Now this "Internet celebrity" in the communications industry, Mr. Xiang Ligang, is causing trouble again! As a bigwig who has been in the Internet technology circle for a long time, his "alternative" remarks can often provoke a large number of scoldings and make people laugh.
However, this time, Mr. Xiang directly pointed the finger at our most respected scientists, and his words were so vicious that many people were taken aback. Professor Xiang claimed that the Chinese scientific community, especially those academicians who have received national scientific research funds, has completely become a "big fraudster".
He said: "There is a group of people who know all day long that they are cheating money and do not engage in scientific research at all! Some people go to the United States to mess around when they are rated academicians, and this has been the case for decades!"
I have to say that Mr. Xiang's views are not completely chasing after the wind. In fact, in recent years, there have indeed been some scandals of "academic misconduct" from time to time, which have brought shame on the scientific research community.
For example, in 2018, a tumor research group at the University of Rochester in the United States was accused of falsifying and tampering with experimental data. The incident was so severe that the entire team was disbanded and the lead researcher was dismissed.
For example, in 2016, a top cancer research institute affiliated with Harvard University was also forced to close due to problems such as misuse of funds and falsification of accounts. Its responsible person is also serving a prison sentence. This happens even to a scientific research powerhouse like the United States, which shows that the root cause of academic fraud still exists in the world.
However, Mr. Xiang did not completely dismiss the Chinese scientific community. He said: China's major national scientific research projects, such as aircraft carriers, manned spaceflight, and lunar exploration projects, have indeed made remarkable achievements.
"However, in addition to these big heavy weapons projects that enrich the country and strengthen the army, some other basic and applied research are of average quality." Teacher Xiang said. He also bombarded some "world-class" scientists, such as the Nobel laureate and famous mathematician Yau Chengtong.
Teacher Xiang said: "Yau Chengtong has been in China for decades, and he has not achieved anything, which is to defraud the country's scientific research funds. When he arrived in the United States, he cooperated with others and soon won the Nobel Prize. Therefore, his honor should be counted as a contribution to American mathematicians. "
At first glance, this is indeed a bit too ugly. After all, Yau Chengtong is the top mathematician of this generation in China, and has made extraordinary contributions to the development of mathematics in China. However, if we think about it further, what Mr. Xiang said is actually not completely targetless.
Mr. Xiang's words are not unreasonable
We all know that basic disciplines often require long-term research and diligent pursuit, and it is difficult to achieve breakthrough results in a short period of time. Therefore, Yau Chengtong has been in China for decades, even if he has not won the Nobel Prize, it does not mean that he is "cheating on funds".
But on the other hand, due to various practical reasons, basic disciplines have indeed been neglected for a long time, and scientific research funding has always been a shortcoming. In order to survive and develop, many scholars have to "scribble" things and engage in some applied research instead.
This is undoubtedly a kind of helplessness and regret. In particular, top talents like Yau Chengtong will benefit China's academic development if they can obtain sufficient resources and free space to play.
Therefore, whether Xiang Ligang's questioning words are reasonable or not depends on opinions. In turn, it also reflects some of the problems that need to be solved urgently in our scientific research system.
For example, in the eyes of Professor Xiang, the main reason for many scientists' "cheating funds" is precisely because of the distorted orientation of current scientific research evaluation. If you want to get the funding project, you must rely on "one article" to support the façade.
As a result, many people put their energy on "bundling", and split a little bit of research content into N sub-topics for publication. This model of "emphasizing process over quality" naturally greatly reduces the quality of scientific research.
In addition, there is also a serious "gatekeeperism" in the academic circle, and it is difficult to obtain high-quality scientific research resources with strong connections; In the absence of proper regulation, some high-level "academic crooks" have obtained too many resources, which in turn further exacerbates unhealthy practices.
In addition, corruption within some scientific research institutions and universities, such as contracting and outsourcing "false papers" and lax discipline in fund supervision, are all "roadblocks" that affect academic development.
However, we must also be soberly aware that, just as Xiang Ligang said, the tide of development of China's scientific research is still rolling forward. No, just a few months ago, the domestically produced aircraft carrier "Fujian" successfully passed the complex test at sea, marking another solid big step forward in the development of the mainland's aircraft carrier.
Another example is the Chang'e-5 lunar probe, which successfully achieved the first sample return of extraterrestrial objects in China in 2020, writing a strong stroke for China's aerospace industry.
Therefore, there is no need to be too pessimistic about the prospects of China's scientific research. With tenacity and perseverance, Chinese scientists are forging ahead on the new track of global science and technology, making major breakthroughs one after another.
Although there are still some bad habits in the scientific research system that need to be rectified urgently, I believe that as long as we persevere, dare to face problems head-on, and have the courage to innovate ourselves, we will be able to make China's scientific cause take off forever and contribute to human civilization and social progress.
