The inaugural ceremony of Dr. Ronald Kerry ROWE as the honorary professor of Zhejiang University and academic lecture were successfully held on July 4th, 2017, at the multi-function hall on the first floor of Anzhong Building, Zhejiang University (Zijingang Campus). The ceremony was hosted by Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, CCEA. Deputy Secretary of ZJU Party Committee, Zhou Guping, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Director of Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, CCEA, Yunmin Chen, Director of ZJU International Relations, Li Min, Dean of CCEA, Yaozhi Luo, Deputy Secretary of CCEA Party Committee, Wengang Guo, Deputy Dean of CCEA, Bin Zhu and over 80 teachers and students from CCEA attended the ceremony.
The ceremony was chaired by Prof. LiangTongZhan, Deputy Director of Institute of Geotechnical Engineering. First of all, Deputy Secretary of ZJU Party Committee, Professor Guoping Zhou delivered a speech. She stated that honorary professor of Zhejiang University is granted to scholars who have enjoyed high academic reputation worldwide and made great contributions to the discipline development and talent cultivation of Zhejiang University. Dr. Ronald Kerry ROWE has been engaged in the teaching and research of geotechnical engineering for more than 30 years, and his joining will surely promote the development of civil engineering in Zhejiang University, especially in high-level scientific research and talent training in the field of geotechnical engineering. On behalf of Zhejiang University, Prof. Zhou Guoping granted honorary professor certificate to Professor Kerry ROWE and helped him wear school badge.
Then, on behalf of the geotechnical engineering discipline, Director of the Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Academician Yunmin Chen, made a speech to warmly welcome the joining of Professor Kerry ROWE. Prof. Kerry ROWE responded in his speech that he was very humble to be made honorary professor of Zhejiang University which has established an international reputation across many fields, especially in the field of geotechnical engineering. Civil engineering plays a very key role in China's amazing development of infrastructure. The challenge people face requires well-trained engineers and first-level research, which Zhejiang University has been at the forefront. With more and more emphasis on environment, environmental geotechnical engineering will face increasing challenges. He is honored to join Zhejiang University, which is actively dealing with these challenges, and hopes to work with the colleagues in Zhejiang University, to contribute to the future academic development and human progress together.
In his academic lecture, Professor Kerry ROWE talked for an hour about Use of barrier systems for managing short-term and long-term risks. Professor ROWE pointed out that Canada and China are both large countries with different regions having very different climate conditions and geological conditions, which made geotechnical engineering quite important in infrastructure construction. Professor ROWE also stressed the long-term neglect of environmental protection and stated that environmental geotechnical engineering is vital for environmental protection. After the lecture, teachers and students had an extensive discussion with Professor ROWE.
