Susan Hawkfield

Personalexperience

HockfieldtaughtneurobiologyatYaleUniversityin1985andwasnamedfullprofessorin1994.Shespent19springandautumnacademiccareersatYaleUniversity.Shehasservedasthedeanofitsgraduateschool,thedeanoftheschool,theacademicandadministrativedirector,etc.,andhasplayedacoreleadershiproleintheuniversity.Hawkfieldiscommittedtothestudyofbraindevelopmentandglioma(adeadlybraincancer),pioneeredtheapplicationofmonoclonalantibodytechnologyinbrainscienceresearch,anddiscoveredaproteinthatregulatesthestructureofbrainneuronsatanearlystage.Shediscoveredthatageneandproteinfamilythatplayakeyroleinthespreadofbraintumorsmaybecomeatherapeutictargetfortargetedtherapyofglioma.

ThecurrentandsixteenthpresidentoftheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology(MIT),adirectorofGeneralElectricCompany,adirectoroftheWoodsHoleOceanResearchInstituteofCarnegie,NewYork,andadirectoroftheboardofdirectorsoftheBostonSymphonyOrchestra.SheisamemberoftheNationalPsychiatricAdvisoryBoard,theNationalCenterforHealthResearch,andservesonmanyotheradvisoryboards.TheprofessionalsocietiesshehasworkedforincludetheAmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofScienceandtheSocietyforNeuroscience.

Shereceivedabachelor'sdegreeinbiologyfromtheUniversityofRochesterin1973.In1979,hereceivedadoctorateinneurologyfromtheGeorgetownUniversitySchoolofMedicine.From1979to1980,hewasapostdoctoralresearcheratNIHintheUnitedStates.In1980,hejoinedtheColdSpringHarborLaboratoryinNewYork,USA.From1985to1997,heservedasthedirectorofthelaboratory'ssummerneurobiologyresearchproject.

Dr.HawkfieldwasawardedhonorarydegreesbyBrownUniversity,TsinghuaUniversity,andWatsonSchoolofBiologicalSciences,andwaselectedasamemberoftheAmericanAcademyofArtsandSciences.[3]In1979,hestudiedforadoctorateinanatomyandneuroscienceattheGeorgetownUniversitySchoolofMedicine,andthendidpostdoctoralresearchattheUniversityofCalifornia.BeforeenteringYaleUniversity,shewasaseniorresearcherattheColdSpringLaboratoryinNewYork.

In1985,HawkfieldbecamealectureratYaleUniversity.

Promotedtoassociateprofessorin1991andfullprofessorin1994.Hawkfieldhasbeencommittedtotheresearchofmammalianbraindevelopment,especiallyinthefatalglioma.Shepioneeredtheuseofmonoclonalantibodytechnologyinbrainresearchanddiscoveredproteinfamiliesandgenesthatcausecancercellstospreadinthebrain.

From1998to2003,HawkfieldservedastheDeanoftheGraduateSchoolofArtsandSciencesatYaleUniversity.InJanuary2003,HawkfieldwasappointedastheProvostofYaleUniversity,responsibleformanagingtheeducationpolicies,academicprograms,andscholarshipprogramsofYaleUniversity'sdepartments.HawkfieldisalsoresponsibleforthemanagementofYaleUniversity'soperationsandresearchbudget.

InMay2005,HawkfieldbecamethesixteenthpresidentandprofessorofneuroscienceattheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology.OnFebruary16,2012,HawkfieldannouncedthatshehaddecidedtoresignaspresidentofMIT.Hawkfieldwillcontinuetoserveuntilanewprincipalisappointed.OnMay16,2012,theMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology(MIT)boardofdirectorselectedL.RafaelReifasthenewpresidentoftheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology.HesucceededHawkerfieldonJuly2andbecametheNo.17headmasters.

MajorAchievements

Hockfieldpioneeredtheuseofmonoclonalantibodytechnologyinbrainresearchanddiscoveredproteinfamiliesandgenesthatleadtothespreadofcancercellsinthebrain.Shehasbeencommittedtotheresearchofmammalianbraindevelopment,especiallyinthefatalglioma.Shepioneeredtheuseofmonoclonalantibodytechnologyinbrainresearchanddiscoveredproteinfamiliesandgenesthatcausecancercellstospreadinthebrain.

