strike, demonstration or policing. When there is substantial conflict of interest, a successful settlement is usually delayed unless there are more than two sides to the resolution. Ironically, having more sides to the crisis can speed up a settlement process, as the parties involved usually lean toward a common interest. Bargaining may often be needed, and for worthwhile bargaining to occur, it usually requires optimal strategy to succeed. “A good game needs rules”, concluded Prof Mirrlees, to thunderous applause from the audience.

Held for the first time in Singapore, the “Bridges” series was started by the International Peace Foundation (IPF) in 2003. The “Bridges” series aims to establish long term partnerships in scientific research and education, forming a basis for better cooperation and advancement in the region through the visits of Nobel Laureates to local universities, research agencies and other institutions in South East Asia. Other ASEAN countries which have hosted the “Bridges” series include Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam.

As part of the series, the three Nobel Public Lectures in NTU were jointly organised by the Institute of Advanced Studies and the Office of International Affairs.

Nobel Laureate Prof Sir James Mirrlees:“Conflict, Cooperation and the Common Good”,1 October 2014

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Q&A session chaired by Prof Alan Chan, Dean of the NTU College of Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences (right).

Public lecture by Prof Sir James Mirrlees (Nobel Laureate in Economics 1996 and the Master of Morningside College at the Chinese University of Hong Kong).

Welcome remarks by Prof Er Meng Hwa, NTU Vice President (International Affairs).

Address by Mr Uwe Morawetz (Chairman, International Peace Foundation)

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Nobel Laureate Prof Bruce Beutler:“The Global Struggle Against Infectious Disease”,4 February 2015

Prof Beutler is the Director of the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. His 2011 Nobel

Prize-winning research was the discovery of an important family of receptors that allows mammals to sense infections when they occur, triggering a powerful inflammatory response. He has been doing research on the alleviation of pain for millions of patients. His recent research focuses on the elucidation of the role of genetics in immunology. In his lecture, Prof Beutler provided a bird’s eye view of his research career. He mentioned that statistically, among the 59 million people who pass away every year, a quarter of them die due to infectious diseases. He discussed the history of evolution of the human and plant immune systems towards an adaptive immunity.

(From left) Dr Toh Kian Lam (Director, Office of International Affairs), Prof James Best (Dean of NTU Lee Kong Chian School ofMedicine), His Excellency Mr Håkan Jevrell (Swedish Ambassador to Singapore), Prof Bruce Beutler, Prof Er Meng Hwa and Mr Uwe Morawetz.

However, he highlighted that the biggest problems of this immunity are autoimmunity and the pressure of infections. All immune systems have three tasks: recognition of foreign cells or “non-self”, self tolerance (if there is no immediate harm), and the capability to kill or contain the microbes. He went on to explain at great length the extensive amount of research he did in the field of phenotypes, genes and their mutations in order to achieve new methods of instant gene finding. Although Prof Beutler ’s talk drew inspirations predominantly from medicine and science, it was well composed with historic perspective invoking phylogeny, evolution and philosophy.

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Nobel Laureate Prof Ada Yonath:“From Basic Science to Advanced Medicine – Structures of the Molecules of Life and their Impact on Modern Biomedical Research”, 4 March 2015

Prof Ada Yonath is the first Israeli woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009. A

professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, Prof Yonath is well known for her research on the ribosome, a minute particle comprising complexes of proteins and found in all living cells. Chaired by NTU President Prof Bertil Andersson, Prof Yonath’s lecture was witty and light hearted. Moreover, she was able to simplify the complexity of a ribosome in her lecture.

She began with an introduction of the various processes occurring in a cell, outlining the processes involved in the cell: from DNA to ribosome. The ribosome is the universal cellular “factory” that performs the formation of the proteins (the cell workers) according to the genetic code. Owing to their vital role, the r ibosomes are targeted by many antibiotics, which paralyse them by binding to their functional sites. Prof Yonath explained how she was able to determine the structure of the ribosome w h i l e t r y i n g t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e mechanism behind the process of protein biosynthesis from the translation of the genet ic code. By deciphering i ts functional mode, her discovery has paved the way for many other discoveries in the field.

