在这Nobel奖揭晓的日子里,我又想起了您,我的老板,2000年Nobel化学奖得主Alan G. MacDiarmid教授。为何称之为老板,是因为当时我有幸做了他一段时间的中国助理。我是于2006年开始做他的助理的,和他本人的接触大多是电话和email。当他第一次给我打电话的时候,我十分的紧张。在他给我电话之前,Dallas的一位副校长(会讲中文)先给我打了电话,说Alan要给我电话,有事情向我交待。当时我紧张坏了,后来接通电话后才知道完全没有必要,Alan教授的声音很洪亮,完全和他当时的身体状况无法联系在一起,他的语速很慢,而且非常的耐心,问我是否都听懂了,确保我完全明白他让我办的事后才挂断电话。后来又接了他几次电话,就没有再紧张过了,也帮助他处理了很多事情,包括和美国、巴西、新西兰等国家的一些Minister的联系等等。在和Alan教授的接触中,发现他是一位非常和蔼但做事情非常认真的人,虽然身体不是很好,但他还是那么努力的去工作。与他合作的那段时间,确实学到了不少,对我后来的工作和学习都产生了很大影响。 可不幸的是,意外发生了,当我收到 University of Pennsylvania 的来信的时候,简直不敢相信,因为在前一天还收到美国助理发来的他去新西兰的日程安排。
这是当时发来的email:
TO: All Chemistry Personnel
FROM: Marsha I. Lester
SUBJECT: Death of Professor Alan MacDiarmid
DATE: February 7, 2007
We are saddened to learn that Alan MacDiarmid, Nobel Laureate in 2000, passed away this afternoon. We have no information at this time regarding memorial service/funeral arrangements, but we will pass along any further information as it becomes known.
Alan was about to get a plane to New Zealand for meetings that I had arranged with Ministers here and also to attend a conference. He fell down stairs at his home and was taken away in an ambulance with broken bones and internal bleeding and died in hospital. I have had a very depressing time, talking to Gayl and also our Prime Minister who wanted to talk with Gayl. The media here are broadcasting news of the death of one of our most noted citizens. My long term friendship with him and the many interesting times we had, leaves me feeling very flat. I hope to help carry on his legacy with new intiatives in renewable energy, particularly the manufacture of butanol as a substitute for Jet A avition fuel at the request of Virgin Airlines.
What effect will his passing have on the Institute at *** University? .......