■ Approaching model veterans
Standing on the deck, looking at the vast sea, Shang Xiaodong often feels the smallness of human beings and has a long way to go. He used to be a heroic and vigorous teacher of the Armed Police Force. He served for 26 years and trained a large number of military talents for the army. After retiring for more than 10 years, he grew up to be a physical oceanographer with great love. As a second-class researcher in south china sea institute of oceanology, he trudged on the road of accelerating the construction of a maritime power for ten years.
Whether he is in a youthful army or marching on a challenging scientific research road, he sticks to his ordinary and great post, and works hard and diligently. A few days ago, Shang Xiaodong was rated as a national model veteran. "Defending the country is the first duty of a soldier. Although he has retired, the blood of a soldier still flows in his veins, but the form of serving the motherland is different. It is my ideal and my responsibility to explore the mysteries of the ocean and help build a maritime power. " Shang Xiaodong said.
Step into the army and concentrate on teaching
In 1977, the college entrance examination was resumed, and a classmate of Shang Xiaodong was admitted to the university. "In high school, my grades were better than his. He went to college. Why can’t I?" Shang Xiaodong, who was working as an apprentice in the workshop at that time, once again ignited the infinite desire for knowledge. In 1979, 17-year-old Shang Xiaodong was admitted to Taiyuan University of Technology (formerly Taiyuan Institute of Technology) to study in the Department of Applied Physics.
In 1983, after graduating from university, Shang Xiaodong was assigned to the Command College of the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force (formerly the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force School) as a teacher. When he reported for duty, the receptionist told him, "Step through this gate and you will be enlisted." Shang Xiaodong was stunned and felt a little surprised: "I thought it was impossible to be a soldier in my life, but I didn’t expect to realize my military dream one day."
Every day before dawn, Shang Xiaodong went out to exercise and practiced basic training for more than three months, quick march, marching forward and saluting … … He began to be strict with himself by the standards of a soldier. The newly established Armed Police Command College is in a difficult situation, with rain and cement roads, sunny days and grey roads, and insufficient teachers. It has to teach three or four hundred students in one class. "At that time, there was no microphone. If the students in the last row heard it, they had to shout. After a few classes, my voice became hoarse. "
"At that time, everyone gathered from all directions, cherished valuable learning opportunities, and were enthusiastic about contacting new knowledge, hungry and racing against time." Due to poor conditions, Shang Xiaodong’s office is home. During the day, he works here, and at night, it becomes his dormitory. "Some students have learned to forget all about eating and sleeping. They knock on the office door at one or two in the evening and ask me questions." Recalling the scene at that time, Shang Xiaodong still remembers it. "The spirit of studying hard is very touching."
Shang Xiaodong’s students come from various units, all of whom are selected cadres at the battalion and regiment levels, and some of them later became generals. Facing the students who are ten or twenty years older than himself, he feels very happy to teach. "The troops are highly disciplined, and students will not be naughty in class. When attending classes, their waists are straight." In his view, although he is a teacher, he has also learned a lot from these students.
"These students are not afraid of hardship. They are excellent in both study and training. They have the character of perseverance and tenacious struggle. It is worth learning from them." Shang Xiaodong believes that the word "teacher" is just a title. "I will learn from you if you are better than me, and everyone is a teacher."
Besides teaching, Shang Xiaodong is also thinking about what he can do. At that time, when the troops were conducting field training, the stretcher for carrying the wounded was very heavy, and he thought about making some improvements on the stretcher. As soon as he started, he cooperated with universities and spent a year or two developing a collapsible stretcher. "Since then, a seed for scientific research has sprouted in my heart."
Concentrate on scientific research to fill the gap
After several years as a teacher, Shang Xiaodong felt that his knowledge was not enough. "Colleagues around you start to have masters, and their knowledge is updated faster and faster. That sense of urgency will continue to drive you forward."
In 1994, Shang Xiaodong gave up his stable job as a teacher and was admitted to the Department of Mechanics of Tianjin University to study for a master’s degree. "In the past, my students were in their thirties. They studied hard and seriously. Now I am a student in my thirties. As a soldier, I can’t fall behind." Shang Xiaodong said with a smile that the students are all fresh graduates in their early 20 s. Although they may not be as good as them when they first went, they know how to cherish and suffer more when they are older.
Shang Xiaodong devoted himself to scientific research. In order to complete an experiment, he spent a week in the laboratory every night; In order to ensure the truthfulness and accuracy of the experimental data, he bought his own parts and made his own experimental equipment. "If you are interested in this line, you will stick to it if you encounter difficulties." Shang Xiaodong said.
Choice determines the direction and path of life. Shang Xiaodong studied for a doctorate and a postdoctoral degree in Hong Kong and the United States. In 2005, after completing his postdoctoral research in the United States, he gave up other options with extremely generous treatment and resolutely returned to China and entered south china sea institute of oceanology.