The three public lectures drew over 1,000 attendees who actively participated in the Q&A sessions with the Nobel Laureates. NTU President, Prof Bertil Andersson (Chairman of the lecture) at the Q&A

session.

Nobel Laureate Prof Ada Yonath engaged with the audience during the Q&Asession.

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Prof Lars Brink:Alfred Nobel andthe Nobel Prizes

On 31 October 2014, Prof Lars Brink from Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden gave a talk entitled “Alfred Nobel and the Nobel

Prizes” at the University Town. Prof Brink was the former chairman of the Nobel Committee for Physics. He was a visiting professor at the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) at Nanyang Technological University for part of the autumn. In this talk organised by IAS, he told the audience about the life and work of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish inventor and entrepreneur whose greatest legacy was the Nobel Prizes, one of the most famous and prestigious prizes in the world.

Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm in 1833. His father was an innovator and entrepreneur whose luck ran out in 1838 when he became bankrupt. He moved to St Petersburg in Russia and set up a mechanical industry specialising in supplying weapons to the Russian army and navy. His luck returned and the family could come over and establish itself there in 1842.

The family became quite affluent and Alfred and his brothers got a thorough education at home from private tutors. Alfred was fluent in Swedish, Russian, French, English and German. Later he also learnt Italian. He was very interested in literature but also studied chemistry and physics to become an engineer. In 1850 at the age of 17, he went on a long journey to Europe and to the US mainly to learn more about chemistry. In Italy, he came across the three year old invention of nitroglycerin, which would become most vital for his future life.

When he returned home, he was convinced that he wanted to set up factories to produce nitroglycerin. He realised that blasting power would be very important for the growing industry in Europe and the US. However, this was during the Crimean War and the Nobel business did very well selling mines to the Russian navy, so the

ideas were not implemented directly. In 1859 though, with the war over and lost for the Russians, the business went bankrupt and most of the Nobel family except the two older brothers returned to Sweden. They were to start the Russian oil industry around Baku and become very rich in due time.

Back home in Sweden, the Nobel family started a factory to produce nitroglycerin but in 1865, a terrible accident occurred. The whole factory exploded, killing five people, including Alfred’s youngest brother. Alfred got very anxious to find a safe way of handling explosives and in 1867 he invented dynamite. He incorporated nitroglycerin in kiselguhr, diatomaceous earth. He got a patent for it and from that point he toured the world setting up factories in many places. Over the years, he founded factories and laboratories in some 90 different places in more than 20 countries.

Although he lived in Paris, he was constantly travelling for much of his life. Victor Hugo at one time described him as “Europe’s richest vagabond”. When he was not travelling or engaging in business activities, Nobel himself worked intensively in his various laboratories. This intensive work and travel did not leave much time for a private life. At the age of 43, he was feeling like an old man. He advertised for a secretary and supervisor of household. He got a reply from an Austrian woman, countess Bertha Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau. She was the daughter of an impoverished field marshal and had worked as a governess in another aristocratic family, von Suttner, and had fallen in love with the youngest son from the house who was seven years her junior. That was not taken easily by the family, and she had to leave and took up the position with Alfred Nobel. She spent a week there mostly discussing with him about the situation in the world. However, the longing for her lover was too strong so she left and ran away with him, and they got

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married and spent the rest of their lives fighting for disarmament and world peace. She kept in contact with Nobel for the rest of his life and was the inspiration for the Nobel Prize in Peace, which she also received in 1905.

Now when Alfred had got a new interest in female company he started to meet a very young Austrian, Sophie Hess. She was a lower class store clerk who was quite handsome, but irresponsible. This relationship lasted for eighteen years and Alfred spent a lot of money on her.

All the time, he was very busy inventing improvements of dynamite but also all sorts of weapons and gunpowder. Altogether he was awarded some 350 different patents. At the end of the 1880s, he got into trouble with the French Government who accused him of selling weapons to the Italians and he had to leave Paris. He settled in San Remo in a big villa next to the sea. There he set up a new laboratory and during the 1890s, he experimented with new kinds of gunpowder and installed a big canon from which he shot grenades out to the sea. This was not much appreciated by the local fishermen who sometimes claimed that big projectiles whiz over their heads.

