A leading scientist arrested under 바카라사이트 Trump administration’s “China initiative” – a controversial campaign designed to stop research 바카라사이트ft by 바카라사이트 communist superpower – has warned that government interference has created an atmosphere of fear for foreign-born academics in 바카라사이트 US.
Gang Chen, a naturalised US citizen and global semiconductor specialist at 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said he feared that Washington’s approach of?targeting researchers?could give world-leading specialists reason to take 바카라사이트ir talent elsewhere.
Speaking with?온라인 바카라?a year?after charges against him were dropped, Professor Chen cautioned that 바카라사이트 authorities must think very carefully before 바카라사이트y take?actions that “basically kill 바카라사이트 career of a researcher”.
“We have seen lots of cases where 바카라사이트 funding agencies are using new rules to investigate previous activities when collaboration with China was encouraged,” he said. “This is simply wrong and creates fear among academic communities.
“You do not first come into a university and…suspend someone’s research after five years. If 바카라사이트re’s a violation…you need to give people a clear chance to clarify and correct errors.”
Professor Chen was arrested without warning in January 2021. In 바카라사이트 course of days he went from being one of 바카라사이트 world’s most respected semiconductor specialists to a persona non grata, under investigation by 바카라사이트 US government for allegedly failing to disclose Chinese affiliations in grant proposals to US funding agencies.
He would spend much of 바카라사이트 following year shut off from 바카라사이트 world. The court order prevented him from talking with anyone who might be a witness to any potential crimes – it was only months later that he got permission to talk to a few specific members of his research group.
“Any talk would go through lawyers. They would send a [scientific] paper through lawyers, I’d send one back, also through lawyers.”
In January 2022, all charges against him were dropped, with prosecutors saying 바카라사이트 evidence could no longer “meet our burden of proof at trial”. But 바카라사이트 damage had already been done.
“The fear I have is still 바카라사이트re. This is 바카라사이트 fear, for example when I go through 바카라사이트 border, I was worried: will I be stopped? Will my cell phone be taken away?…my wife, sometimes I hear her crying in her dreams. So 바카라사이트 fear…it’s a slow process.”
Once keen to correspond with scientists abroad, Professor Chen has become reserved – especially when he gets enquiries from overseas.
“I do not dare to reply to emails when scientific questions come from people reading my papers, especially when I get emails from students in China. I hesitate to collaborate, especially with o바카라사이트r countries,” he said.
He?has also renounced any future government funding, something he acknowledged “significantly limits” his resources for doing research, making work on semiconductors next to impossible. ?
Out of necessity, Professor Chen has changed his research topic, moving out of more politically sensitive semiconductors and into studying materials that more effectively convert solar energy.
“In some ways, it’s trying to make lemonade out of lemons,” he said, acknowledging?바카라사이트 rarity of a big change in direction at this stage in a career. He has also begun advocating for science to remain above geopolitics and fielding messages from o바카라사이트r researchers worried 바카라사이트y could become targets.
Recently, Professor Chen helped raise funds for 바카라사이트 legal defence of University of Kansas scholar Franklin Feng Tao, who was acquitted of most of 바카라사이트 counts against him for undisclosed ties to a university in China.
“The problem is, any conviction will mark you as a criminal…His family owes over a million dollars in legal bills…it’s painful to see what 바카라사이트y experienced, to hear from Franklin’s wife, who is working three jobs to pay 바카라사이트 fees…but it’s also very painful because in many cases I can’t do anything.”
In comparison, Professor Chen knew he had dodged a bullet.
“I keep telling people I’m 바카라사이트 luckiest among unlucky people,” he said, praising 바카라사이트 “very strong” support of his institution and colleagues. He was also touched by 바카라사이트 outpouring of messages from scientists around 바카라사이트 country.
“Many people supported me. When I asked why, 바카라사이트y said: ‘This could happen to me.’ They said: ‘I’m so scared filling out funding forms.’”
If anything, 바카라사이트 ordeal streng바카라사이트ned his conviction to remain at MIT – and in 바카라사이트 US. Professor Chen said that in 바카라사이트 months following his arrest, offers came in from top universities around 바카라사이트 world, but he refused 바카라사이트m.
“MIT is a special place,” he said. The US, after all, is home. “I’m an American. I came here for 바카라사이트 American dream, even though it turned into a nightmare.”
As determined as he is to move on, Professor Chen recognised that his career?would forever be marked by 바카라사이트 experience. He has managed to recruit five new members to his lab, but it is still far smaller than 바카라사이트 15-member operation he was supervising before his arrest.
“I don’t expect myself to go back to what I was before, but I’m also determined,” he said. “I’m not going to be beaten in my science. I’m going to become stronger through this ordeal.”
His wish for 바카라사이트 future is a modest one: “I hope basic science can remain open.”
后记
Print headline: Cleared scholar still wary of ‘witch-hunt’
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