Interview with Prof Xia Guihua

*XGH: Xia Guihua

1. As a leading University with strong technical knowledge in ship science and technology, how does Harbin Engineering University (HEU) view the importance of pushing research frontiers in China and a global knowledge economy?

   XGH: This is a high-level question that is typically raised at a global platform, which should not only be addressed by a university.

   In my opinion, the gap between China and the world had been reduced over the past years. Despite being a developing country, China’s technology, economy and culture had progressed tremendously over the past thirty years with global recognition.

   The Chinese Government is implementing the “innovation driven” strategy, to drive China’s rapid and sustainable development through scientific and technological innovation. For instance, China had been introducing foreign technologies for domestic use and development in the past, but the situation has changed today. China has not only caught up with global research activities but also achieved world class research excellence in many fields.

   HEU is considered to be one of the top global universities in the field of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, which focuses on (1) Competent Talent Development; (2) World Class R&D; and (3) Research Collaboration with Industry towards a global knowledge-based economy development.

   As a global research institution, I feel that China has a significant role and responsibility towards pushing knowledge and innovation frontiers in China and a global knowledge economy.

2. Can you share with us HEU’s collaboration model with the industry and how such industry-academia collaborations can be sustainable?

   XGH: This is an interesting question that HEU has been exploring over the past several years.

   How can we as a university contribute towards industry development? If a university is not a competent research partner, companies will not be keen to collaborate. The roles of universities and industry must also be clear, where each party will be able to fulfill and contribute accordingly towards a fruitful “win-win” collaboration.

   HEU has a close collaborative relationship with China’s shipbuilding industry where we are constantly in contact with one other. For instance, I’ve just received a telephone call before this interview to finalise the collaborative model towards a new AUV research programme with the industry.

   Universities primarily perform upstream research, which are not of the industry’s interest. Industries are often involved in downstream activities such as manufacturing and commercialization that universities do not take interest in. In the middle lies opportunities where both the industry and universities can identify collaborative possibilities.

   Using woodworking joint types to illustrate, academia-industry collaborations are like finger-joints – different pieces of materials become a stronger and larger platform when joined together. Joining multiple universities and companies together will generate a formidable knowledge-based economy that many countries pursue.

   A good example is the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) in University of California, Berkeley. CITRIS is essentially a research collaboration model that shortens the pipeline between world-class academic research and the development of applications and companies. HEU has been trying to establish similar research centers in partnership with universities and the industry.

   I personally regard the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) as an impactful outcome of an excellent strategy by the Singapore Government, where a centralised entity consolidates funding, promotion and fostering of maritime and offshore research between the academia and the industry. SMI is a good case example for China’s reference, as multiple agencies are governing different aspects of maritime and offshore research initiatives in China.

3. How important is international partnership and collaboration? What are some of the key barriers and drivers behind impactful research partnerships both locally and globally?

   XGH: International collaboration has been something that I’ve been pursuing under HEU for the last ten years. It has heightened in the last 5 years.

   Some say that the 21st century is the ocean century. Since civilisation, we have explored so much into space, but not much of our oceans has been explored. Despite having travelled to Mars and beyond, diving beyond 10,000 m into our oceans has proven to be difficult for mankind.

   Land resources will soon be depleted, which leaves us to look towards the vast resources beneath our deep waters. This becomes a common goal of interest for mankind, which will naturally result in partnerships.

   Partnerships between universities transcend national boundaries through a universal language of fundamental scientific research. Knowledge serves as one of the greatest drivers behind the advancement of human civilisation, which can be better achieved through international partnerships among knowledge institutions like universities.

   As mentioned, having a common goal and topic of interest is important towards fostering international research partnerships. Only partners with similar visions and mindsets will come together, especially when everyone acknowledges that deep water challenges are not merely national issues, but a common one faced by mankind.

   Lastly, the ability to communicate and address one another’s interests within a research partnership (such as intellectual property rights) will facilitate a smooth and successful collaboration.

   There are several conferences taking place over the past several years. Most of them merely provide platforms of academic exchange that do not materialise into actual mechanisms of collaboration. Establishing a common collaborative understanding between two or more entities will better facilitate specific research projects undertaken by the Professors and researchers thereafter.