In the 1890s, Alfred Nobel was into his sixties and his health that had never been very good deteriorated. As long as his mother was alive, he had travelled to Sweden every year to visit her, but now when she was gone he looked around for a place in Sweden where he could spend the summers. He found a mansion in the Western

part of Sweden Björkborn and bought the local industry around it. He also set up a laboratory there. This industry was to become the big weapons smithy in Europe and was the main supplier to all the warring countries in the world wars. He also hired a young Swedish engineer as his assistant, Ragnar Sohlman.

On 27 November 1895, he signed his last will at a Swedish club in Paris and one year later on 10 December 1896, he died alone with his servants in San Remo. Ragnar Sohlman was on a trip and could only come to San Remo some time after Nobel’s death. To his surprise, he found that he was to become the executor of the will, together with another Swede. In the will, Nobel stated that all his fortune should be realised and the interest of it should be divided every year into five prizes, namely physics, chemistry, medicine or physiology, literature and peace. The fortune was immense, one of the largest in Europe at the time. It was placed in papers in many banks over Europe and Sohlman had to collect them all before authorities and perhaps other people realised what was happening. He later told the thrilling story how he travelled in a couch around Paris with a pistol in his pocket to collect the bank papers. In a remarkable effort, he managed to collect them and bring them to Sweden.

The next problem was to find out which country Nobel had resided. The French Government asserted that he should be regarded as French and hence the assets should be taxed in France. After a long fight, it was declared that he should be counted as a Swede and no taxes on the

The Nobel Monument in New York’s Theodore Roosevelt Park. This location has a great symbolic value, as President Roosevelt was the first American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906.

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fortune would be taken. A further problem was that part of the Nobel family in Sweden who was not so rich declared that they should have part of the assets as an inheritance. That problem was also finally overcome. In the will, Nobel had declared that the prizes should be given to the most suitable candidate regardless of nationality. This was heavily criticised by the Swedish king who demanded that only Scandinavians could get

it. This problem was also overcome. Finally the way the will was written, there was not really any recipient of the inheritance. That was solved by setting up a foundation, the Nobel Foundation, which formally inherited the money, and could then manage the funds. In 1900, the process was completed and the year after, the first prizes could be announced and handed out.

The will stated that the prizes should be given yearly to:

• one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics;

• one part to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement;

• one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine;

Prof Lars Brink (right) with NTU President, Prof Bertil Andersson at the Q&A session.

“ In the will, Nobel stated that all his fortune should be realised and the interest of it should be divided every year into five prizes, namely physics, chemistry, medicine or physiology, literature and peace. The fortune was immense, one of the largest in Europe at the time. ”

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• one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction;

• and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.

The first two prizes should be awarded by the Royal Academy of Sciences, the prize in medicine or physiology by the Karolinska Institute, the prize in literature by the Swedish Academy of Letters and the last prize by the Norwegian Parliament. Norway was at the time in a union with Sweden, so Nobel wanted also the Norwegians to be part of the prize work.

The first prize ceremony was held on December 10, 1901 in front of 180 invited guests, all men. The king refused to come. It was a success to start with, partly because the first winner in physics was Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who had achieved world fame for his discovery of the x-rays in 1894.

Prof Brink then talked more about the physics prize. It is stated that it should be given with one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics. How is the most important discovery to be interpreted?

• It is not a life-time achievement.

• It is not the second discoverer who did it much better.

• It is not the one who did the most beautiful experiment.

• It is not a theoretical discovery that has not been experimentally verified.

You do not need to be a genius to get the prize but it helps! Prof Brink then gave examples of the various points. He mentioned that world leading scientists like Arnold Sommerfeld in the early part of the 1900s and John Wheeler later in the century, who were dominating figures of their time, never got the prize. The Nobel Committee could not decide that they had done the most important discovery. Likewise, he pointed out the famous Pound-Rebka experiment from 1960 that showed that the time goes slower at the sixth floor of the Physics lab at Harvard than at the first floor. The difference is

about 10-15. This is one of the most beautiful experiments in the history of physics, but it only confirmed Einstein’s equivalence principle for which there were other confirmations in general relativity. It used the Mössbauer effect and Rudolf Mössbauer got the Nobel Prize in 1961.

