Faculty Features | 孔博：科研是一个充满快乐的选择
三尺讲台春风化雨，门下自是桃李成辉。广东以色列理工学院拥有世界一流的教师团队。老师们全情投入，潜心钻研，成为学生们科研思维的开启者、科研道路的引路人，也因此收获学生们敬重和爱戴。
广以教师系列专访与大家分享学校的师长们在治学修身、教书育人上的真知灼见和感悟箴言，让更多人走进广以课堂，走近广以教师，了解广以的办学特色与育人理念。
孔博
化学工程系副教授
提起化工，你首先会想到什么？是石油化工企业，是城市边缘的化工厂，亦或是生活中无处不在的化工产品？在孔博教授看来，化工是一门被误会的学科，人们传统观念中的化工厂只是石油化工领域一个很小的分支。除此之外，化工还涉及制药、食品、环境、能源等领域的内容，是一个兼容众多领域的应用基础学科，是他几十年如一日的兴趣之源。
下面，让我们一起走进广以化学工程系孔博教授的化工世界。
无心插柳 结缘化工
“虽然我从事的是化工行业，但我获得的学位里其实没有一个是属于化工的。我本硕都就读于浙大工学院，做得分别是制冷与低温工程和火箭发动机的自增压循环研究。”与化工结缘，则要追溯到孔博教授的博士阶段。“我的博士专业虽然在美国属于机械工程系，但我当时参加了制药公司资助的化学反应器研究项目。这个项目是化工领域的，我的合作导师也是化工系的，所以自然而然，我们发的文章刊登在了化工期刊上，我也“一不小心”跨入了化工的殿堂。” 正是这份不经意间的“跨界“让孔博教授发现了化工领域的无穷魅力。
“化工是一个同时包含了物理、生物、化学、数学、自动控制等多学科的专业，这也让化工毕业生在继续深造和就业时有了更多的选择空间。我博士阶段的“跨界”和之后的研究经历也正好诠释了这一点。”孔博教授第一个博士后研究是关于微藻生产燃料的项目，后来又进行了模拟煤炭气化燃烧的研究。在美国工作的时候，他的研究方向转向了金属增材制造。“我的经历看似涉及流体，生物、材料等多个学科，但其实背后所需的理论知识，都是化工领域需要掌握的。”孔博教授认为，工科专业很多是相通的，而且像化工这种融合了多学科的专业，会在潜移默化中提高个人的学习能力。以他工学院的同学为例，大家除了在化工领域有所建树外，在金融、计算机等商科、理科领域也同样闪闪发光。
“在美国的工作固然快乐，但远在中国的父母和家人们始终令我牵挂。”谈及选择回国的原因，孔博教授解释道。在以色列理工学院通过面试后，他直接坐上了回国的飞机。“中国最近十几年发展迅速，很多城市的基建都超过了美国。汕头虽然不如深圳广州便利，但它是一个充满人情味和归属感的城市。”作为一所年轻的研究型大学，广以在科研领域的大额投入也让孔博教授能够继续投身于他所热爱的教育与科研。
醉心科研 产学结合
“人最好的状态，就是在做自己喜欢的事时，科研对我而言就是这样。每次遇到难题，都是让我学习新知识的契机，我很享受这个过程。”谈及坚持科研的动力，孔博教授这样说道。言语之间，无不流露着对化工、对科研的深深热爱。
在科研的间隙，孔博教授时常走访各地企业。在陶瓷厂思考如何通过仿真软件提高烧制效率；在新能源车企了解六氟磷酸锂电池在生产中存在的工艺问题；和本地医院合作，研发更精准的检测设备。“比起科学家，我觉得自己更是一名工程师。与其说是探求科学世界的真理，我更关注自己的知识和技术能否解决实际问题。如果不时常去企业调研，我的研究成果就会脱离实际。”谈起科研生涯里的产学研项目，孔博教授如数家珍。“从实践到理论再由理论辅助实践是一个很好玩的过程，我从中获得了快乐。”
投身教育 授人以渔
“兴趣”是孔博教授科研生涯里的关键词，同时也是他一直遵循的教育理念。他的博士生程天嵩表示，比起事无巨细的布置任务，孔老师更倾向让他的学生们独立安排自己的科研，找寻自己感兴趣的研究方向，再去找他商量如何实现，他也会不遗余力地提供资源和指导。在本科生课程中，孔博教授也会通过列举实例的方式，让枯燥无味的理论变得有趣。在很多学生眼中，孔博教授的课程注重自主学习，鼓励大家提问，是授人以渔的典范。
孔博教授在汕头金山中学做科普讲座
当然，除了兴趣，学习同样也需要找到适合自己的方法。在孔博教授看来，大一是从高中模式过渡到大学模式的关键时期。大学科目多、进度快，再加上广以全英学习的环境，需要尽快调整自己的学习方法。对于英语学习，孔博老师也分享了自己的方法。“我之前的英语很差，所以在去美国前，我在上海买了一整套《老友记》的光碟。到了美国之后，我利用吃饭时间，开始日复一日地‘煲剧’。由于剧情有趣，所以一口气看了至少三遍。“在这之后，孔博教授惊讶地发现，他已经可以和美国朋友顺利沟通。“很多日常所用到的表述不是靠死记硬背，而是在看剧过程中不知不觉掌握的。”
孔博教授与2017级学生合影
“大学是一个不断寻找人生道路，实现自我价值的过程。”孔博教授表示，由于学生在大学接触到的都是教授及研究人员，所以容易产生自己将来只能从事科研行业的误区。“能确定自己对科研的兴趣固然是好，但科研并不是唯一出路，很多人在政府在企业同样也可以大展风采。只要你能力够强，在任何行业，你都拥有无限可能。”
教师寄语
珍惜大学四年最美好的时光，不断尝试、认识自我，找到自己喜欢的领域，并为之努力奋斗！
Teachers are like the lighthouse, enlightening all the succeeding generations. They devoted themselves to teaching and research, winning many students' respect and love.
