"How can Yuan Shikai's grandson be a scientist?" Whenever he heard such a question, Yuan Jialiu would smile confidently. He knew very well that although he was born into a political family, his life pursuits were completely different from his grandfather's Beiyang warlord, who once wanted to restore the imperial system. Yuan Jialiu has only one obsession in his life - science, a dream - to let the Chinese nation stride forward on the road of science and technology and restore the well-deserved status of a civilized power.
Frustration and growth in the teenage years
On April 5, 1912, a sunny morning, Yuan Jialiu came to this world. His birthplace, Anyang City, Henan Province, is where the Yuan family is rooted. However, this illustrious family was not as glamorous as it seemed.
Yuan Jialiu's father, Yuan Kewen, was the only son of Yuan Shikai who opposed his restoration of the imperial system, for which he had to suffer the fate of family rejection and house arrest.
In this environment, Yuan Jialiu spent his childhood. The life of being surrounded by walls and living on food and clothing made this alert and intelligent child realize the cruelty of reality very early, but he was not knocked down by the weight of life, but tempered his indomitable will in the face of adversity.
In 1925, her mother moved to Tianjin with Yuan Jialiu and her sister Yuan Jiazhen, where Yuan Jialiu started a new life. He studied at Tianjin Nankai Middle School and Tianjin Technology and Business University, and although his family was poor, his hard-working and studious qualities won him the appreciation of many teachers.
What's more, during his two-year study at Tianjin Technology and Business University, Yuan Jialiu met a mentor who changed the trajectory of his life, physics professor Xie Yuming. Under the influence of Mr. Xie, Yuan Jialiu developed a strong interest in physics, so he resolutely transferred to the Department of Physics of Yenching University for further study.
During his time at Yenching University, Yuan Jialiu's talent for physics was fully developed. Not only did he earn a bachelor's and master's degree, but he also received a scholarship to study in the United States because of his excellent grades, and in the summer of 1936, Yuan Jialiu embarked on the road to study at the California Institute of Technology with a dream.
Gather in the United States and meet the love
During his studies at Caltech, Yuan not only made great progress academically, but also met his lifelong sweetheart, Wu Chien-shiung.
Wu Chien-shiung, a female scientist known as "China's Marie Curie", met Yuan Jialiu purely by chance. In 1936, Wu Chien-shiung went to the United States to further her studies under the sponsorship of her uncle, and when she arrived in San Francisco, she accidentally learned that Berkeley was where Yuan Jialiu studied.
As a rising star in China's scientific community, Wu Chien-shiung had long heard of this fellow student, and his classmates described Yuan Jialiu as a legendary figure, with outstanding talent and excellent grades, and he was simply "the envy of everyone", and his curiosity prompted Wu Chien-shiung to resolutely decide to stay at Berkeley and become a classmate of Yuan Jialiu.
When the two first met, they were impressed by each other's temperament and knowledge, and soon they developed from a brother and sister relationship to a close confidant and friend, and in the communication with each other, they found that they had the same ideals and pursuits - to contribute to China's scientific cause.
Yuan Jialiu admired Wu Jianxiong's talent, and Wu Jianxiong was also deeply attracted by Yuen Jialiu's humility and courtesy, elegance and gentleness, and the two appreciated each other in science and life, which was soon sublimated into a sweet romance.
On May 30, 1942, on the eve of Wu Chien-shiung's 30th birthday, the two married for life in the garden of their mentor Milligan's home. Although the war was raging and it was impossible to invite Chinese relatives and friends to attend, the young scientists still had a beautiful vision for the future, and exchanged vows in the presence of their mentors and classmates.
This simple and romantic wedding not only witnessed the meeting of two soul mates, but also seemed to be a portrayal of the perfect combination of science and love. Since then, Yuan Jialiu and Wu Chien-shiung have become partners who have worked side by side, contributing their wisdom and strength to the development of China's science and technology.
Serve the country and repay Sangzi
During his Ph.D. studies in the United States, Yuan's research interests include high-energy physics, high-energy accelerator technology, particle detection systems, cosmic ray research, radio-oriented detection, and frequency modulated radar systems. While working at Princeton University, he successfully detected and analyzed the composition and source of cosmic rays using advanced automatic tracking equipment and analysis systems.
His research confirmed that the neutrons in cosmic rays did not come from space, but were produced as secondary particles in the atmosphere, which brought a new understanding of the origin theory of cosmic rays and had a significant impact on the world.
In 1972, Yuan Jialiu was a visiting professor at the Center for Nuclear Research in Saclair, France, and CERN, Geneva, Switzerland.
After returning to China, Yuan Jialiu devoted himself to China's scientific research, and as an internationally renowned physicist, he made outstanding contributions to China's high-energy physics research. Under his support and leadership, China successfully developed the first positron collider, which marked a key step in China's high-energy physics research and filled this blank field.
Yuan Jialiu not only provided cutting-edge theoretical guidance for the Chinese research team, but also gave strong support in terms of funds, equipment, talents and other aspects, and with his reputation in the international academic community, China has established close cooperation with many countries and regions in the field of high-energy physics.
In addition to high-energy physics, Yuan Jialiu has also contributed his wisdom to cutting-edge scientific and technological fields such as China's aerospace, artificial intelligence, and new energy. He worked closely with domestic research teams to overcome one technical difficulty after another, enabling China to make breakthroughs in these fields.
Yuan Jialiu's life has witnessed China's journey from a backward country in science and technology to a major country in science and technology. He used his wisdom and sweat to make indelible contributions to the revitalization of the motherland's science and technology, and what is more valuable is that he taught by words and deeds, and passed on the scientific spirit and feelings of serving the country to countless future students.
In China's science and technology world, Yuan's name has long been an immortal monument that has an eternal appeal to the younger generation. He used his life to explain what true patriotism is and what is the highest contribution to the motherland and the people.