云南大学天文学科“双一流”建设周期总结专家咨询会成功召开
External review meeting on “Double-excellence” Development of Astronomy discipline of Yunnan University held
2020年11月20日，云南大学天文学科“双一流”建设周期总结专家咨询会在呈贡校区天文楼举行。来自国家自然科学基金委、中国科学院国家天文台、上海天文台、云南天文台、南京天文光学技术研究所、理论物理研究所，清华大学、南京大学、上海交通大学、中国科技大学、广西大学、广州大学等单位14名专家，和云南大学相关职能部门负责人出席了咨询会。
云南大学副校长赵琦华教授代表学校致欢迎辞，感谢大家长期以来对云南大学天文学科的关心、支持和帮助，希望各位专家对天文学科建设建言献策。中国西南天文研究所所长刘晓为教授就天文学一流学科周期建设总体情况和成效作了汇报，范祖辉教授、姜泽军教授、黄样副教授和秦胜利研究员分别汇报了学科的四个特色方向及取得的重要科研进展，刘项琨副教授就平台建设情况作了汇报。专家组就天文学科周期建设进展和成效进行了认真质询和充分讨论，形成评议意见。
专家组认为，云南大学高度重视天文学学科建设，设置了学科特区，在人事、资金及条件等方面给予了大力支持，有效推动和保障了天文学一流学科建设项目的顺利开展。学科师资队伍建设成效显著，高层次人才实现成倍增长，极大地增强了西南地区的实测天文研究力量；科研平台建设进展迅速，1.6米多通道测光巡天望远镜独具特色，建成后将对探测宇宙变源、暂现源，发现新现象、揭示新物理等发挥重要作用；科研成果数量和质量显著提升，形成了4个特色方向，新增多项国家级科研项目，在多项国内外大科学装置项目中发挥了重要作用，取得一批原创性科研成果；拔尖创新人才培养初见成效，培养质量显著提升；学术环境建设成效突出，国际化程度日益提高。专家组一致认为，天文学科全面完成了周期建设任务，建设成效显著，为在“十四五”及“双一流”二期建设期间全面建成世界一流天文学研究中心及中国西南地区天文学研究重镇和人才培养高地奠定了坚实的基础。
专家组建议，加大人才引进和支持力度，提升对高层次人才和青年拔尖人才的吸引力；“十四五”期间，支持建设1台4米级通用光学红外精测望远镜；加强天文学科对云南大学一流高校建设的牵引作用；加强学科学位点的建设，完善人才培养模式。建议云南省委省政府和云南大学进一步加大支持力度，给予天文学科建设以稳定、可预期的政策和资金支持。
On November 20, 2020, an external review meeting on the development of world-class astronomy discipline at Yunnan University over the period of the first phase of “Double-excellence” Development was held in the Astronomy Building. Fourteen experts from National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Astronomical Observatories, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Yunnan Observatories, Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics and Technology, Institute of Theoretical Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, Nanjing University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, University of Science and Technology of China, Guangxi University and Guangzhou University joined the review. The heads of relevant administrative departments of Yunnan University also sit in.
Professor Qihua Zhao, Vice President of Yunnan University, gave a welcome address. She expressed a great appreciation for the long-lasting support from everyone and invited suggestions from the reviewers to further improve the astronomy development at Yunnan University. Prof. Xiaowei Liu, Director of South-Western Institute for Astronomy Research, presented an overview report about the developments and achievements of the astronomy discipline at Yunnan University. Prof. Zuhui Fan, Prof. Zejun Jiang, Associate Prof. Yang Huang, and Research Prof. Shengli Qin introduced respectively the research highlights of the four forefront fields of the discipline. Associate Prof. Xiangkun Liu gave a report on the research platform developments. After detailed inquiries and thorough discussions, the review committee formed a final review report.
The reviewers appreciated the high priority that Yunnan University gave to the development of astronomy discipline, by setting up a special discipline zone for it. The University provided strong support in personnel, funds and facilities, effectively promoting and ensuring a healthy development of the astronomy discipline, which has made remarkable achievements in the buildup of competitive research and teaching staff, enhancing greatly the research capability, especially in observational astronomy in Southwest of China. The developments of the research platform have been progressing rapidly. Once in operation, expected in late 2021, the unique Multi-channel Photometric Survey Telescope (Mephisto) will become a powerful tool in searching and classifying cosmic variables and transients, discovering new phenomena and revealing new physics. The research quality and output have been significantly improved, forming four forefront research groups that have accomplished a number of scientific results with originality, and played critical roles in large domestic and international research projects. The student training has achieved substantial progress, with the quality significantly improved. The buildup of a vibrant academic environment is impressive. The reviewers unanimously agreed that the astronomy discipline of Yunnan University had fully completed the tasks of the first stage of the development and the achievements are remarkable. This has laid a solid foundation for the further development into a world-class astronomical research center and a highland for talent cultivation in the next 5 to 10 years.
The reviewers suggested to further strengthen the recruitment, nurturing and support of top-notch talents. They supported the plan to construct a 4-meter optical telescope for general purpose to further enhance the capability of observational astronomy in order to fulfill the goal of developing world-class astronomy discipline at Yunnan University. They also pledged the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government and Yunnan University to further increase their support to provide stable and predictable policy and financial support for the development of astronomy discipline.
