A Letter to former president of IBRO

Dear Prof Lund, August, 2006

How have you been lately? I am Mike from third military medical college, chongqing. Do you remember me? Hope you had a wonderful time in chongqing.
You know, I just got my master’s degree this june and am supposed to complete my phD study in the following 3 years in here. No matter how well my things are going on, I can’t stop worrying about my future, because the 3 years of scientific experience in chongqing has led me to draw a conclusion: this is not a good place for the growth of young scientist.

I remembered professor Cai ever told you about the problems we confront. But I don’t think she got the point. Less developed areas, like chongqing, do not lack fund that badly; what they lack is scientific culture.

Because of historical reasons, science has never got great financial or political support from government until recent years. Therefore, the primary accumulation in science (I mean free studies in natural science) just began in the past 20 years. For developed areas, the large investment brings well equipped working environments and attracts brains, which is the reason why there are now several world-class labs in Shanghai and Beijing in China. Brains and pride make the birth of scientific culture a reality.

For less developed areas, the initiating time point lags at least 10 years behind. Lack of fund leads to lack of well equipped labs and consequently lack of talents. Compared with eastern areas, western areas in china have been trapped by a vicious circle that is broadening the gap between east and west in china and alienating less developed areas in academic research. As a result, the accumulation of scientific spirit or technological training in developing areas is always dangling at the bottom of academic ranking list.

For most graduate students involved in scientific studies, they will be greatly influenced by the initial working environment and mentor. If you grow up (scientifically) from the soil without culture, you might die in scientific career. I have seen too many examples who tried to step in science with passion and ended up with desperation for lack of nutrients. It is hard to imagine a green horn can become a qualified researcher under the leadership of a scientifically apathetic supervisor. To make it worse, the supervisor may never get any training in scientific thinking, no SCI publication either.

I want to become a scientist and try my best to fight the wind that blows me awry. I got brilliant academic record during undergraduate study and obtained my bachelor’s degree in clinical medicine. Afterwards, I was exempted of examination and went to pursue my master’s degree in neurobiology. I choose neurobiology as my major because I am too much intrigued by the amazing power of brain and its complex delicate structures that materialize the mind. My hard work was repaid by the publication of an SCI journal. Although it is not an important journal and my work is not worth much of mention, I still feel grateful to the editor and to God since it is not an easy job to make it under such unfavorable circumstance.
Three years of graduate study makes me more assure of my decision to find better environment. I can still grow. I am afraid another three years of phD study in here will definitely snuff out my academic life. I can’t get better technique training or inspiring exchanges of mind. I yearn for a fruitful life.
So, I don’t know whether it is convenient for you to give me any help. I want to get good trainings in world class labs and work together with young people full of ideas and enthusiasm, people of my kind. Can you give some advice?

All the best