From Overseas Press

Young scientist should experiment with China

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-05-25 13:54

With the shrinking of funding for science and technology, it is not easy for graduates in the US hoping to become scientists. Going to emerging powers like China may become their better choice instead, according to an article by Matthew Stremlau, a postdoctoral fellow at the Broad Institute, published in The Washington Post on May 21.

Talented scientists in the US usually “fall through the cracks” because they can’t get enough money for their research. Hence, “I’ve started encouraging my friends to think more creatively about their careers. Go to China, or Singapore or Brazil or the Middle East,” suggested, the author of the article.

The author recommended one of his friends with a PhD in molecular biology to go to China for development. However, things were different 20 years ago, “most molecular-science PhD graduates in the United States went on to start up their own labs at universities across the country.” Today, many scientists, particularly young scientists, face a public funding situation that is dire,” said Alan Leshner, chief executive of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Compared with the US, China is serious on science. The spending from the Chinese government on research and development has increased 20 percent each year over the past decade. Even during the financial crisis of 2008-09, China continued to put in big money on science and technology. "China now spends $100 billion annually on research and development," the article says.

Even, for every six grant applications, “five of them are going to go begging,” Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, told senators in May. “Will this tough funding environment force American scientists to start looking for jobs in other countries?” the article asks. If they do, there won’t be any shortage of choices. More chances are emerging in the global science circles. China is one of the outstanding nations such as India, Brazil and Singapore with its unique attractions for scientists in the US. “These emerging powers have a voracious appetite for good scientists. So they’re trying to poach ours.” China might become a better place for US scientists in the future.