In the world's scientific and technological innovation "network", Shanghai is increasingly becoming an important "node"

Edward Mossor, a 2014 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine who calls himself a "regular visitor" to the World's Top Scientists Forum, said the forum, which is being held in Shanghai, brings together the world's best scientists to discuss both science and topics of great significance to society, "which broadens my horizons and makes me return with new ideas every time." ”

In the "big science era" of global collaborative innovation, the need for international exchanges and cooperation is more urgent than ever. In the world's "network" of scientific and technological innovation, Shanghai, with its consistent openness and unique attractiveness, is increasingly becoming an important "node".

[Not only exchanging views, but also proposing solutions to global problems]

According to Dan Shechtman, winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the Forum of the World's Top Scientists has become a grand event, not only exchanging ideas but also proposing solutions to global problems. "In today's world of struggles with health, economics and global warming, the public and policymakers are more aware that the only solution will come from science, from scientists."

"Mrna", "Computing Revolution", "Low-dimensional Materials and Quantum Technology", in the "Frontiers of Science and Technology" series of forums, these professional words have been enthusiastically discussed by scientists. Take the MNA technology, which is a big hit for this year's Nobel Prize. Two scientists, Katarin Carrico and Drew Weissman, solved an important problem: suppressing excessive immunity caused by the MNA vaccine, thus making it possible to rapidly develop the MNA vaccine under the COVID-19 epidemic. Focusing on the forefront, the World's Top Scientists Forum highlights the role of "science and technology vane".

"The main risk facing humanity is rising temperatures, and if it is to be controlled within 2°C, negative carbon emissions must be achieved." Steven Chu, the winner of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics, issued a "wake-up call" at the "Carbon Conference" first launched at this forum. China will strive to achieve carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. From carbon peaking to carbon neutrality, developed countries have a 50- to 70-year transition period, and China's commitment to the world is only 30 years. How to help reduce carbon science? The most urgent attention is the forum of the world's top scientists to solve real problems.

【Phenomenon-level platform for international scientist exchange and cooperation under the epidemic situation】

Roger Kornberg, President of the World Association of Top Scientists, has been in Shanghai for four consecutive years to attend the forum. He has said on many occasions, "Shanghai's determination and action to promote international scientific and technological exchanges are impressive. ”

Last year, the sudden outbreak of the epidemic brought difficulties to the preparation of the third forum. In Roger Kornberg's view, "this is almost an impossible task", but the number of participating scientists has not only not decreased, but has increased significantly. This has also become an unprecedented "cloud" of the world's top scientists linkage, attracting more than 1.5 billion people to the whole network traffic. This year, the epidemic has not yet ended, and the scale of scientists participating in this forum has reached a new high, becoming a phenomenon-level platform for international scientists to exchange and cooperate under the epidemic.

The development of science and technology must be based on a global vision, international scientific and technological cooperation is the trend of the times, but also the only way for the continuous innovation and development of science and technology. Bringing together global innovation wisdom with a world vision, Shanghai's determination has never changed. Actively integrated into the global innovation network, Shanghai does not want to be absent.

【Shanghai's "soil" has its own fragrance】

If Shanghai has chosen the World Top Scientists Forum, the World Top Scientists Forum has also chosen Shanghai.

In October this year, the US financial giant JPMorgan Chase hosted the "Shanghai Forum of the Global Healthcare Industry Annual Conference", which originally wanted to control 400 to 500 people, but nearly 1,000 people came. Although this is inseparable from the influence of the annual meeting itself, it has not been "unsatisfied with the water and soil" in Shanghai, and has also opened up a new market, indicating that the "soil" of Shanghai has its own fragrance.

Shanghai is accelerating the promotion of open innovation, on the one hand, constantly strengthening the source function of scientific and technological innovation, facing the world's scientific and technological frontier, facing the main battlefield of the economy, facing the major needs of the country, facing the people's life and health, and vigorously carrying out forward-looking layout and scientific research. On the other hand, it has continued to optimize the innovation ecological environment, gathering 818 regional headquarters of multinational companies and 501 foreign-funded R&D centers. Foreign talents working in Shanghai, mainly scientific and technological talents, exceed 200,000 people, accounting for nearly 1/4 of the country.

Shanghai has also actively initiated and participated in international big science plans and projects, and the international network of scientific and technological innovation cooperation is constantly expanding.

Openness was originally the innate gene of Shanghai. Building an open and inclusive innovation ecosystem is not only the common expectation of scientists and innovators around the world, but also an important goal for Shanghai to build a science and technology innovation center with global influence.

In some people's minds, science and technology-related forums are inevitably "professional" and "difficult". However, in recent years, many science and technology forums held in Shanghai have aroused heated discussions from time to time, and the spillover effect has been continuous. In addition to the World's Top Scientists Forum, the Pujiang Innovation Forum and the World Artificial Intelligence Conference have built an international cooperation and exchange platform with "Shanghai characteristics".

Innovation links the world, open and win-win future. With its unique charm, Shanghai is moving towards an international science and technology innovation hub city with surging innovation elements and bursting with innovation vitality.

Column Editor-in-Chief: Huang Haihua Text Editor: Huang Haihua Caption Source: Lai Xinlin Photo

Source: Author: Huang Haihua