WASHINGTON - Wang Hui, a doctoral student at Duke University whose research is believed to have chartered a new path for studying cancer cells, expressed her desire to return to China upon graduation during a recent awards ceremony.

"I am so happy to see the sign of hope and prosperity in my motherland when I visited my parents there last May. I realize that there are ample opportunities in my own country now," said Wang, who came to the United States five years ago to pursue her academic goals. Her dream is to go back to China to become a professor at Tsinghua University, where she spent her undergraduate years.

Wang is one of the 29 doctoral students who received the Outstanding Overseas Chinese Students Award on Friday at the Chinese embassy in Washington.

"Your hard-working spirit and unfailing pursuit of perfection deserves recognition", said Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yesui, who presented the awards as well as a $5,000 prize to each student.

Wang's desire to return to China is shared by others attending the ceremony. Ai Ye, a third-year doctoral student from Old Dominion University, has received two job offers so far from Wuhan, the city where he got his bachelor's degree in China.

Richard Weiss, professor of chemistry at Georgetown University, was joyful to witness his doctoral advisee, Yu Tao, received his award. Weiss' adoration of Yu is obvious. "When you get a student of the quality as Tao, the best thing I can do is to make sure I am not ruining him," said Weiss.

Yu's paper has been published by acclaimed journals in his field of material science. The series of new ionic liquids he has invented can be used to clean up or contain crude oil in a spill situation. Two patents are waiting for Yu as well as a research position offered by Bayer. Bayer told Yu that there is no contest; Yu is the only person for the job, Weiss said.

Yu said the best thing Weiss has taught him is to always stay curious and be a critical thinker.

For Yu, the plan is to go to Bayer's Shanghai center after working in the US for two or three years.

"I like the United States, but I believe my future is in China," said Yu. He noticed that the Chinese government has invested systematically in various science fields, including his own, organic materials.

All the award recipients on Friday are studying science and engineering, except for Lei Shaohua. Lei is wrapping up his dissertation, Control and Autonomy: Social Protest in Contemporary China. During his seven years in the political science department at Utah University, Lei has done field work in more than 20 provinces and cities in China, talking to various grassroots social groups.

"The selection process has become more and more difficult because so many good students with strong research profiles are out there," said Chen Daofen, one of the 27 members in the selection committee. Chen directs research programs in systems and cognitive neuroscience at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Chen has been involved in selecting candidates for the awards since it was established in 2003. This year, 506 overseas Chinese graduate students worldwide were granted this honor by the sponsor of this award, the China Scholarship Council, a nonprofit institution affiliated with the Ministry of Education.

"The desire and determination of the Chinese government in nurturing young talents is absolutely strong," said Chen.

For those who hope to become scientists, Chen offered his advice: "No matter where you go, I hope you will continue to practice the foundational professionalism needed in the research field: to be open-minded, to be objective, to be critical thinkers and to be consistent. Only by holding those high standards can you grow into world-class scientists who can represent China."

China Daily

(China Daily 06/13/2011 page3)