Lu Yonggen
Lu Yonggen | |
---|---|
卢永根 | |
Born | |
Died | 12 August 2019 | (aged 88)
Nationality | Chinese |
Alma mater | South China Agricultural University |
Spouse | Xu Xuebin |
Children | 1 daughter |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Rice genetics |
Institutions | South China Agricultural University |
Academic advisors | Ding Ying |
Chinese name | |
Hanyu Pinyin | Lú Yǒnggēn |
Wade–Giles | Lu Yung-ken |
Yue: Cantonese | |
Jyutping | lou4 wing5 gan1 |
Lu Yonggen (
Early life and education
Lu was born on 2 December 1930 in
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Lu moved to
Career
Upon graduation in August 1953, Lu was hired by South China Agricultural College as an assistant professor and later lecturer.[2] He formed a close relationship with Ding Ying, the first president of the college, and served as the latter's research assistant and secretary from 1962 to 1964.[1] Ding had collected more than 7,000 seeds of wild rice for research and conservation. After Ding's death in 1964, Lu took over the collection and further expanded it to more than 10,000 seeds.[3]
Lu made significant contributions to the research of rice genetics, especially the "specific compatibility gene".
Lu was promoted to associate professor in 1978 and full professor in 1983.[2] He served as President of South China Agricultural University from 1983 to 1995.[3] During his tenure, he broke from the old seniority-based system and promoted promising young scientists directly to professorship.[3]
Lu died on 12 August 2019, at the age of 88.[1][3]
Philanthropy
Lu lived a frugal life and regularly ate at the school cafeteria with students, but made annual donations to education and poverty relief. In 2014, he donated two ancestral houses in his hometown Huadu to the local primary school.[4]
In 2017, Lu and his wife, Professor Xu Xuebin (徐雪宾), donated their entire lifetime savings of 8.8 million yuan (US$1.34 million) to South China Agricultural University.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h ""布衣院士"卢永根病逝 生前曾捐出880万积蓄". Phoenix TV. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ a b Wu Shaomin 吴少敏 (12 August 2019). "华农"布衣院士"卢永根病逝,生前捐出毕生积蓄880万元". The Paper. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f ""感动中国院士"卢永根今晨病逝 生前曾捐880万积蓄". The Beijing News. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "Scientist gives all he has to society". China Daily. 16 October 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ "Biography of Lu Yonggen". China Vitae. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- ^ "Lu Yonggen". Philanthropy in China. Harvard Kennedy School. Archived from the original on 13 August 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2019.