Dr.Hawkfield’sresearchfocusesonmammalianbraindevelopmentandglioma,afatalbraincancer.Shepioneeredtheuseofmonoclonalantibodytechnologyinthefieldofbrainresearch,andthusdiscoveredaproteinthatcontrolschangesinthestructureofneuronsintheearlystagesofmammalianlife.Herresearchfoundthataproductofageneanditsproteinlineplaysanimportantroleinthespreadofbraincancercells,whichmayleadtoanewtargetforthetreatmentofglioma.

Asanoutstandingneuroscientistfocusingonthedevelopmentofmammalianbrains,Dr.HawkfieldisthefirstlifescientisttoleadMIT,andalsoservesasthedailyteachingworkofneurologyintheDepartmentofBrainandPerceptionSciences.Dr.HawkfieldattachesgreatimportancetostrengtheningthecooperationandexchangesamongMIT'sdepartmentsanddisciplines,soastoensurethatMITisalwaysinaleadingpositioninglobalscientificinnovation.ShebelievesthatMIT'sleadingpositioninengineeringandsciencewillenableMITtobeattheforefrontofnewtechnologies,interdisciplinaryfields,andtheapplicationofresearchresultstopractice.CoupledwithMIT'straditionalstrongdisciplines,suchasarchitecture,planning,managementandanthropology,art,socialsciences,etc.,thiswillenableMITtocontinuetobeabletobecomeapioneerinsolvingthechallengesofthetimes.

Underherleadership,MIThaslaunchedalarge-scaleschool-widescientificresearchandeducationprojectonenergy,andstrengthenedcooperationbetweenlifesciencesandengineering,especiallycancerresearch.MITalsosetouttoprovidesustainablesupportforstudentlifeandlearning,suchasundergraduatecurriculumreform,andspent$750milliononlarge-scalecampusrenovationprojects.

Dr.HawkfieldbelievesthatMIThastheresponsibilitytodevelopnewmodelsforglobaleducationandscientificresearch.Therefore,itcontinuestomaintainMIT’slong-termtraditionandactivelyengagesinthecirculationofpersonnelandinformationwithrelevantgovernmentsandscientificresearchinstitutionsaroundtheworld.DuringhistenureaspresidentofMIT,Dr.Hawkfieldattachedgreatimportancetointernationalindustry-university-researchcooperation.In2007,MITandtheUnitedArabEmiratesreachedanagreementtojointlybuildtheMasdarInstituteofScienceandTechnology,theworld'sfirsthighereducationinstitutionfocusingonalternativeandsustainableenergyresearchandtraininggraduatestudents.In2009,ZhejiangUniversity,MassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyandSingaporereachedanagreementtojointlybuildSingaporeUniversityofTechnologyandDesign.In2011,itbegantorecruitthefirstundergraduatestudents.In2011,theSkolkovoFoundationofRussiaandtheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyreachedanagreementtojointlybuildtheSkolkovoUniversityofTechnology,whichwasputintooperationin2013.

UndertheleadershipofDr.Hawkfield,MITactivelyseeksteachingandscientificresearchpartnersinChina,andhasachievedsomeresults.OnNovember15,2009,theTsinghuaUniversity-Cambridge-MITLow-CarbonEnergyUniversityAlliancewasestablishedinBeijing.OnJune21,2010,TsinghuaUniversity-MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology-TheChineseUniversityofHongKong"TheoreticalComputerScienceResearchCenter"wasestablished.GuBinglin,PresidentofTsinghuaUniversity,SusanHawkfield,PresidentofMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology,andZuyaoShen,President-electoftheChineseUniversityofHongKongUnveilingthejointcentertogether.Intermsofjointschoolrunning,MITisalsoactivelyworkingtocooperatewithNantongCityGovernmentandShanghaiJiaotongUniversitytobuildaresearchuniversityofscienceandtechnology.

ImportantDiscussion

Meetthethirdbiologicalrevolutionofmankind

AttheScienceandTechnologyPolicyForumheldbytheAmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofScience(AAAS),theMassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyChiefSusanHawkfieldgaveaspeechonthefuturedevelopmentprospectsoflifesciences.ShesaidthattheDNAstructurediscoveredbyWatsonandCrickin1953isalifescienceThetworevolutionshavelaidthefoundationstone.Thetworevolutionsaremolecularbiologyandgenomics.TheformerrevealshowtheinformationencodedinDNAisinterpretedbyribonucleicacid(RNA)toproteinsthatcompletelifefunctions.ThelatterHelppeoplerevealtheinformationcarriedbythegenome.Susanbelievesthatpeoplearefacingmanyuniquescientificopportunities,andinthelifesciences,whatpeopleseewillbethefirstresultsbroughtaboutbytheintegrationoflifescienceswithphysicsandengineering.Threebiologicalrevolutions.