The series of interviews with teachers will share their insights on education so that more people can get close to GTIIT's classes and teachers and know about its characteristics and educational philosophy.
Kong Bo
Associate Professor
Chemical Engineering
When you think of chemical engineering, what comes to your mind? A petrochemical company, a chemical plant on the edge of a city, or the chemical product that can be seen everywhere in life? In Prof. Kong Bo's view, chemical engineering is a program which is always misunderstood – the chemical plant is only a small branch of the petrochemical field. Chemical engineering also involves pharmaceuticals, food, environment, energy, etc. It is a basic program compatible with various research, and it has been the source of his interest for decades.
Let us explore the chemical engineering world of Prof. Kong Bo from GTIIT Department of Chemical Engineering.
Serendipity to choose chemical engineering
"Although I am engaged in chemical engineering, none of my degrees belonged to this industry. I studied at the Zhejiang University for both my bachelor’s and master's degrees, conducting research on refrigeration and cryogenic engineering as well as rocket engine self-pressurization cycle.” Prof. Kong’s involving in chemical engineering can be traced back to his doctoral stage. "Although my doctoral major belongs to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the United States, I participated in a chemical reactor research project funded by a pharmaceutical company. This project is in the field of chemical engineering, and my co-advisor is also from the Department of Chemical Engineering. As a result, we published the article in a chemical engineering journal, and I ‘accidentally’ stepped into the palace of chemical engineering." It was this inadvertent 'crossover' that made Prof. Kong discover the infinite charm of the chemical engineering industry.
"Chemical engineering is a multi-disciplinary major that includes physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, automatic control, etc. This can give chemical engineering graduates more options for their future academic and professional pursuits. The ‘crossover’ of my doctoral research and subsequent research experiences are the proof of this." Prof. Kong's first postdoctoral research was a project on the production of fuel by microalgae, and later he carried out research on simulating coal gasification combustion. While working in the United States, his research turned to metal additive manufacturing. "My experience seems to involve multiple disciplines such as fluids, biology, materials, etc., but in fact the theoretical knowledge that underlines it is all in the field of chemical engineering." Prof. Kong believes that many engineering majors are interlinked. Chemical engineering is a major that integrates multiple disciplines and will subtly improve students’ learning ability. As an illustration, his classmates are performing excellently in other business and scientific fields in addition to excelling in chemical engineering.
"Working in the United Stated is happy, but I always missed my parents and family members who were in China." Talking about the reasons for returning to China, Prof. Kong explained. After passing the interview at the Technion, he flew to China directly. "China has developed rapidly in the past ten years, and the infrastructure of many cities has surpassed the United States. Although Shantou is not as convenient as Shenzhen and Guangzhou, it is a city full of humanity and a sense of belonging." As a young research university, GTIIT has put a large investment in the field of scientific research which also enables Prof. Kong to continue to devote himself to education and scientific research.
Focus on scientific research, combine production and study
"The best state of a person is when he is doing what he likes. That’s how scientific research works for me. Every time I meet a problem, it is an opportunity for me to learn new knowledge. I enjoy this process very much." Talking about the reason of his insistence on scientific research, Prof. Kong showed his abiding passion for chemical engineering and scientific research.
During his free time, Prof. Kong often visits enterprises all over China. He thought about how to improve firing efficiency through simulation software in a ceramics factory; searched for the process problems in the production of lithium hexafluorophosphate batteries in a new energy car company; and cooperated with a local hospital to develop more accurate equipment. " I am more of an engineer than a scientist. Rather than exploring the truth of the scientific world, I am more concerned about whether my knowledge and technology can solve practical problems. If I do not go to the enterprises from time to time, my research results will be divorced from reality. " Prof. Kong is fond of the industry-university-research projects. "From practice to theory and then theory-assisted practice is a very interesting process that I enjoy."
Engage in education and teach students the way to learn
Interest is the key word in Prof. Kong's scientific research, and it is also the educational philosophy he has always followed. Cheng Tiansong, one of his doctoral students, said that rather than assigning detailed tasks, Prof. Kong prefers to let his students arrange their own scientific research, find the research direction they are interested in, and then discuss with him how to achieve it. He will also try his best to provide resources and guidance. In undergraduate courses, Prof. Kong also makes boring theories interesting by giving examples. In many students’ eyes, Prof. Kong's courses emphasize independent learning and encourage everyone to ask questions.
In addition to interest, it is important to find a learning method that suits you. In Prof. Kong's view, the first year is a critical period for the transition from the high school model to the university model. There are many subjects to learn in limited time in English, so you need to adjust your learning methods as soon as possible. For English learning, Prof. Kong also shared his own methods. "Because of how bad my English was, I bought a full set of "Friends" CDs in Shanghai before I left for the United States. After arriving there, I used my mealtime to watch them day after day. It’s so interesting that I had watched it at least three times.” After this, Prof. Kong was surprised to find that he could communicate smoothly with American friends. "Many expressions I used in daily life are not memorized by rote but are mastered unconsciously in the process of watching dramas."
“University is a process of constantly finding the way of life and realizing self-worth. “Prof. Kong said that since students can only see professors and researchers at the university, it is easy to have the misunderstanding that they will only engage in scientific research in the future. "It is good to find your interest in scientific research, but that is not the only way in the future. Many students can also show their talents in the government and enterprises. If you are capable enough, you have unlimited possibilities in any industry."
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Cherish the best time in the university. Keep trying, know yourself, find your favorite field, and work hard for it!
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文/图：GTIIT传媒与公共事务部、孔博
Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs, Kong Bo
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