"No matter how well it is done abroad, it is also someone else’s. I just want to come back and do something for my country. " This is a straightforward expression of his feelings about his home country, and it is also his real personal practice. He chose the field of marine science and technology, where his scientific research strength was still weak at that time, and was determined to dedicate what he had learned to the cause of a maritime power.
For a long time, marine observation instruments have been monopolized by foreign countries, which has become a barrier to China’s marine research. Shang Xiaodong has a deep understanding of this point, which also urges him to gnaw hard bones and take the road of independent research and development of marine observation instruments.
When Shang Xiaodong’s team didn’t develop the "fast temperature sensor for ocean detection", the price of selling it to China abroad was 35,000. I heard that Shang Xiaodong was developing it with his team, and the price was reduced to 25,000 abroad. Shang Xiaodong asked if the price could be reduced to 15,000. The other party clearly replied: "If you sell it at this price, you won’t make money yourself."
After hard exploration, Shang Xiaodong and his team developed the "Fast Temperature Sensor for Ocean Detection" with the fastest response time in the world, with a response time of 7 milliseconds, which filled the domestic gap and broke the blockade of high-tech products that had been monopolized by foreign countries for a long time. "If the China market needs this kind of sensor in the future, just buy it from Professor Shang. We can’t make such a sensor with high quality and low price." Foreign sellers said.
Shang Xiaodong knows that innovation is the soul of scientific research. Over the years, with the vision of promoting the construction of a maritime power, he has made a series of achievements in scientific research. He proved the law of heat transport in large-scale circulation driven by buoyancy based on the theory of "turbulent mixing length" by experiments, and clarified the debate in academic circles for more than 40 years. He first estimated the transport, generation and dissipation of mesoscale vortex energy in the global ocean, which has a far-reaching impact on the study of marine material energy transport and global climate change. He developed sensors for the country’s weapon "Haiyi" water glider, which made it "alert and clear" and could accurately detect the observation data of marine environment.
In addition, as one of the leaders, he built China’s first deep-sea multidisciplinary observation system — — Xisha observation network, and made important scientific discoveries, was named the top ten scientific and technological progress of China Ocean in 2015. "Only by mastering the initiative of scientific and technological innovation will we have the right to speak." In this regard, Shang Xiaodong is deeply touched.
Leading the scientific research, meticulous.
In 2010, the scientific research ship "Experiment 3", funded by the National Natural Science Foundation and organized and implemented by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, carried more than 50 scientific researchers to carry out the 2010 multi-disciplinary comprehensive voyage investigation mission in the South China Sea. This is the "maiden voyage" of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and Shang Xiaodong, as the chief scientist, carried out this scientific investigation.
Sailing in the vast sea, there is no signal on the mobile phone, and the shortage of daily necessities is inevitable. "The sea was stormy and the weather was good and bad. One morning, the chef made a bowl of porridge, and the whole pot of porridge was buckled on the deck without waiting for dinner." Shang Xiaodong said that after sailing at sea for a week, there are no fresh vegetables, so you can only eat some ingredients that can be stored for a long time. However, for these expedition members, the curiosity of exploring the deep blue sea is enough to comfort the hard life at sea.
After more than 30 days, the maiden voyage was a complete success. "At that time, everyone was very excited. We reached 8 degrees north latitude as far as possible and obtained a lot of valuable scientific data. In the past, we often went to 18 degrees north latitude and had to return because of financial constraints." Shang Xiaodong said.
Since then, Shang Xiaodong has been the chief scientist for many times and led a team to the sea for scientific research. Before each departure, he will conduct a one-day safety training, telling the team members that everything on board should be careful, and the collected data should be checked repeatedly according to the operating specifications, and the scientific investigation should not be vague.
For scientific research, he is meticulous, often busy until one or two in the middle of the night to get off work; He treats students seriously and responsibly. As long as students have research problems, they can call him 24 hours a day. "Mr. Shang likes to try new things and can blend in with young people. He is always full of energy and infects us." Chi Xu is a doctoral student of Shang Xiaodong. Talking about the tutor, he said: "At the end of a busy day at sea, students will get together to play games and teachers will join in. Teachers know that scientific research tasks should not only ensure everyone’s personal safety, but also take care of students’ emotions. "
Someone said with a smile that Shang Xiaodong was born in this line of work, and no matter what boat he took, he would never get seasick. But he was glad that he had chosen the ocean. "In the face of the vast sea, human beings are really just a drop in the ocean. We must fear nature and explore the mysteries of the ocean without end."
Nanfang Daily reporter Wang Xiangbo
Intern Wang Yaolong
Coordinator: Li Qiang
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