ImportantTools

Susanbelievesthatinthepastfewdecades,theacceleratedexpansionoflifescienceknowledgeisbasedonlifeBasedonthecooperationbetweenscienceandengineering.WhetheritistheunderstandingofthestructureandfunctionofDNA,RNAandtheirproteinproducts,orthedevelopmentofmedicinesandclinicaldiagnosis,peoplehaveusednewmethodsanddevelopmentsinphysicsandengineering.Tools,suchaselectronmicroscopes,tomographyscanners,andMRImachines.Inthehumangenomedecipheringproject,mathematicsandcomputerscienceandpowerfulnewgenesequencingtechnologieshavebecomeimportanttoolsthatbiologistsrelyon.

Protectingthesethreestudies

Susanpointedoutthat,onthesurface,thiscollaborationbetweenlifesciencesandengineeringismorelikeanengineerprovidingbiologistsHowever,itwastheircooperationthatgavebirthtoanotherrevolutioninlifesciences.Shesaidthatthecloserelationshipbetweenthetwodisciplineshasevolvedintoapowerfulandproductivenewbody,andtheyhavegraduallyformedanequalrelationshipandappeared.Signsoftheconvergenceofthetwo.Inthefuture,theywilleachbenefitalotfromtheintegration.Inordertoexplainherpointofview,Susancitedthreeresearchesincancermedicine,batteryenergyandenvironmentalprotectionthatMITisdoing..

Cancermedicine

Incancermedicine,therearemorethanadozencancersintheDavidKochInstituteforComprehensiveCancerResearchatMITResearchscientistsandmorethanadozenengineersleadmultipleresearchgroupstoresearchanddevelopnewapproachestocancerdiagnosis,treatmentandprevention.OneoftheresultsthatpeopleexpectThefirstischemotherapyforcancercells,usingnano-drugdeliverycarrierstodeliverdrugsdirectlytothelesiontokillcancercells;intermsofbatteryenergy,thecollegeresearchershavedevelopedatechnologythatusesvirusestomaketheanodeandcathodeoflithium-ionbatteries,Thisnewtypeofbatterycanbemanufacturedatroomtemperature,doesnotemittoxicsubstances,andhasbettercharginganddischargingperformancewhenthepowercapacityisequivalenttothatofordinarylithium-ionbatteries,andissuitableforuseasabatteryforplug-inhybridvehicles.Thisisalivingexampleofbiologyhelpingenergyengineering;intermsofenvironmentalprotection,civilandenvironmentalengineersofthecollegeusegenomicstechnologytodecipherthemicrobialecosystemintheoceanandmonitortheresponseofthemicrobialecosystemtoclimatechange.

Susanbelievesthathumansocietyisfacedwithmanyissueswithwide-ranginginfluence,frompandemicdiseasestoill-fatedglobaleconomy,totheunsustainableglobalenergysystem,allofwhicharedeeplystressful.Tothisend,peopleshouldtakemeasurestopromotetheintegrationoflifesciencesandengineering,sothatmankindcansharethefruitsofthenewrevolutioninlifesciencesassoonaspossible.Shesuggestedfourspecialmethodstoacceleratetheadventofthethirdrevolutioninlifesciences.

Inspireenthusiasm

Firstofall,youngpeoplemustbeencouragedtodevotethemselvestothecareerintegratinglifesciencesandengineering.TheyshouldstimulatetheirenthusiasmandprovidethemwithIncludinginterdisciplinaryeducationsuchasbiologyandengineering,computerandmathematics,sothattheycaneasilymasterthebasicknowledgeofmultipledisciplinestogether.

