At Center for Transformative Science, we discover “new things that have to be explained”, we “explain old things in a new way”, we cultivate young scientists with imagination, and we work together to realize a better future.
Big Science is an important branch of modern natural science. Continuous learning of the subject relies on massive and complex science facilities and (or) scientific research organizations. Big Science can be interpreted as the extension of scientific exploration in three dimensions: Big Organization, Big Machine, and Big Mission. With distinct interdisciplinary science features, the focus of Big Science is to realize revolutionary scientific breakthroughs through the exclusive organizational form and unique exploration capabilities. Traditionally, Big Science consists of high-energy physics and nuclear science while emerging photon science has become the new member of the branch.
Inspired by the development of a cluster of Big Science facilities in Zhangjiang Science City in Shanghai and benefiting from relentless efforts in the construction of Big Science facilities and the one-of-a-kind science-driven exploration capabilities accumulated in the region over the past 20 years, Zhangjiang-based ShanghaiTech University enjoys a unique geographical advantage to build up its Center for Transformative Science. Taking the opportunity of the construction of the Shanghai Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Big Science facilities such as “SHINE” (Shanghai High repetition rate XFEL and Extreme light facility) and “SBP" (Shanghai-XFEL Beamline Project) are also set up by ShanghaiTech University. CTS has played an indispensable role since its foundation.
CTS aims to strengthen ShanghaiTech University in science development and technological capability accumulation, especially in the photon science area by developing top talents, incubating revolutionary technologies, and creating powerful outcomes. Following the same vision to build a small-scale, but integrated university as ShanghaiTech, CTS will exert every effort in Innovations in Big Science, especially in achieving extreme detection capabilities such as free-electron laser and synchrotron radiation. To address the essential issues of frontier interdisciplinary science like amorphous complex systems, physical properties regulation in extreme conditions, and advance revolutionary technologies, CTS is committed to proposing its innovative plans and developing next-generation pathfinders. It has built up independent research groups with complementary skills and synergy effects in those areas and set up research platforms. Through in-depth collaboration and integration with other institutes, we intend to tackle key aspects of scientific challenges, discover new tools to break down scientific barriers, and foster top scientists and engineers with imagination.
The uniqueness of Big Science stems from the transformative nature of its goals, the core, and the difficulty of which is to combine a multitude of imaginative scientists and engineers with transformative tools and advanced organizational forms to achieve its transformative mission. The vision of the CTS is to be a catalyst and ignition point for Big Science. As a new research institution of ShanghaiTech, the Center for Transformative Science was approved by the Board of Regents on October 9, 2020. Welcome to join CTS, ShanghaiTech if you share the same aspiration we do and you want to help shape a better future.
