The Road to Becoming an Academician

In China, academician is the highest academic title established by the state in the field of science and technology, and it is generally a lifelong honor. Academicians are a national treasure, a source of pride for the people, and a credit to the nation.

For many researchers, becoming an academician is the pinnacle of a scientific career, a dream most would never dare to pursue.

I entered university in the seventh year after the national college entrance examinations were reinstated. Perhaps it was fate, but in the end I was unable to continue down the path of science and technology.

Yet deep in my heart, I have always carried an attachment I could never let go of: my profound admiration for academicians and my boundless longing to join their ranks.

On November 2, 2022, I wrote a short piece about Chen Guoqiang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a renowned Chinese scholar of tumor pathophysiology. From then on, I couldn't stop, and I have continued to write about academicians every day.

By my rough estimate, I have written about 307 academicians from the life sciences and medical sciences divisions of China's two academies, with a total of more than 500,000 Chinese characters.

From the careers of these 307 academicians, I have glimpsed scattered clues to the path to becoming an academician. Their educational experiences and research careers in particular have left a deep impression on me.

Then a new idea suddenly came to me. I want to write a book called The Road to Becoming an Academician, following the main threads of their birthplaces, education, professional careers, and research journeys.

In this book, I will analyze the secrets behind their success in earning the title of academician and reveal to readers a path to the heights of academia.