Establishanewacademicinstitution

Secondly,establishanewacademicinstitution.AtMIT,cellandmolecularbiologyresearchinstitutionsnaturally"incubate"newdisciplinesofbioengineering,whichisbetterthanthesimplecombinationofbiologistsandengineers.Asaresultofthe"incubation"process,researchersunderstandbothengineeringlanguageandlifesciencelanguage,aswellasexcellentmasteryofbioengineeringlanguage.Becausetheyareveryfamiliarwithbiologicalknowledge,bioengineershaveusedtheirabilitiestotheextremeintheirwork:analyzingcomplexsystems,interpretingexpectedmathematicalmodels,findingbasicdesignprinciples,andthendesigningnewwaystosolveproblems.SusanbelievesthatitisnecessarytopromotethepracticeofMITtotheUnitedStatesandencouragethestrengtheningofexchangesandcooperationamongvariousdisciplines.

Third,thefundingdistributionmechanismisshiftedtoacross-disciplinaryresearchwork.Wemustcontinuetoprovidefundingforresearchininterdisciplinaryfieldsandprojectsandyoungpeopleengagedinresearchinemergingresearchinstitutions,andwemustnotonlyeducateandtraininterdisciplinarystudentswithoutprovidingthefundsneededforaninterdisciplinaryresearchcareer.Inaddition,Susanalsobelievesthatfundsshouldbeprovidedforprojectsinvolvingpersonnelfromdifferentdepartments,differentcolleges,anddifferentinstitutes,andtosimplifytheirapplicationproceduresforobtaininginvestment.

Contactsmustbeestablished

Finally,contactsmustbeestablishedbetweennationalR&Dfundingagencies.TheNationalInstitutesofMedicine(NIH)isthefederalgovernment'smainfundingagencyforbasicresearchinlifesciences.OthersincludetheNationalScienceFoundation,theDepartmentofEnergy,andtheDepartmentofDefense.Susansaidthatthisformofscientificresearchinvestmentisdifficulttocreateaunifiedresearchenvironment.Thefundingagenciesshouldestablishcontactsandbecomecollaboratorswithscientiststojointlyidentifyareasofinvestmentwithmoreopportunitiesandtopscientificchallenges,andjointlyformulateaunifiedR&Dstrategy.

Itwillchangepeople’slives

Susanfinallysaidthatthethirdbiologicalrevolutionwillchangepeople’slives.Shesaidthatatthebeginningofthe20thcentury,noonethoughtthathumanlifewouldbechangedbytheindustrythatoriginatedfromthecombinationofphysicsandengineering.Nowadays,peoplecannotpredictwhatkindofindustrywillbebroughtaboutbytheintegrationoflifesciences,physicsandengineering,butitiscertainthatthenewindustrywillgreatlychangehumanlife.ShebelievesthattheproblemfacingtheUnitedStatesistheneedtochangeAmericanscientificresearchinstitutionsandadjusttheoperationofthefederalgovernmenttoacceleratethedevelopmentofthepotentialofthenewbiologicalrevolution,whichwillbenefithumanhealth,nationalprosperityandthesurvivaloftheplanet.

Educationalperspectives

AlthoughAmericanhighereducationhasbeenverysuccessfulsincethelastcentury,intheeyesofthefemaleheadoftheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology,AmericaneducationhasnotNottheonlyexcellentmodelinhighereducationandresearch.Infact,Americanhighereducationsucceededonlyafterthreecenturiesofimprovementandobtainedmodelsandideasfromothercountriesanduniversities."Lookingforward,universitieswillneedtolearnfromeachotherandlearnfromeachotherthebestpracticesineducationandresearch,nomatterwheretheyoriginate,"shesaid.Therefore,ifcollegesanduniversitiesoutsidetheUnitedStatessimplycopiedandimprovedthethree-centuryformofcollegesanduniversitiesintheUnitedStates,itdoesnotnecessarilymeansuccess.

Similarly,collegesanduniversitiesoutsidetheUnitedStatesmaynotnecessarilysucceedinlearningfromstudententrepreneurialexperience.Since1983,twoMBAstudentsfromtheUniversityofTexasatAustinheldthefirstentrepreneurialplanningcompetition,thisformofentrepreneurshiphastakentheworldbystorm.Sofar,morethan20universitiesintheUnitedStates,includingworld-classuniversitiessuchasMassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyandStanfordUniversity,holdthiscompetitioneveryyear.Accordingtostatistics,46%ofthe50besthigh-techcompaniesintheUnitedStatescamefromtheMITEntrepreneurshipPlanningCompetition.However,thesuccessofundergraduates'entrepreneurshipintheUnitedStatesisinseparablefromitsmaturesupportingmechanism,andthismodelmaynotbesuitableforallschools.

