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Chinese student is youngest fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
By Shao Lingwei |
June 27, 2012, Wednesday
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ZHANG Weijia, 22, has become the youngest fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, which encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science in the United Kingdom.
He is one of the eight Chinese fellows in the society.
"Being a fellow of RAS I have to attend meetings, participate in the election of the chairman, write scientific reports and support the work of the British Royal Institute of Astronomy," Zhang says.
Last year he received a full scholarship from Oxford University and is working on a PhD in atmospheric, oceanic and planetary physics.
His research at Oxford is in the field of lunar exploration, a project that will develop a new theoretical, numerical model of the transfer of electromagnetic radiation through the top layer of airless planetary surfaces.
He wants to engage in some post-doctoral work after graduating.
"It will be nice to use what I have learned to serve mankind," Zhang says.
Zhang leads a busy life at Oxford. His work includes data processing, designing devices, writing reports. But he also finds time to read, write poems and play chess and badminton during his free time.
He has excelled academically for a long time. In 2004, Zhang won first place in the high school entrance examination in Hangzhou, three years later he was recommended for admission to Peking University. Zhang published 27 papers while he was an undergraduate student.
Achieving fame at such an early age, Zhang was asked whether he ever considered himself a prodigy. Zhang simply says, "I just happened to find my talent which happens to be my interest."
Zhang loves reading. He has three large bookcases at home. He borrowed books every week from the library when he was in junior high school.
He later became interested in physics. The theory of Werner Heisenberg, a German physicist, has had a great impact on him. "He is my favorite scientist," Zhang says. "We have the same birthday, the same academic theory."
Zhang chose to study physics because he believes it is the foundation of many research fields. It is also an important tool for analysis and modeling.
Zhang also grateful to Yuanpei College at Peking University, which he attended. The college is named after one of the university's most revered presidents, Cai Yuanpei. The college's goal is to foster a new generation of talented and creative individuals with international competence.
"Yuanpei College offered me sufficient teaching resources. It gave me a broad platform to develop my own interests," Zhang says.
However, Zhang says his interests go far beyond physics. He also likes history, geology, chemistry, ancient languages, ancient literature and many other subject.
Zhang's father is a computer-programming engineer and his mother is a Chinese teacher. Zhang says he inherited talent from both parents.
"Physics is my tool of thinking and poetry is my feeling of life," he says.
Zhang's father still remembers when his son was holding a paint brush and writing poems on the wall at the age of six. He uses poems to express emotions. Zhang started to write poems in elementary school. He has written more than 100 poems, which his mother has saved.
He is one of the eight Chinese fellows in the society.
"Being a fellow of RAS I have to attend meetings, participate in the election of the chairman, write scientific reports and support the work of the British Royal Institute of Astronomy," Zhang says.
Last year he received a full scholarship from Oxford University and is working on a PhD in atmospheric, oceanic and planetary physics.
His research at Oxford is in the field of lunar exploration, a project that will develop a new theoretical, numerical model of the transfer of electromagnetic radiation through the top layer of airless planetary surfaces.
He wants to engage in some post-doctoral work after graduating.
"It will be nice to use what I have learned to serve mankind," Zhang says.
Zhang leads a busy life at Oxford. His work includes data processing, designing devices, writing reports. But he also finds time to read, write poems and play chess and badminton during his free time.
He has excelled academically for a long time. In 2004, Zhang won first place in the high school entrance examination in Hangzhou, three years later he was recommended for admission to Peking University. Zhang published 27 papers while he was an undergraduate student.
Achieving fame at such an early age, Zhang was asked whether he ever considered himself a prodigy. Zhang simply says, "I just happened to find my talent which happens to be my interest."
Zhang loves reading. He has three large bookcases at home. He borrowed books every week from the library when he was in junior high school.
He later became interested in physics. The theory of Werner Heisenberg, a German physicist, has had a great impact on him. "He is my favorite scientist," Zhang says. "We have the same birthday, the same academic theory."
Zhang chose to study physics because he believes it is the foundation of many research fields. It is also an important tool for analysis and modeling.
Zhang also grateful to Yuanpei College at Peking University, which he attended. The college is named after one of the university's most revered presidents, Cai Yuanpei. The college's goal is to foster a new generation of talented and creative individuals with international competence.
"Yuanpei College offered me sufficient teaching resources. It gave me a broad platform to develop my own interests," Zhang says.
However, Zhang says his interests go far beyond physics. He also likes history, geology, chemistry, ancient languages, ancient literature and many other subject.
Zhang's father is a computer-programming engineer and his mother is a Chinese teacher. Zhang says he inherited talent from both parents.
"Physics is my tool of thinking and poetry is my feeling of life," he says.
Zhang's father still remembers when his son was holding a paint brush and writing poems on the wall at the age of six. He uses poems to express emotions. Zhang started to write poems in elementary school. He has written more than 100 poems, which his mother has saved.
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