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Editor's Note: The results of the fifth SCNU English Writing and Short Video Contest have been announced on the website of the Office of International Exchange & Cooperation of SCNU (see results). We congratulate all prize winners on their outstanding performance. Winning entries will be published in this column.
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By He Yanlin
On the campus of South China Normal University, there stands a highly esteemed figure, Professor Mo Lei. His fifty-year sojourn in the realm of psychology resembles a resplendent star, casting its luminous glow over the paths of innumerable individuals. His deeds and spirit have become invaluable treasures, not only within the academic community, but also in society at large.
Professor Mo Lei was born in 1951 into an intellectual family in Gaozhou, in Guangdong province. With both his mother and sister engaged in teaching, the family's cultural milieu sowed the seeds of knowledge in his young heart. His profound love for reading accompanied him throughout his growth. During his middle school years, notwithstanding the arduous labor training and various challenges, he tenaciously clung to his reading habit. In his zhiqing (知青) days, when he was sent from the city to work in a poor village, during the third quarter of the 20th century, his remarkable performance earned him acclaim, and his pursuit of knowledge remained unwavering. After his return to the city, to teach, he grasped the opportunity presented by the college entrance examination and was admitted to the Education Department of South China Normal University. Subsequently, due to alterations in the national enrollment plan, he resolutely opted to pursue postgraduate studies in psychology under the tutelage of the renowned Professor Ruan Jingqing. In 1985, he emerged as the first doctor of educational psychology in the new China, thereby embarking on an in-depth exploration journey in the domain of psychology, with learning psychology as his principal research focus.
Mo Lei participates in the doctoral dissertation defense.
In the sphere of scientific research, Professor Mo Lei has indelibly imprinted his mark with intrepid courage and innovative acumen. His in-depth exploration of Piaget's theory led him to bravely shatter traditional paradigms, proffering novel perspectives on Conrad's short-term memory research. These research findings reverberated powerfully within the academic community. In crucial research arenas such as the reading ability and problem-solving and transfer capabilities of primary and secondary school students, professor Mo has ceaselessly toiled, reaping a bountiful harvest. He has been the recipient of numerous first prizes in provincial and ministerial outstanding scientific research achievement awards. Many of his research papers have exerted a far-reaching influence both domestically and internationally. He has presided over or completed over 30 national and provincial key scientific research projects, with personal project funds amassing over 10 million yuan in the past five years. This amply attests to his profound academic attainments and outstanding leadership in research, firmly establishing his authoritative status in the domestic psychology landscape.
Mo Lei wins a wonderful prize.
Professor Mo Lei's teaching odyssey is equally glorious. He has steadfastly adhered to the educational credo of "enabling students to master the art of learning and empowering them to transcend themselves." To this end, he devised the "inverted pyramid" teaching methodology, which is dedicated to guiding students in grasping the disciplinary framework and nurturing their autonomous learning and self-surpassing capabilities. In the teaching reform of the psychology major at South China Normal University, he shouldered the heavy burden, actively adapting to the exigencies of the times and spearheading the innovation of teaching content and methods. He has consistently been committed to teaching undergraduates, infusing each class with enthusiasm. His meticulously prepared courseware is constantly updated, and he places great emphasis on integrating research achievements into the teaching process, thereby realizing a harmonious synergy between research and teaching. This allows students not only to acquire knowledge but also to savor the allure and fascination of research. His unique teaching style and unwavering dedication have left an indelible imprint on every student.
In the realm of nurturing talent, Professor Mo Lei serves as an exemplary paragon. He enjoins his students to "stand at the vanguard, challenge authority, and strive for innovation." Through the cultivation paradigm of "fostering learning via research and promoting research through learning," he has crafted a conducive academic growth environment for students. He founded interactive platforms such as "questioning symposiums" and "intellectual collision sessions," which encourage students to think independently and question boldly, thereby honing their thinking and research faculties. Under his meticulous guidance, a multitude of students have published papers in prestigious national and international journals, and many have ascended to become academic luminaries or discipline leaders in institutions of higher learning. The dissertations of two of his doctoral students have even been honored with the National Hundred Excellent Doctoral Dissertations, a testament to the fruits of his painstaking efforts and sagacious mentorship.
Mo Lei takes a walk with students.
Professor Mo Lei is not only engrossed in academic research and talent cultivation but also actively engages in social service, manifesting a profound sense of social responsibility. In the aftermath of the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 in Sichuan, he expeditiously assembled a team and hastened to the disaster-stricken area to conduct psychological assistance work. He proposed the "Dujiangyan Model" and established assistance workstations, making a significant contribution to the psychological rehabilitation of the affected populace. Since then, he has fixated his attention on the research of psychological monitoring and intervention for primary and secondary school students, devising relevant systems and successively securing the approval of major national social science fund projects, thereby making unremitting efforts in the cause of mental health promotion among Chinese adolescents. During the epidemic in 2020, he once again stepped forward, orchestrating teachers to offer hotline consultation and counseling services, effectively mitigating the incidence of psychological crisis events in Guangdong and safeguarding the mental well-being of the people during that trying period.
In the domain of team leadership and discipline development, Professor Mo Lei adheres to the principle of "respecting others, being tolerant, and considering the collective." He has painstakingly assembled an academic team that is cohesive, cooperative, and brimming with vitality. Under his stewardship, the psychology discipline at South China Normal University has thrived, attaining remarkable achievements in national university discipline evaluations. It has acquired numerous significant discipline points and research bases, been selected into a plethora of talent cultivation programs, and achieved substantial outcomes in fundamental research, applied research, and other aspects. This has propelled the psychology discipline of South China Normal University to the forefront of the nation, making it a vanguard in the field of psychology in China.
Professor Mo Lei has been the recipient of a multitude of honors, including the Young Teacher Award of the Huo Yingdong Education Foundation of the Ministry of Education, the National Teaching Master, and the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Chinese Psychological Society. These accolades are a resounding affirmation of his outstanding contributions. The "Three Nothings and One Something" spirit he advocates, namely "fearlessness, non-attachment, non-desire, and achievement," serves as a wellspring of inspiration for successive generations of teachers and students, spurring them to forge ahead valiantly on the academic path. His "walking and talking teaching method," which involves engaging in profound discussions with students in a relaxed ambience, has endeared him to students and earned him their profound respect. The "Psychology Discipline Teacher Team" he leads has been crowned with the title of the first batch of "Huang Danian-style Teacher Teams" in the country. The motto of "patriotism, diligence, cooperation, and innovation" he proposed has become the guiding principle of the college, etching itself deeply into the hearts of every faculty member and student and serving as the impetus for the college's continuous development.
Mo Lei awrads for an outstanding prize.
Professor Mo Lei's fifty-year journey of perseverance and dedication has penned a glorious chapter in the annals of psychology. His story is an epic saga of the pursuit of truth, the consecration to education, and the commitment to social service. His spirit will perpetually inspire us to strive intrepidly in our respective fields, endeavoring for the attainment of personal values and the advancement of social progress.
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