Enge Wang

Biographical Summary

Enge Wang is the Professor of Physics and the President Emeritus of Peking University. He also chairs the Advisor Board of the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He received his Ph.D. from Peking University in 1990. After working in France and U.S. as a post-doctoral fellow and a research scientist, he started his academic career in 1995 as a professor at Institute of Physics (CAS). He was the Director of the Institute of Physics (CAS) (1999-2007), the Provost and then the President of Peking University (2011-2015), and the Vice President of CAS (2015-2017). He is also the Honorary Director of Kavli Institute for Theoretical Sciences at the University of CAS (2018- ).

Wang researches surface physics; the approach is a combination of atomistic simulation of nonequilibrium growth and chemical vapor deposition of light-element nanomaterials. This study primarily involves formation and decay mechanisms of surface-based novel structures. Recently, he also studies nuclear quantum effects of water on solid surface. In the above areas, he is the coauthor of over 300 papers in peer-reviewed journals including more than 20 in Science and Natures as well as more than 20 in PRL, coeditor of 2 books and 1 MRS proceeding. He delivered over 80 invited talks including APS, MRS and IUMRS, and gave over 100 seminars worldwide.

Wang was named a number of international and national academic honors and awards, for example, the Tan Kah Kee Science Award in Mathematics and Physics (2014), the Stanford GCEP Scholar (2009), the TWAS Award in Physics (2005), the Humboldt Research Award (2005), the IBM Faculty Award (2003), and the Achievement in Asia Award of the Overseas Chinese Physics Association (2003) etc. He has also served the physics community in many committees, for examples of the Vice President of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics and of the Chinese Physical Society, and on international scientific advisory boards for various organizations in the Australia, Chile, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, UK, and USA.

Wang is a fellow of the American Physical Society and has served as an Executive Editor of AIP Advances. He has been elected to the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).

Candidate Statement

It will be an honor and privilege if I will have the chance to be on the International Council Committee of American Physics Society. Having studied and worked in France, USA, Germany, Japan and China, I have the enormous fortune to be a direct beneficiary of international collaborations in the Physics community. Therefore, I am passionate to serve and give back to the community.

The impact of physics lies in at least four aspects. First, physics is one of the most fundamental branches of science. Second, physics is the foundation and intersection of math, chemistry, biology-medicine, information science, and engineering. Third, physics provides the most probable solution to mankind’s global and grand challenges such as energy, environment, extra-planet survival of human, etc. These global grand challenges can only be addressed in a concerted effort by collaborations among physicists around the world. Last but not least, scientific pursuit of physics, as in other fields of science, insists an uncompromised spirit and systematic method of seeking truth, which is critical for science itself and humanity, especially in today’s China.

With the rapid economic growth, China is also fast advancing in physics area with a national focus and support: The research budget has been steadily increasing at a rate of over 10% annually. Powerful facilities have been sprouting and most importantly, more and more international scientists are working in Chinese universities and research institutes. There has never been a better time to integrate China’s physics into the world stage, and provide new opportunities for world scientists to work together.

If I am elected, I will leverage my experience as a scientist, and in leadership roles such as the President of Peking University, the Vice President of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Physics Society. I will be able to contribute to international collaboration in physics research, student and faculty exchange, physics education reform and the social impact of physics as a scientific field.

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