• Introduction
• Selection
• Award Presentation

THE SELECTION

The expert selection committee of the Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors' Award (Shanghai) gathered at Shanghai University's Le Hu Xin Building at 9 am on 24th December, 2002. Distinguished members of the committee included Professor Cao Jialin, Vice-President of Shanghai University; Professor Yu Tao, Chief of the Science and Research Department, Shanghai University; Professor Yin Bangqi, Deputy Chief of the Selection Committee Office, Shanghai Science Commission; Associate Professor Jiang Hong, Chief of the Science and Technology Department, Shanghai Education Commission; Professor Chen Xiaoman, Chief of the Science and Technology Department, Fudan University; Professor Zhou Pei, Deputy Chief of the Science and Technology Department, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; and Professor Xu Wangsheng, Deputy Chief of the Science and Technology Department, Tongji University. Also present was Professor Lim Hock, member of the Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors' Award Committee, Singapore, who was in Shanghai specially for the event.

A total of 57 entries were received this year, with participants coming from 11 tertiary institutions, namely, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tongji University, Shanghai University, East China University of Science & Technology, East China Normal University, Donghua University, Shanghai Teachers University, University of Shanghai for Science & Technology, Shanghai Institute of Electric Power and Shanghai Fisheries University. A preliminary selection saw 31 entries vying for the attention of the expert selection committee. At the final selection, each participant was given five minutes to present his/her invention. The participant would highlight the merits of his/her invention as well as the economic benefits and social impact generated by his/her invention. This was followed by a question-and-answer session which saw the panel of expert judges raising questions based on the invention idea, the extent of technological innovation, technology content, etc. Marks were awarded on the spot in accordance with the selection criteria. At the end of the selection, four entries were given the silver awards while 11 received the merit awards. In order to generate a greater impact, another 15 entries were given commendation awards, along with 27 receiving consolation awards.

At the final selection, the experts concluded unanimously that the large number of entries received was of a high standard, with overwhelming participation from tertiary institutions, and this was despite the fact that it was the first Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors' Award (Shanghai). Among the entries received, inventions by undergraduates displayed a high level of inspiration. Though they encountered funding difficulties, they managed to construct prototypes through sheer hard work. A few inventions were highly commended by the experts, for example, the biological pesticide cum fertiliser, Peonidin, invented by Sun Beina from Shanghai Fisheries University, who was inspired by her grandfather living in the village; the position-controlled, energy-saving electric solder iron invented by Wang Shijie from Shanghai University, who applied the principle of conductive nature of liquid mercury to his invention; and the walking robot made of processed parts, which was the invention of Ju Xiaofan from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Generally, the inventions by post-graduate students and young teachers, were of a higher standard. Some inventions were major technological projects with more funding and more participants in the team.