Professor John Crittenden of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering Lectured at TJU

Professor John Crittenden, Director of Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems of Georgia Institute of Technology (GT), Academician of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and world-renowned scholar in environment technology, lectured at Tianjin University (TJU) on December 12. More than 300 faculty members and students attended his lecture titledGigaton Problems Require Gigaton Solutions: Urban Systems and Technology Opportunities. Professor Crittenden analyzed the opportunities and challenges for sustainable development which the whole world is facing from the viewpoint of technical system applications and then exchanged opinions with the audience.

After the lecture, Vice President Shu Gequn met with Professor Crittenden. A discussion was held on cooperation opportunities between TJU and GT in terms of education and research. Professor Crittenden proposed to build a Sino-US Research Center for Sustainable Development with TJU. He also expressed his wish to promote both sides’ engineering application and demonstration in the field centering the economic transformation and industrial upgrading of Binhai New Area. Vice President Shu highly appreciated Professor Crittenden’s proposal and said that TJU would fully support the co-founding of the Sino-US Research Center for Sustainable Development and jointly promote technological innovation and industrial promotion in the field of environment.

After the meeting, Professor Crittenden visited TJU History Museum to learn the 100-year history of Tianjin University (formerly known as Peiyang University). His attention was caught by the school motto of Seeking Truth from Facts.