David Jonathan GrossNobel Laureate: Human Resource is the Major Problem Facing Cambodia
By Im Sothearith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
19 January 2010
As other developing countries in the world, the major problem facing Cambodia is the serious lack of human resources for the country’s development, according to Professor David Jonathan Gross, a Nobel Laureate for Physics.
Prof. Gross said through his lecture and dialogue with some participants and people he met, he observes that there are quite a lot of brilliant young people in Cambodia, which will be important for Cambodia’s future development, but the most important thing is whether they are given opportunity to develop their skills.
“It’s a major problem - human resources,” Gross said in a phone interview with VOA Khmer during his visit to Cambodia’s Siem Reap province. “I’ve met a lot of very hopeful people. You know that’s the most important thing. People are very optimistic about the future. Cambodia has a lot of great resources. I have a lot of faith in young people, very brilliant young minds that could do great things just given the opportunity. I have tried to tell them that they should dream big. I have talked to people about giving young people opportunity.”
Prof. Gross is a Nobel Laureate for Physics in 2004. He has discovered and explored the force that binds particles inside an atomic nucleus. This phenomenon led to a whole new physical theory and enabled scientists to complete the standard model of particle physics, which describes the fundamental particles in nature, and how they interact with one another.
Gross said there are two kinds of human resources. While the majority of people are just working forces, others have special talents and great minds, who make great contributions to the country’s development. This kind of people should be given special opportunity.
"And then, very gifted people, whose minds you really don’t want to waste and who will contribute very important contributions to the society,’’ Prof. Gross said. ‘’And it’s important to make sure you don’t lose those really special people, and you give them opportunities. You will have to enable them to go abroad. It’s also important to identify very brilliant people and give them special opportunities because those people can make important contributions.”
Chek Chan Oeun, a physics lecturer at Royal University of Phnom Penh, who participated in the Professor Gross’s lecture, said the lecture paves the way for participants, especially for students to a broader scientific research and open their minds to how science can help social development.
“Through this lecture, we have acquired some knowledge related to universe, dark energy, dark materials, and the evolution of the universe,” Chek Chan Oeun said. “In addition, it encourages students to find out what has been discovered by scientists, what is still unknown, and what they are doing to help the world.”
“In the future I want to be like him and discover new things to meet the needs of the world,” said Sun Limhour, a 4th year student in physics department of Royal University of Phnom Penh. “I have loved electronics since I was young. It is a true science.”
The visit by Prof. David Jonathan Gross intends to strengthen the relationship among nations in Southeast Asia and ASEAN with the rest of the world, according to the organizer.
“It’s our aim really to build these bridges not only with Nobel laureates from the United States or Europe and the societies here in Southeast Asia, but between the societies in ASEAN to reach more cooperation on the level of education because education as we think is basic for peace and that’s why we are doing this program at the universities and at schools here in Cambodia and also in other countries in the region,” said Morawetz, director of International Peace Foundation.
Born in Washington, D.C., Professor David Jonathan Gross, received his undergraduate degree from Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1962 and then continued his education at University of California, Berkley, from where he received his Ph.D. in physics in 1966. He then served as a junior fellow at Harvard University. Professor Gross is now a director and holder of the Frederick W. Gluck Chair in Theoretical Physics at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics of the University of California in Santa Barbara and a member of the Advisory Board of the Intentional Peace Foundation.
As part of the “Bridges” program by the International Peace Foundation, the next Nobel Laureate who will pay a visit to Cambodia on January 20 is Professor Eric Stark Maskin, a 2007 Nobel Laureate for Economics.
Prof. Gross said through his lecture and dialogue with some participants and people he met, he observes that there are quite a lot of brilliant young people in Cambodia, which will be important for Cambodia’s future development, but the most important thing is whether they are given opportunity to develop their skills.
“It’s a major problem - human resources,” Gross said in a phone interview with VOA Khmer during his visit to Cambodia’s Siem Reap province. “I’ve met a lot of very hopeful people. You know that’s the most important thing. People are very optimistic about the future. Cambodia has a lot of great resources. I have a lot of faith in young people, very brilliant young minds that could do great things just given the opportunity. I have tried to tell them that they should dream big. I have talked to people about giving young people opportunity.”
Prof. Gross is a Nobel Laureate for Physics in 2004. He has discovered and explored the force that binds particles inside an atomic nucleus. This phenomenon led to a whole new physical theory and enabled scientists to complete the standard model of particle physics, which describes the fundamental particles in nature, and how they interact with one another.
Gross said there are two kinds of human resources. While the majority of people are just working forces, others have special talents and great minds, who make great contributions to the country’s development. This kind of people should be given special opportunity.
"And then, very gifted people, whose minds you really don’t want to waste and who will contribute very important contributions to the society,’’ Prof. Gross said. ‘’And it’s important to make sure you don’t lose those really special people, and you give them opportunities. You will have to enable them to go abroad. It’s also important to identify very brilliant people and give them special opportunities because those people can make important contributions.”
Chek Chan Oeun, a physics lecturer at Royal University of Phnom Penh, who participated in the Professor Gross’s lecture, said the lecture paves the way for participants, especially for students to a broader scientific research and open their minds to how science can help social development.
“Through this lecture, we have acquired some knowledge related to universe, dark energy, dark materials, and the evolution of the universe,” Chek Chan Oeun said. “In addition, it encourages students to find out what has been discovered by scientists, what is still unknown, and what they are doing to help the world.”
“In the future I want to be like him and discover new things to meet the needs of the world,” said Sun Limhour, a 4th year student in physics department of Royal University of Phnom Penh. “I have loved electronics since I was young. It is a true science.”
