Top Scientist Zhang Kai Explains Why He Left Yale for China

The South China Morning Post reports on the significant decision of Zhang Kai, a leading figure in cryo-electron microscopy, to leave his position at Yale University and return to China. This move is particularly noteworthy as many scientists who return to China remain tight-lipped about their motivations, often due to political sensitivities.

Zhang's decision was reportedly influenced by the U.S. visa ban, specifically the 10043 order signed in May 2020. This ban allows U.S. visa officers to deny visas to students and scholars based on their field of study, research sensitivity, and Chinese government funding. Zhang shared that a particularly bright PhD student in his lab was unable to return to the U.S. due to this ban, forcing them to drop out.

This personal experience appears to have been a catalyst for Zhang's own contemplation of returning to China. His departure underscores a growing trend of Chinese scientists, at the peak of their careers, choosing to leave prestigious Western institutions like Yale to pursue their research ambitions in China. The article suggests that such decisions are often complex, involving a mix of scientific goals, personal experiences, and the evolving geopolitical landscape impacting international scientific collaboration.

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The first time I really started thinking ‘should I go back to China’ was when a very good PhD student in my lab couldn’t return to the US because of the 10043 ban and had to drop out.