科普启蒙在路上

文/郝景芳

看到《外国专家讲科普》这本书的出版，我感到非常高兴。从国内教育大环境看，资源分布不均衡的情况是客观存在的。随着城镇化的推进，各类优质教育资源越来越向城市集中，城市中的家庭有着丰富的素养启蒙活动，有更多的机会接触专家学者及外国人。但对于偏远乡村地区的孩子来说，不仅缺少拓展视野的场景，连基本的科学课、艺术课，甚至英语课都难以保证。在我们童行学院发起的支教活动中，我们的支教老师在一些地区的学校需要承担全校6个年级的科学、艺术、英语课。这里的孩子们对好教师和优质资源的渴望更为真挚和迫切。

I am incredibly pleased to see the publication of

Science Classes from Foreign Experts

. The advancement of urbanization has caused quality educational resources to become more and more concentrated in cities. City residents have far greater choices in basic education activities and better access to experts, academics, and foreigners. Children in remote rural areas not only lack opportunities to expand their horizons, but some also do not even have basic science, art, or even English classes. During our Tongxing School Voluntary Education Support Project, some teachers have had to teach science, art, and English to students in every elementary grade. These students need better teachers and quality resources more than anyone else.

当我了解到，科技部国外人才研究中心与VIPKID共同打造了外国专家科普公益课堂项目，通过3年时间，邀请一流的外国专家到偏远乡村学校、城市务工人员子女学校开展科普讲座，内心由衷感到敬佩。

I genuinely respect and admire the effort of the Foreign Talent Research Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China and VIPKID. These two groups have teamed up to launch the Foreign Expert Public Science Classes Project, a program lasting three years to recruit overseas experts to rural schools and the schools of migrant workers’ children.

接近知识源头的信息是最宝贵的。这些外国专家在中国工作多年，多位都曾获得过中国政府友谊奖，他们是对中国有着深厚情感的前沿科学家。他们在不同领域从事研究工作，从相对论、黑洞、纳米技术，到食品工程、化学工程、建筑工程，再到影像技术、跨文化研究，由他们来讲述科普，亲身向处于学业启蒙阶段的乡村孩子解读科学知识，更显得真实和珍贵。外国专家们行走在大别山区、秦岭山区、井冈山区，走进乡村里的课堂，这些在路上的过程本身就是播种科学的故事。

The closer the information is to the source, the more valuable it is. Most overseas experts have been working in China for many years, and many received the Chinese Government Friendship Award. They are some of the most outstanding scientists and have a deep affection for China. They work in fields as diverse as the theory of relativity, black holes, nanotechnology, food engineering, chemical engineering, construction engineering, imaging technology, and crosscultural research. It was instrumental and valuable to have them talk and explain science to young children from rural areas. These experts went to the Dabie Mountains, Qinling Mountains, Jinggang Mountains and to enter classrooms in these rural areas, planting the seeds of science.

无论何时，教育一直是乡村孩子改变命运的最好途径。对多数乡村孩子来说，这是他们第一次见到外国人，第一次见到科学家。用一位外国专家的话来说，鼓励这些孩子们保持好奇、追求学业，只需要一个引子。科普公益课堂上的亲密交流和接触，毫无疑问正在发挥着这样的价值。

Education has always been and will continue to be the best avenue for children from rural areas to change their fortunes. For most children involved in the program, it is their first encounter with a foreigner and a scientist. In the words of one overseas expert, All it takes to encourage these children to stay curious and pursue education is a simple introduction.

资源和常识的匮乏使得贫困在代际传递。为乡村地区的孩子们提供良好的教育资源，拓展他们未来的发展方向，我认为这是每一家意愿向上、向善的机构和企业应该具有的担当。让人敬佩的是，外国专家科普课堂不仅走进乡村，还将过程中的每个珍贵时刻都保留下来，通过技术的剪辑处理，作为公益课程资源提供给更多有需要的地区。现在，课堂又以出版物的形式展现在大家面前，未来也会捐赠到更多的乡村学校。

Undoubtedly, the interaction and contact with these experts provide this critical introduction. A lack of resources and general knowledge allows poverty to pass from generation to generation. I believe it is the responsibility of every organization and company seeking goodwill to find ways to provide children in rural areas with better educational resources and more opportunities to build a better future. The Foreign Expert Public Science Classes Project was particularly admirable because while bringing science into rural classrooms, each class was recorded, edited, and made available as an open resource. These classes have now become something everyone can enjoy.

可以说科技向善，就体现在这里吧。

希望这本书不仅能帮助到更多的乡村学校，也能让更多家庭和孩子打开视野，看到更大的世界！（本文为《外国专家讲科普》后记，本文作者为第74届雨果奖获得者、童行学院创始人）

Furthermore, The Foreign Expert Public Science Classes Project will donate numerous books to many schools in rural areas. This project was a case point of “science and technology for a good cause”. I sincerely hope that this book will help rural schools and open doors to the wider world for many families and children! (

the author is 74th Hugo Award Winner and Founder of Tongxing School

)