The visit by Prof. David Jonathan Gross intends to strengthen the relationship among nations in Southeast Asia and ASEAN with the rest of the world, according to the organizer.
“It’s our aim really to build these bridges not only with Nobel laureates from the United States or Europe and the societies here in Southeast Asia, but between the societies in ASEAN to reach more cooperation on the level of education because education as we think is basic for peace and that’s why we are doing this program at the universities and at schools here in Cambodia and also in other countries in the region,” said Morawetz, director of International Peace Foundation.
Born in Washington, D.C., Professor David Jonathan Gross, received his undergraduate degree from Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1962 and then continued his education at University of California, Berkley, from where he received his Ph.D. in physics in 1966. He then served as a junior fellow at Harvard University. Professor Gross is now a director and holder of the Frederick W. Gluck Chair in Theoretical Physics at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics of the University of California in Santa Barbara and a member of the Advisory Board of the Intentional Peace Foundation.
As part of the “Bridges” program by the International Peace Foundation, the next Nobel Laureate who will pay a visit to Cambodia on January 20 is Professor Eric Stark Maskin, a 2007 Nobel Laureate for Economics.
17 comments:
The ministers, leaders, and above all government have to take this long term calamity seriously.
opportunties exist in cambodia only for Hun Sen's cronies only not for merits.
The professor says it straight, but how many of us (Cambodians) do admit that our biggest problem is Human Resource.
I do.
I hope many good minds of our young generation can take hold of this opportunity.
Sound like this man might be a Jew.
Many brilliant minds came from the Jewish people. Religious Jews know how to do good deeds.
We should learn to know more about the Jewish people or Israel. They suppose to be a blessing to many nations. Blessing and cursing stem from the God of Israel. If you curse Israel, God will curse you.
If you bless Israel, God will bless you. Be a friend to Israel.
The whole world knows about the opportunity in Cambodia, which is none to the less fortunate young bright mind Cambodian.
Unless you are from a rich family or powerfull or able to bribe the crooked officials, you will never see the opportunity.
If only our Government personnel would think for the future and not for themselves. Maybe our country can be great again.
it's great that dr. gross noted this because we all have an urge to push cambodia to reform its human resources education and more. we cannot ignore this if we are to become competitive and productive in our society.
How can? if the Khmer interlectuals cannot work together. They like to be proud of themself. Look at KI, khmer always curse each other.
How can? if the Khmer interlectuals cannot work together. They like to be proud of themself. Look at KI, khmer always curse each other.
You are right 11:58 AM, as you have said here "Khmer intelectuals cannot work togetther. They like to be proud of themselves", and this is the biggest problem at all.
Once a time, they should just leave the political party they support behind and get into reality and then some benefit may be spread to community at least if not the country.
well, it's time for people to wake up and tell those childish leaders to get down if they can't serve. hey, this is not the dark ages, you know. nowadays, if you show arrogant and bad attitude, people will vote you out, sooner or later. this way, these arrogant leaders have to think twice before they abuse, or act arrogantly. what are they thinking? that cambodia is still in the dark ages or something where there weren't any law and they could just abuse anything and anybody they want? think about, my dear! wake up,ok!
Dear My Community Networking said
Khmer intellectuals are each proud of themselve. If proud, no respect others, if no respect others, they will be respected, no respect they look down at each other, then hating, then revenge, then fighting , then war, then killing, then die.
Only a small number of young Cambodian students has opportunity to study abroad and most of them are from rich and powerful families.
I have never heard Hun Sen's government send young Cambodian students to study abroad with its own budget. I might be wrong. Can anyone confirm how much does the government spend to send people to study abroad with its own budget?
Test
As a child of the Killing Fields who was lucky enough to be taken in America, it is sad to see a slow progress for my home country. I was there last year and actually enjoyed my time there.
However, the corruption and lawlessness there will impede the progress of this once great nation.
Unless the younger generation starts to take over the leadership positions, Cambodia’s will be Youn’s bitch for a time to come. People in the States use to view a PSA that says “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”
After the generation of corruption fades away, the once Great Kingdom of the Khmer people can rise again
"My Community Networking said...
How can? if the Khmer interlectuals cannot work together. They like to be proud of themself. Look at KI, khmer always curse each other.
You are right 11:58 AM, as you have said here "Khmer intelectuals cannot work togetther. They like to be proud of themselves", and this is the biggest problem at all.
Once a time, they should just leave the political party they support behind and get into reality and then some benefit may be spread to community at least if not the country.
12:39 PM"
Fool! 12:39Pm how intelect work without expose the face of evils?
Some intelect shit just evils!
When the whole thruth come out that will make Khmer wake up! kickthe evils, be free and prosper!
i think most people here seem to react rather than calm down and be patient. maybe it's frustration that got them cursing, especially if we ask the question why people get frustrated, then we can see the real reason. that's why education is important because it make us all think before we use the animal instinct in all of us. simply, i see some individuals are just frustrated with the slow pace of changes perhaps in cambodia, etc... that's why it is important for those of us who are fortunate enough to get educated to pass on that education to everyone and every level of society in cambodia to understand all of this. get rid of that class or status thing and that outdated mentality, etc..., especially if it has little or no value at all in society. it's called waking up or enlightment. we all must strive to overcome all of these human's undesirable, please! if we continue to claim us against them or she against he, or she said, he said, or this or that, etc, we will miss the point and thus will be blinded by our frustration, anger, etc... which is not good, over all, really! please think twice or think smartly about it all. god bless.
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