Rao Yi, dean of School of Life Sciences of Peking University, was defeated academician candidate and then announced that he will no longer involve in the election of academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Rao’s words have caused public concern.
On Sunday, Rao said he believes that his unsuccess is not academic reason, especially in life science field, but everybody knows where the problem lies. “Some people might say that I talk too much. It may be one of the factors, but not the absolute factor,” Rao said, the first factor maybe that some people feels uneasy and uncomfortable with the people like me.
Rao often exposed some of inside story of the scientific community in the media, including the impetuosity in scientific community, the distribution system of China’s research funds, academic misconduct, and one-sided pursuit to the number of papers etc, which caused controversy in Chinese scientific community.
Rao said many people is not interested in science, but do research for just academician. “It should make young students believe that research can do better in case not to be an academician.”
Source: Beijing News
Translated and edited by Ma Xin
Ma Xin is an editor of M4.cn and can be reached at maxin@m4.com.cn