Xie Xiaoliang: Founder of single-molecule enzymology, one of the founders of single-molecule biophysical chemistry, pioneer of coherent Raman scattering microscopy technology and single-cell genomics. Academician of the American Academy of Sciences, Academician of the National Academy of Medicine, Academician of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Foreign Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Winner of the Alberni Biomedical Award, Director of the Center for Biodynamic Optical Imaging of Peking University, Director of the Beijing Center for Advanced Innovation in Future Genetic Diagnostics (ICG), abandoned Harvard and worked full-time at Peking University.
How did such an excellent scientific research talent grow up and how to return? Today we will talk about the history of fame and return of this patriotic scientist who gave up preferential treatment abroad.
First, when teenagers study hard
Academician Xie Xiaoliang was born in Beijing in 1962, is a native of Beijing, his parents are teachers of Peking University, the family is a real intellectual family, the good family environment provides a good growth environment for Xie Xiaoliang's growth, unique conditions, with a good environment, Xie Xiaoliang's primary school, middle school were completed in the affiliated primary school of Peking University and the affiliated middle school of Peking University, respectively, received a good primary and secondary education.
In 1980, Xie Xiaoliang graduated from high school, although due to the domestic environment Xie Xiaoliang's study was intermittent, but because of his good family style and tradition, and Xie Xiaoliang also read books of interest to him in his own collection, so after graduating from high school, Xie Xiaoliang was successfully admitted to the Department of Chemistry of Peking University and became a student of Peking University.
During his studies at Peking University, Xie Xiaoliang was not only humble and studious, diligent and inquisitive, but also often went to other majors to "rub lessons", and it was precisely the good foundation laid by Peking University that Xie Xiaoliang laid a solid foundation in chemistry, physics, biology and other science subjects, laying a good foundation for his comprehensive development in science in the future.
After graduating from university, Xie Xiaoliang continued to stay at Peking University to study for a master's degree, and during his studies at Peking University, Xie Xiaoliang worked very hard, often staying in the laboratory to do experiments during the winter and summer vacations.
After graduating with a master's degree, Xie Xiaoliang went to the University of California to study for a doctorate, followed the famous scientist John Simon to study for further study, under the guidance of famous teachers, Xie Xiaoliang's scientific research ability has been further improved, under the guidance of the tutor, Xie Xiaoliang has achieved a lot of phased research results.
After graduating with a doctorate, he followed Graham Fleming to continue postdoctoral research at the University of Chicago, and it was these few studies abroad that made Xie Xiaoliang more and more clear about his research direction mainly in the field of physical chemistry.
2. When a famous youth wins an award
In 1992, Dr. Xie Xiaoliang, who worked at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the United States since its establishment in 1965, was the first scientist from Chinese mainland.
In 1999, about to enter the new century, Xie Xiaoliang also ushered in a new job, his research and ability was recognized by Harvard University, was hired as a tenured professor of Harvard University, and Xie Xiaoliang was also the first tenured professor from Chinese mainland hired by Harvard University since the reform and opening up. In the second year of coming to Harvard University, xie Xiaoliang submitted six scientific research applications, all of which were approved without exception and strongly supported by Harvard University.
In 2004, he received the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pioneer Award and received $500,000 in discretionary funding per year for the next five years
In 2009, he served as the Mallinckrodt Chair Professor at Harvard University, the first mainland scholar to receive the title of Harvard University Chair Professor after the reform and opening up.
In 2013, he received the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pioneer Award for the second time.
In 2015, Xie Xiaoliang and Stanford University professor Karl Deisseroth jointly won the American Life Medicine Award, the Alberni Biomedical Prize, the first among the Chinese to win this award, and the researchers who have won this award in history have won the Nobel Prize without exception, and for this reason, Xie Xiaoliang has been called "the closest Chinese to the Nobel Prize"; in the same year, he also won the German Bai Award of the American Chemical Society.
On September 16, 2017, he was awarded the Qiushi Outstanding Scientist Award.
Third, fist and patriotism, return to serve the motherland
Although Dr. Xie Xiaoliang has been studying and working in the United States since then, he has never forgotten to cultivate his motherland and alma mater, and has provided assistance to Peking University within his ability.
On September 7, 2001, he was appointed as a visiting professor at the School of Chemistry of Peking University, and on the same day, he was appointed as a member of the Academic Committee of the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Dynamics and Steady-State Structure.
In 2008, he was appointed as a chair professor at the School of Life Sciences of Peking University.
In December 2010, he presided over the establishment of the Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center of Peking University and served as the director.
In 2016, the Beijing Future Genetic Diagnostic High-precision Innovation Center (ICG) was established as the director;
In November 2017, he was elected as a foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences;
In July 2018, he officially returned to Peking University full-time as a Lee Shau Kee Chair Professor at Peking University;
In 2018, he served as the director of the Biodynamic Optical Imaging Center of Peking University, renaming the center "Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center" (BIOPIC) of Peking University.
In November 2019, he became the director of the Department of Science at Peking University, and the last director of this position was Rao Yi.
Now Xie Xiaoliang has become the middle manager of Peking University, contributing his energy to the rapid development of the basic disciplines of Peking University, contributing wisdom to the improvement and development of Peking University disciplines, although his transactional work is very much, but in the laboratory of Peking University, you can often see Xie Xiaoliang's concentrated research figure, see Xie Xiaoliang's intentions to teach students the situation.
Academician Xie Xiaoliang has already gained fame and fortune, and he also has a bright future in the United States, and has long been promoted to the upper class society in the United States, but he gave up all this to return to China, just to cultivate more scientific and technological talents for the motherland and support the country's scientific and technological construction. Such intellectuals should be the idols we should worship, although science has no borders, but scientists have countries, the country needs these scientists, the return of these well-known scientists, will drive many well-known overseas professors and students to return to China, the full-time return of these Chinese professors, but also proves the continuous improvement of China's social and scientific research level!
If more scientists with noble patriotic sentiments return, the country's scientific and technological development and will be further enhanced, and the competitiveness of China's science and technology in the world will also be further enhanced.