Prof Brink also described how Stephen Hawking’s famous discovery of black hole radiation, which few would doubt, had not been given a Nobel Prize since it has not been experimentally verified. The ideal case is to have one paper that contains the discovery. A typical case is the prize in 1970 to Hannes Alfvén. His paper about the famous Alfvén waves is slightly more than half a page in Nature in 1942. He used well-known formulae for a conducting liquid in a constant magnetic field and deduced the waves. A discovery should also have a scientific height. A perfect example is the Nobel Prize to Chen-Ning Yang and Tsung-Dao Lee in 1957. They had the year before suggested that parity might not be conserved in the weak interactions and had proposed to check it for 60Co. The experimental results were reported on 15 January 1957 by Madame Chien-Shiung Wu, and eleven months later the two young Chinese scientists could receive their prize.

Finally Prof Brink described 2013 Physics Prize to François Englert and Peter Higgs for the BEH-mechanism, which gives masses to the fundamental particles in the Standard Model for Particle Physics. It also led to the discovery of a new particle, the H-particle, which was found at CERN in 2012 after a fantastic effort by two large collaborations, ATLAS and CMS at the Large Hadron Collider in CERN.

After the talk which was chaired by the President of NTU, Prof Bertil Andersson, who also has been the chairman of a Nobel Committee (in chemistry), there was a roundtable discussion between Profs Andersson and Brink. There was also time for questions from the audience, who had many interesting queries. The most interesting one was why Mdm Wu had not shared the prize with Yang and Lee in 1957. However, since both laureates from 1957 are still alive, that was a question that cannot be answered. Usually the archives open 50 years after the prize if all the laureates are gone by then.

“ You do not need to be a genius to get the prize but it helps! ”

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The 3rd Workshop on the Standardisation of Physics Terminology in Chinese

Modern physics was initiated in Europe. Isaac Newton’s Principia was first published in Latin in 1687. Albert Einstein’s five annus mirabilis

papers in 1905 were written in German. During the past one hundred years, English has gradually become the modern lingua franca of science. With a common language, it makes communication between scientists much easier. The idea of bilingualism in Science is therefore indispensable for non-English speaking communities especially in Asia.

The rapid progress in Science and Technology today has necessitated the introduction of new scientific and technical terminologies. However, there are differences and inconsistencies in the nomenclature of scientific and technical terminologies introduced in different era and regions of the Chinese communities.

In the 1980s, Singapore organised a few major international physics conferences. At that time, scientists from Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, as well as overseas Chinese from other countries had expressed the need for a standardised scientific terminology in Chinese.

Initiated by Prof Yang Guozhen (former President of the Chinese Physical Society), Prof Phua Kok Khoo (Director, Institute of Advanced Studies at NTU), and Prof Chang Ching-Ray (National Taiwan University), the first workshop on Standardisation of Physics Terminology in Chinese was organised by the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) from 11 to 12 December 2011 in Singapore. The second workshop was held in Taiwan from 23 to 26 November 2012. The series has helped made significant progress in standardisation of the terminology in Chinese, especially for those commonly seen in school

textbooks. 90 percent of the terms have been standardised.

The third Workshop on the Standardisation of Physics Terminology in Chinese was held in Beijing from 22 to 24 November 2013. It was organised by the School of Physics, Peking University, together with the Chinese Physical Society, the China National Committee for Terms in Sciences and Technologies, the Physical Society of Republic of China (Taiwan), National Taiwan University, National Academy of Educational Research (Taiwan), and the IAS, NTU.

