On the morning of March 19, the 111th session of the Chen Bangjie Forum hosted by the College of Life Sciences (CLS) of Nanjing Normal University (NNU) commenced in the Multi-functional Lecture Hall on the 3rd floor of Xingzhi Building. Academician Wei Fuwen, a Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences for the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries (TWAS), and a renowned conservation biologist, was invited to deliver an academic lecture entitled Scientific Research: Exploring the Essence Through Phenomena. The lecture was presided over by Professor Zhong Bojian from CLS, and more than 100 faculty members and students of relevant majors from the college attended the lecture.

Academician Wei Fuwen has long been engaged in the conservation biology research of giant pandas, red pandas and other endangered animals. He pioneered the introduction of cutting-edge technologies such as population genomics, metagenomics and comparative genomics into giant panda research, and achieved a series of groundbreaking results in the adaptive evolution and conservation mechanisms of endangered species. He was the first to propose two new interdisciplinary branches: conservation evolutionary biology and conservation metagenomics. His landmark research findings have been published in top international journals including Science, Nature and Nature Genetics, attracting extensive attention from the academic community and renowned media both at home and abroad.

In the lecture, combining his decades of research experience, Academician Wei Fuwen took classic cases such as the dietary specialization, adaptive evolution of the pseudo-thumb, and genetic mechanisms of coat color variation in giant pandas as the starting point, and systematically elaborated on how to refine scientific questions from complex natural phenomena and reveal the essence of things through the scientific research cycle of "phenomenon - hypothesis - verification". He emphasized that modern science and technology provide powerful tools for researchers, but genuine scientific breakthroughs always stem from in-depth inquiry into and unremitting exploration of natural phenomena. Researchers must not only accumulate data in a down-to-earth manner, but also look up at the stars to ponder scientific propositions, have the courage to challenge traditional perceptions, and devote themselves to in-depth research in fields related to the major national needs of China.

During the interactive Q&A session, the faculty and students present raised questions enthusiastically on topics such as the social dimensions of species conservation, the application prospects of adaptive evolution theories, and the integration of interdisciplinary research methods. Academician Wei Fuwen answered each question in detail and encouraged young students to temper their critical thinking and independent reasoning abilities, tackle complex scientific problems with innovative methods and systematic thinking, and contribute their youth and strength to scientific and technological progress and national development.

The participating faculty and students all expressed that Academician Wei Fuwen's lecture featured profound theories and a broad vision, incorporating both macro-level reflections on the philosophy of science and practical guidance on specific research approaches, which provided valuable insights for scientific research topic selection and innovative practice.

The Chen Bangjie Forum is a key academic exchange platform built by the College of Life Sciences of Nanjing Normal University. It aims to invite top scholars at home and abroad to share cutting-edge research results and research experience, foster a strong academic atmosphere, and boost disciplinary development and the cultivation of high-level talents.