Dear friends,

As you all have probably been aware that your Alumni Association started a fund-raising campaign a few months ago, for starting up an Alumni Award for outstanding researchers at Suzhou University. Many of you have donated money and time for this program. Thanks to those who have contributed, but for whatever reason if you have not been aware of

this program and want to make your donation, please do so at your convenient time. The details about how to donate were published in the October 1999 issue of Newsletter (http://www.suda.org/). We will have a report about the donations up to the end of 1999 in the next issue of Newsletter to be published on February 1, 2000.

It could not have been a better time for the Association to establish the Alumni Award on this year's special occasion when the University celebrates its 100 years of rich history. The Association has decided to select up to 10 faculties under 45 years of age who have had a great achievement for the past three years in scientific research. Now Suzhou University has started the initial screening of the applications and will submit 20 candidates for the Association to choose awardees.

The Association Executives have discussed with some alumni as to how the Association should select award winners. A practical approach agreed upon is to set up an Award Committee who will select awardees on behalf of the Association. This is why I send you this message. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please send a message to LI Kai (email address: likai@csd.uwm.edu) before February 11, 2000. The basic requirements for being a committee member are as follows.

1) You are comfortable with scientific literature as to what level a journal stands in its field.

2) You will objectively compare the candidates' achievements and select best candidates to your best ability, not biased by your field of interest.

3) You are able to actively participate in the discussion of selection rules via email among all the committee members in February and early March.

4) After you have received the information about the candidates in mid-March, you will do your homework and write your comments about all candidates and make your recommendation of awardees to the committee before sometime early April.

5) You are prepared to compromise, if differences arise between the committee members as they undoubtedly will exist.

6) You will participate in discussion of final awardees in April after initial recommendations and all agree on the final winners by May 1.

We welcome you to volunteer, but the final composition of the committee will depend on how many alumni express their interest. I will keep you posted of any progress. Remember the deadline to express your interest is Friday, February 11, 2000.