A place where your heart’s desire become reality

In the summer of 2016, Professor Brown, together with about 20 university professors from the Unites States visited about 15 universities in Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an discussing education issues with administrators, faculty and students. This visit gave him a deeper understanding of the current situation of education in China. In the summer of 2017, he taught Biology in the College of Medical Sciences at Huaqiao University in Quanzhou and formed a profound friendship with faculty and students who still keep in touch with him.  He memorably enjoyed those days; the motivated and bright students with a good academic atmosphere.

In May 2018, Dr. Brown came to Wenzhou-Kean University, a Sino-US Jointly established higher education institution. As the Associate Dean of the College of Science and Technology, he started a new administrative career.

The College of Science and Technology is one of the four colleges at WKU, committed to preparing students for outstanding scientific careers. The college aims to help students develop critical thinking and innovative thinking in the face of ever-evolving social, economic and technological environments.

Since Professor Brown joined in 2018, the College of Science and Technology has developed rapidly. In terms of major setting, the College is currently composed of three departments, Biology, Computer Science and Mathematics. In the fall of 2020, the B.S. degrees will begin in Environmental Science and Chemistry. Also, the Biotechnology (Master of Science) will be added. In terms of faculty, the teachers are scholars who blend instruction and research as reinforcing activities. There are many opportunities for students to become involved in research. The faculty have won many scientific external grants.  At the same time, faculty have published 39 international journal articles, and 29 international journal articles have been published in the cooperation with faculty and students. In terms of hardware facilities, the college has computer, biology, chemistry, physics and other laboratories, equipped with liquid chromatograph, high efficiency gas chromatograph, red, ultraviolet spectrophotometer, melting point apparatus and other excellent equipment, and have intelligent management mode, to meet the higher teaching and research needs. At the same time, the two new science teaching buildings of the college will be completed and put into use soon.

In the past two years in the College, Professor Brown has a deep feeling for the motto “Start here, go anywhere”. The motto truly reflects the four years from freshman to graduation. Freshmen vary in abilities, after four years of study, they have successfully completed their studies and come a step closer to their dreams. Every year, more than 50% of graduates enter top graduate schools in Europe, Canada and the United States, and some students also choose direct employment and select their ideal job offers.

WKU is a place where faculty love their profession and encourage students to excel. “Let WKU help you achieve the dream you have always had whether it is becoming a biology research scientist, a game designer, a biostatistician, a theoretical mathematician;  let your heart’s desire become reality.”

The golden age of science and technology

For his professional field of biology, Professor Brown said that at this stage, there are more and more research projects on biology, especially in the medical field, and the research working on the cure for diseases, especially cancer, is expanding. The ultimate goal of biological research is to help human society.

In this golden age of science and technology, the government and universities have given great support to the study of majors like biology, for example. For intelligent and ambitious young people, come and study science and technology, choose biology, chemistry, environmental science, mathematics, or computer science.  You will never regret it.  Let your dream become reality at WKU.

As for the future development of the science and technology students, Professor Brown said that further study is a common choice for biology students. Graduate programs include interdisciplinary majors, such as biostatistics, which combines mathematics and biology. Of course, you can also work first, and then continue to further study. After Dr. Brown finished his undergraduate degree, he worked for a pharmaceutical company for three years. His work experience in industry allowed him to clearly focus on what he desired to pursue in graduate school. For chemistry, mathematics and computer graduates, direct employment is also a good choice.

Life mentor and philosophy

When being asked if time could come again what career would he choose, Dr. Brown told us that he would still choose to be an academic professor. He has an uncle who inspired his interest in biology at a very early age and led him into the world of biology. When he was seven or eight years old, his uncle, who was with the University of Michigan in the Botanical Gardens gave him a microscope. He found another rich world through that microscope. He regarded his uncle as his life mentor.

He wants to tell students that everyone needs a life mentor and in many cases, it is a family member or relative who you have known for many years.

In closing, Professor Brown shared his philosophy of life, that is also his first rule of being a person: “Always be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a great battle you know nothing about.”

We need to treat people the way we would like to be treated.  Always have a smile, be sincere and be friendly to students, teachers, staff, all we meet.

writer:Yoki Chen