[March 23, 2011, Beijing] Microsoft's Chief Research and Strategy Officer Craig Mundie visited Tsinghua University today to present the award for the Microsoft Green Computing Contest. He was also a guest speaker at the Tsinghua Forum, where he gave a speech titled "More Like Us: Computing Transformed." Mundie shared his vision of future computing with an audience of more than 200 Tsinghua students, focusing particularly on how the evolution of science and technology will help students deal with future challenges.
Tsinghua University and Microsoft Research Asia co-sponsored the contest in honor of Tsinghua University's Centennial Anniversary. The event also served as a platform for young students to showcase and promote their environmentally-friendly lifestyle ideas through the creative use of technology.
The contest encouraged students to identify environmental and energy problems in their daily lives, propose innovative solutions that use a variety of Microsoft information technologies, illustrate their concepts of green lifestyles, and promote their ideas via the Internet. The organizing parties received a total of 252 submissions and conducted comprehensive evaluations according to social value, technical value, originality, feasibility and the demonstration's effect on the audience. "Monitor Savor" from Tsinghua University won first prize. "Green Travelling" from South China University of Technology and the "X-Dress" from Xi'an University of Electronic Technology tied for second prize. Three entries shared third prize: "1 cm" and "Damocles Sword" from Sun Yat-sen University, and the "C-" from Bei Hang University. Craig Mundie and Professor Zongkai Shi, Vice Chairman of Tsinghua University Council, both presented prizes at the ceremony in the Main Building.
In his speech, Professor Shi expressed his hope that young Chinese today would not only respond to challenges concerning energy and environment but also pay special attention to ethics in scientific issues. Tsinghua will continue to create an environment for its students to display their talent and to develop their personal interests. Tsinghua and Microsoft Research Asia have cooperated closely in scientific research, the development of talent, academic exchanges, and curriculum innovation, all of which have led to fruitful results. With the approaching centennial anniversary, the two sides aim to cooperate still further in the development of talent on campus.
As the Chief Research and Strategy Officer at Microsoft, Mundie was appointed a member of the Science and Technology Advisory Board by President Obama in 2009. During his keynote speech after the presentation ceremony, Mundie shared his vision of the future of computing. "Natural user interfaces are redefining our relationship with technology. Computers that are intuitive to use, can work on our behalf, and are in many ways more like us, will have a deep impact on society. They will enable us to tackle some of the world's biggest challenges, and bring computing to billions more people." Following his speech, he answered students' questions.
Over the years, Tsinghua University and Microsoft have cooperating to promote the innovative use of information technology in the environment, energy, and other fields. Since its inception, Microsoft Research Asia has been working closely with Tsinghua University, co-sponsoring top-notch academic conferences as well as many talent development programs. Numerous students from Tsinghua have joined the "Stars of Tomorrow" - Microsoft Research Asia Internship Program and received the Microsoft Young Fellowship Award and Microsoft Young Professorship Award. MOE-Microsoft Key Laboratory of Media and Networking at Tsinghua has trained numerous innovation talents for China's IT industry. Microsoft founder Bill Gates received an honorary doctorate from Tsinghua University in 2007.
(Photo by Guo Haijun)