   ICNAME (Innovation & Cooperation Alliance of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering) is one such platform about innovation and collaboration that will bring like-minded partnerships to collectively explore R&D. Not only do we achieve global research excellence, we also help to optimise global research resources to minimise overlaps in the global research arena.

   With an effective and impactful framework in place as detailed above, international research partnerships will naturally be self-driven to address barriers and advance.

4. You have recently suggested for China and Russia to strengthen cooperation in four areas, namely the development of new energy exploitation and adoption of marine technology; the development of carriers in ice areas and platform technology; deep sea engineering and equipment development; and numerical pool technology.

   Allow us to further understand your perspective towards Asia: What will be some of the top strategic areas that a China-Singapore collaboration can further strengthen?
   

   XGH: These were shared at the annual Pujiang Innovation Forum, which allowed China and Russia to engage in dialogues to advance collaborative interests. The Chinese province of Heilongjiang was the host province for the 2014 Pujiang Innovation Forum. HEU was invited to share at the Forum under the Heilongjiang delegation.

   Firstly, China and Russia are close neighbours. Secondly, both countries are major maritime nations that are keen in the opportunities of ocean explorations. China and Russia’s scientific research partnership is however not comparable to that of their well-established diplomatic ties.

   Based on Russia’s strong fundamental capabilities established since their Soviet Union days, I had proposed the four said strategic areas of collaboration between China and Russia, largely in areas involving Arctic exploration. Russia’s Krylov State Research Center features one of the world’s best ship model basin. Along with Russia’s superior numerical modelling capabilities, it would be in our interest to collaborate in the area of numerical pool technology. The Russian delegates to this year’s ICNAME Conference will also be discussing further on collaborative opportunities in the area of arctic research.

   This is my second time visiting Singapore and my impression of Singapore has improved with each visit. I view Singapore as a good research partner because we have little or no language barriers between us. In addition, our cultures are relatively similar and it reflects our sharing of similar values and mindsets.

   Singapore’s well-established foundation as a maritime and offshore research partner from its geographical location and strong industry track records is also well-regarded. Together with past successful China-Singapore collaborations, we are very confident of a successful partnership with Singapore in the area of maritime and offshore research.

   I hope that through our partnership with SMI and Singapore’s institutions, more initiatives could be established between the Governments of Singapore and China in the future.

5. Breakthrough technologies are often fruits of research innovation that advance industry development. What are some of the emerging or game-changing technologies that may result in a big impact within the maritime and offshore industry in the long run?

   XGH: It is very difficult to predict the long-term future.

   But that said, we are progressing into the phase of Industry 4.0 that revolves around smart processes and autonomy. Without achieving excellence in digitalisation and communications, autonomous systems will not be possible.

   This similarly applies to numerical basin and capabilities. Before the age of smart systems implemented towards maritime and offshore research, numerical data is of fundamental importance. This enables us to realise concepts like numerical ship design, numerical reactor, numerical engine, and numerical (software-defined) radio.

   Subsequently, with digitalisation comes networks and communications. One will have to explore and enhance the connectivity of a vessel to a network. Currently, networks are land-based. In order to facilitate enhanced connectivity of vessels in networks, networks will have to be air and sea-based.

   With the above, autonomous shipping will then be possible where zero-crew navigation, long-distance vessel maintenance and repair, vessel route optimisation and energy saving will be automated within an integrated autonomous system. This is also the future of green shipping, which is facilitated by autonomous technologies.

6. It is observed that large-scale research infrastructures are playing an increasingly major role in the advancement of research and knowledge creation. Key research infrastructures also serve as a focal point and centre of gravity in bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders and players.

   What is your vision of the future of maritime and offshore research infrastructure in 10 to 15 years’ time?
   

   XGH: There has to be a balance between the emphasis of physical and numerical experimentation in the future. What takes six months to compute and develop today should take a couple of days in the future with the reduction in the number of physical tests conducted. With advanced technology, numerical capabilities should also bring about a higher degree of accuracy. Particularly for areas such as materials where we are currently looking into numerical means of fatigue stress research and material testing.

   Future research facilities should focus on the accuracy of research experimentations. This not only helps to address the physical limitations of physical research experimentations but also serve as value addition. Facilities should also be equipped with much higher computational capabilities and resources. Perhaps cloud-based computation that facilitates hardware and software resource pooling could be a reality in the future.