蒲先生对神经所学生寄予厚望的一封信

Dear ION Students:

I am deeply worried and saddened by the recent incident of illegal dumping
of dangerous liquids in ION by one of our students. This is but one of
several recent violations of the laboratory and core facility rules by ION
students. Even more serious, the students who were responsible the two
recent violations apparently do not think what they have done was wrong
(according to the anonymous note he/she had posted). We simply cannot
tolerate such behavior in the ION community. I will ensure that the
student responsible for the latest incident receives the most severe
punishment once the identity of this student is revealed.

I am also encouraged by the strong responses and helpful comments from many
PIs and ION students who care about the ION community and clearly recognize
the urgency of this matter. Rules are already there and will be
re-emphasized again for all new comers and old students, but they are
useful only if everyone in ION takes them seriously, regardless whether
they are posted in big or small characters.

It is true that ION is a place that put more pressure on students. Our
students in general work harder in the laboratory than their peers in other
institutes. More people spend longer hours in ION. This makes it even
more urgent for us to make ION a safer and more comfortable place for
everyone. In the restricted space we have to share in ION, this can be
achieved only if everyone behaves as a good citizen. It only takes a few
to ruin the lifes of many others. We must weed out such selfish behaviors
collectively. Everyone should be actively involved in reinforcing the
rules of laboratory and core facilities, by demanding oneself and one
another that the rules be followed strictly. Following the rules of the
community is the basis of good citizenship that everyone of us should
acquire. The general prevalence of good citizenship is the hallmark of a
modern advanced society and of a model institute that we are striving for.

Those of you who had participated in the writing classes may have wondered
why I spent so much time explaining the details - a few paragraphs for the
entire day. How "inefficient" this process is in producing a paper! I
took long flights every month to sit with you for many hours each day while
I am in Shanghai. Why? I could have helped more "efficiently" and faster
in producing the product simply by marking the drafts sent over the e-mail
in a fraction of the time. The fact of the matter is - I am doing this not
just to help to produce papers for ION or for PIs. I am doing this because
I want ION students to have a chance to learn from my thirty years of
experience in writing scientific papers, and more importantly, to learn the
rigorous and faithful attitude towards scientific matters, in which writing
is just one example. The rigorous qualifying exams and thesis reviews you
have to go through are other examples. We introduce this not to make your
life more miserable, but to use this as a platform for you to think through
and present your research in a rigorous manner. (Note that nearly everyone
eventually pass the drill, but those did it twice must have benefited from
the process even if they do not want to admit it at this time). Rigorous
and faithful attitude in other aspects of your life, including following
the community rules, is part of the education here in ION. This is a place
for education, not just a place that only produces papers. It is my dream
that many of you eventually become great scientists and have successful
career in whatever fields you end up in. I do hope that you can appreciate
at this moment (if simply to trust me as someone who is much more
experienced and may be wiser) that the paper you publish here in ION is
only a transient and partial reflection of the process of scientific
pursuit and, for you students, also the educational process for a much more
grandiose goal.

I have been proud of you for your intelligence and devotion in the
laboratory work, but I would be even prouder if you are all become model
citizens, who not only achieve for themselves but also contribute to the
welfare of community at large.

best wishes,
MM

神经所让我们这些网友感到骄傲，蒲先生居功至首！

我有种感觉，神经所虽然历史不长，但将来在中国神经科学领域的地位，会像清华在中国高校里的地位一样。

为什么？因为她们在起步阶段都已向国际体制接轨了。清华当年是留美预备学校，不能不与国际教育体制接轨；神经所在蒲先生的带领下，从开始就按国际学术体制建所，果然后来居上。一旦出现像清华的“四大才子”那样的大师群体，国际声誉就不可同日而语了。

[此贴子已经被作者于2006-8-26 2:35:24编辑过]

现在蒲先生的愿望就是想在某些领域做得更专些，这样在国际领域才能有更大的影响。目前神经所的发展势头不错，但PI换得也有点频繁。