As ordinary people, of course, we are not qualified to judge arbitrarily, but we can at least hope that: first, the government can introduce more scientific and pragmatic policy measures, so that scientists with real strength can obtain due resources and development space; the second is to increase punishment and supervision, sweep away all kinds of bad habits in the academic circle, and put an end to negative phenomena such as "cheating funds";
The third is to improve the status and treatment of scientific research personnel, so that this noble profession can be rejuvenated and attract promising young people to join. Only in this way can China's scientific undertakings take root in a sunny environment and inject fresh impetus into the world's scientific and technological development.
Mr. Xiang's words have been questioned by scholars and experts
Teacher Xiang Ligang's "cruel words" undoubtedly caused a lot of shock in the scientific community. Although many people were unhappy with his words, they also had to admit that he said some thought-provoking truths.
Of course, Mr. Xiang's views have also been questioned and refuted by many scholars and experts. They believe that Xiang Ligang's understanding of scientific research work is too one-sided and superficial, and he lacks a correct understanding of the importance of basic research.
For example, some people pointed out that Mr. Xiang's evaluation of Yau Chengtong was "biased". Yau Chengtong is a "living fossil" in the Chinese mathematics community, he has devoted his life to the development of Chinese mathematics for decades in China. Even before winning the award, his research was well known.
Therefore, it is unfair for Mr. Xiang to understand mathematicians like Yau Chengtong as "cheating funds". Perhaps, he lacks sufficient understanding of the complexity and lengthiness of basic theoretical research.
Some scholars have also pointed out that the scholars mentioned by Xiang Ligang who "do not do their jobs" are only a very small number of "exceptions" and can never be summarized as a "common" phenomenon in the entire academic world. The vast number of scientific research workers in China are diligent, conscientious, and use practical actions to create scientific and technological glory for the country.
From this point of view, Mr. Xiang's remarks are indeed too absolute and simplistic. He seems to ignore the hardships and ups and downs in the development of China's scientific and technological undertakings, and also underestimate the persistent pursuit of Chinese scientists.
At the same time, however, many scholars have expressed their agreement with some of the issues raised by Xiang Ligang. They believe that there is indeed a strange circle of "emphasizing quantity over quality" in scientific research evaluation, and many researchers have to do something that harms academic ethics in order to obtain more project funds.
In addition, corruption and academic misconduct are indeed the "big troubles" that restrict academic development. This is not only proposed by Xiang Ligang, but also a pain point from all walks of life. In order to make China's science and technology truly strong, it is urgent to eradicate these bad habits.
Some scholars said that on the issue of the allocation of scientific research funds, Xiang Ligang actually said it too tactfully. As front-line personnel in scientific research, they have witnessed too many academic "unspoken rules" and shady exchanges of power and money.
In a sense, although Mr. Xiang's remarks have caused a lot of controversy, it has at least completely exposed some of the scientific research community in the spotlight and made more people aware of the seriousness of these stubborn diseases, which is probably a good thing.
Only by understanding and discussing the problem in the open face can we truly find a solution. Otherwise, these bad habits will accumulate more and more, and will eventually eat away at the healthy development of scientific research like a virus.
Therefore, there is no need for us to turn a blind eye to Xiang Ligang's "theory of humility". Although his rhetoric is somewhat immature and naïve, the contradictions reflected in it still deserve our great attention.
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As the mainstay of a strong country in science and technology, we should be humble and brave in self-examination, so as to eradicate these diseases from the roots. Otherwise, it will be difficult for China's science and technology undertaking to win the final victory on the new track of the world. To do this, we all have a great responsibility on our shoulders.
The government needs to reform the system to create a transparent, simple and efficient working environment, so that scientists can focus on research instead of worrying about funding. Regulatory authorities should strengthen discipline and accountability, and make those "liars" who neglect their duties and commit academic fraud pay the due price to set an example.
Colleges and universities and scientific research institutes should also have the courage to innovate themselves and strive to establish a standardized governance mechanism. Through fair and just procedures, we will establish the concept of respecting talents and create a broad stage for outstanding talents to display their talents.
At the same time, each of us should give scientists the respect they deserve, and not have a utilitarian or misinterpreted bias against the profession. On the contrary, we should be more in awe of the dedication and dedication of scientists.
After all, it is precisely with the arduous exploration and unremitting pursuit of generations of scientists that we can enjoy the fruitful fruits of scientific and technological development today. It is they who have used their life's work to forge a brand-new position of the Chinese nation on the world map of science and technology.
Looking forward to the future, I firmly believe that with the joint efforts of the whole society, we will be able to plug in the wings of science and make the future of China's science and technology shine!