More than 30 participants including Directors, Heads and representatives of key physical institutions from respective regions attended this workshop, including Cao Zexian, Liu Jixing, Tao Hongjie, Wu Lingan (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Duan Wenhui (Tsinghua University), Zhu Xing, Fang Zheyu, Yan Shousheng, Zhao Kaihua, Lu Guo, Zou Yinghua (Peking University), Gu Dongmei (Chinese Physical Society), Liu Qing (CNCTST), Chang Ching-Ray, Pauchy W.-Y. Huang, Fu Chao-Ming (National Taiwan University), Liu Yuan-Tsun (Soochow University), Wu Jong-Ching (National Changhua University of Education), and Tung Roh-Suan (IAS, NTU).

The participants shared the history and differences of several physics terms, discussed the prefix, acronym, and the nomenclature of new terminologies in a few specific emergent domains, especially in quantum information and nano-science.

Towards the end of the workshop, the participants reached a consensus on several matters, including the nomenclature of the new physics terminologies across different regions.

by Roh-Suan Tung Institute of Advanced Studies, NTU

IAS NEWSLETTER

OTHER EVENTS

ISSUE 17 • MAY 2015 | 55

Outreach Talk:“Why is Physics so interesting?Looking to the stars...”by Prof Ngee-Pong Changby Jovan Yeo, Yuen Xiang Hao & Tang Chi Sin NUS High School

On 1 August 2014, the NUS High School Astronomy Club was privileged to have Prof Ngee-Pong Chang share on how the laws of physics can take us from the terrestrial sphere to the

celestial. His talk was titled “Why is Physics so interesting? Looking to the stars…”.

A Theoretical High Energy physicist by training, Prof Chang is currently a Professor in Physics at the City College of New York and a Senior Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Studies at NTU. He previously held positions at prestigious research institutes including Columbia University and the Institute of Advanced Study at Princeton University.

During his visit to our school, Prof Chang gave a detailed description of the earth-based explorations of space (observation) like the Arecibo observatory, and concepts such as why the sky is the colour that it is at varous times of the day.

After a brief discussion of Olber’s paradox (if space is infinite, every line of sight that extends to infinity will end at a star, but why isn’t the night sky bright?) and its solution (redshift caused by universal expansion), Prof Chang continued on to how the universe is expanding at an accelerating speed.

After the talk, Prof Chang joined the teachers and several senior members of the Astronomy Club for a tour of the observatory and the local night sky. Despite the skies being slightly cloudy, the moon and planets were clearly visible – our first stepping stones out into space.

It was certainly a very fruitful and enriching experience interacting with an eminent physicist like Prof Chang. He has provided interesting insights in the area of Astrophysics. Whether or not we will end up as astrophysicists in the future, the new insights gained are definitely invaluable.

Prof Ngee-Pong Chang explaining the expanding universe.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS25to28May2015Conference on 60 Years of Yang-mills gauge Field Theories: CN Yang’s Contributions to Physics Nanyang Executive Centre, NTU

25May2015Public Lecture:Personal Perspectives on Physicsby Nobel Laureates Prof CN Yang and Prof David gross, and Royal medallist Prof michael Fisher Nanyang Auditorium, NTU

28to30October20152nd Asia Pacific Liberal ArtsEducation Conference Nanyang Executive Centre, NTU

4to6November2015International Workshop onHigher Spin gauge Theories Nanyang Executive Centre, NTU

7to10December2015European molecular Biology Organization (EmBO) Workshop School of Biological Sciences, NTU

17to21January20168th International Science Youth Forum with Nobel Laureates in Singapore Hwa Chong Institution

17to22January20164th global Young Scientists Summit Organised by National Research Foundation,supported by IAS

18to29January2016School on Quantum Information Processing Nanyang Executive Centre, NTU

25to28January2016memorial meeting for Professor Abdus Salam’s 90th Birthday Nanyang Executive Centre, NTU

February20162nd Asia Pacific IAS ConferenceNanyang Executive Centre, NTU

29Februaryto4March2016Conference on New Physics at the Large Hadron Collider Nanyang Executive Centre, NTU

Institute of Advanced StudiesNanyang Executive Centre60 Nanyang View #02-18 Singapore 639673Tel: (65) 6790 6491Fax: (65) 6794 4941Website: http://www.ntu.edu.sg/ias

ISSN 1793-5678

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