So,whatthefemaledeanwantstodiscussmostishowuniversitiescandobetterinthecontextofglobalization.Inherview,universitiesallovertheworldarefacinghugechallenges.Universitiesshouldadapttotherequirementsoftheeraofglobalizationandbekeenlyawareofnewopportunities,butthisdoesnotmeanthatuniversitiesshouldabandontheirlong-termtasks.DeanHawkfieldbelievesthatasaresearchinstitution,universitiesshoulddevelopknowledgeforthebenefitofsociety;asaneducationalinstitution,universitiesshouldtrainthenextgenerationofleaders.Inherview,themostsuccessfuluniversitiesarethosethatcooperatecloselyinsuchareasasenterprisingandadventurous.

ItispreciselybecauseofcompetitionthatAmericanuniversitieshavebecomeahotbedofinnovationandahugeengineofeconomicgrowth.ButDeanHawkfieldbelievesthatfocusingoninnovationdoesnotmeanignoringthosefieldsthatarenotdirectlyrelatedtopracticality.

SheemphasizedthatatMIT,thehumanities,socialsciences,andtheartsalsoplayaveryimportantroleinresearchandeducation.ThelargestcollegeatMITistheDepartmentofEngineering,andadepartmentofcomparablescaleistheAcademyofSciences.Infact,thecollegewillfurtherpromotethedevelopmentofnewinterdisciplinarycooperationthroughouttheschool.

ThebasicstrengthofAmericanresearchuniversitiesstemsfromtheintegrationofeducationandresearch.Thefemaledeanemphasizedthateducationisnotonlyaboutthespecificsubjectsthatstudentsmuststudy.Whenstudentsleavecampus,theywillmanagetheteamatworkandleadtheorganizationthroughchanges.Theymustcreateandbecomeentrepreneurs.Moreover,theyhavetocompletethesetasksinaconstantlychangingenvironmentandinincreasinglycomplexsituations."Obviously,theskillsourgraduateswillusearelearnedintheclassroomorlaboratory.Butequallyimportantaretheknowledgetheylearnedinactivitiesoutsidetheformalcurriculum."Tothisend,MIThasstrengthenedsomeActivity.

Forexample,aninternship.MIThasanInternationalScienceandTechnologyCenter(MISTI).Thiscenterassignsstudentstocompanies,researchlaboratoriesanduniversitiesaroundtheworldforinternships.Beforetheyleave,internsmustlearnthelocallanguageandculture.Theexperienceabroadenablesthemtoestablishlong-termprofessionalconnectionsbetweendifferentcountriesandcultures.

Intellectualdevelopmentandindependencearenecessaryqualitiesforleadership.MassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyhasawell-knownUndergraduateOpportunityResearchProgram(UROP).InUROP,studentsconductcutting-edgeresearchdirectlywithteachers.Thereareone-to-onestudent-teachercooperationintheformofcooperation,andtherearealsogroupscomposedofteachersandresearchersfromdifferentdisciplines.Studentsgainvaluablefirst-handexperienceandenjoyworkingwithmentorsandfriends.AtMIT,85%ofundergraduatestudentsparticipateinUROP.

"Independence,competition,innovation,interdisciplinarycooperation,andclosetieswiththeworld.Thevalues​​ofthesebestuniversitiesintheUnitedStatescanhelpanyuniversitythatstrivesforthetopintheeraofglobalization."Hawkfieldsaid.

HonorsReceived

Dr.HawkfieldreceivedhonorarydegreesfromBrownUniversity,TsinghuaUniversity,ColdSpringHarborLaboratoryandWatsonInstituteofBiologicalSciences,andwaselectedtotheAmericanAcademyofArtsandSciences.OtherhonorsincludetheWilburLuciusCrossMedalfromYaleUniversity,theWilburLuciusCrossCareerAchievementAwardfromtheUniversityofRochester,andtheCharlesJudsonHerrickAwardfromtheAmericanAssociationofAnatomists,whichisawardedtoyoungscientistswhohaveachievedoutstandingachievementsinthefield.

WontheGoldAwardforInternationalAcademicAchievementin2005andtheSheffiedAwardfromYaleUniversityin2004.