History has witnessed the mass exodus of scientists from an established scientific superpower to join a rising power across the ocean. Last time, these world’s best minds were fleeing the Nazi. This time, the increasingly hysterical neo-McCarthyism in the US.

Perfect career, “wrong” race

Not unlike their mid-20th centuries peers, those who fail to make decision quickly would have to pay the price dearly. Dr. Jane Wu, a distinguished neuroscientist renowned for her groundbreaking research on neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and Parkinson’s, died by suicide in her Chicago home on July 10, 2024, at the age of 60.

Wu was a professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where she had worked passionately for nearly two decades advancing our understanding of neuroscience. She was respected internationally for her contributions to the field.

Her death came during an ongoing investigation by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) into her alleged undisclosed foreign ties, part of a broader inquiry that has affected over 250 scientists, mostly of Asian descent, in recent years. More than 100 researchers have lost their jobs due to failing to fully disclose foreign funding sources or partnerships.

Wu’s laboratory at Northwestern was closed following her death. Some colleagues believe the immense pressure of this investigation significantly contributed to her suicide. Tragically, Wu’s death has underscored the challenges faced by Asian-American scientists, especially those under intense scrutiny regarding foreign connections. It has intensified concerns around racial profiling and the profound toll such government investigations can take on individuals’ livelihoods and well-being.

Wu will be dearly missed by the global scientific community she so greatly enriched, while those who survive the persecution often find their careers and lives utterly devastated.

Knowledge knows no borders?

In the halls of academia, where the pursuit of knowledge knows no borders, Dr. Feng “Franklin” Tao found himself caught in a storm that would shake the foundations of international scientific collaboration. His story, a cautionary tale of suspicion and vindication, began in the summer of 2019 in the heartland of America.

Dr. Tao, a respected professor at the University of Kansas, became an unwitting poster child for the U.S. government’s “China Initiative” – a controversial program designed to protect American intellectual property from foreign threats but has since become a total witch-hunt on anyone of Chinese descendance. As the first academic to be charged under this initiative, Tao’s world turned upside down when he was indicted for allegedly failing to disclose ties to Fuzhou University in China.

The charges were serious: wire fraud and making false statements. The implications were even more profound, raising questions about the nature of global scientific cooperation in an era of increasing geopolitical tension.

For nearly three years, Tao’s life was in limbo. The academic community watched with bated breath as his case unfolded, many seeing it as a litmus test for the treatment of Asian American scientists in the United States.

In a dramatic turn of events, April 2022 saw a jury convict Tao on four counts. But the story was far from over. In a surprising twist, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson sentenced Tao to time served in January 2023, noting a glaring lack of evidence to support claims of fraud. The judge’s words echoed through courtrooms and laboratories alike: there was no financial loss, no harm done. Tao had fulfilled his obligations, both in America and abroad.

Yet, one conviction remained, hanging over Tao’s head like the sword of Damocles. It wasn’t until July 2024 that the Tenth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals delivered the final blow to the prosecution’s case, overturning Tao’s last remaining conviction. The court’s decision was unequivocal: the evidence simply wasn’t there.

Throughout his ordeal, Tao found strength in unexpected places. Asian American organizations rallied around him, their voices growing louder as they pointed out the dangers of racial profiling and the chilling effect the China Initiative had on researchers of Asian descent.

As news of his acquittal spread, Tao’s gratitude was palpable. “This has been a long and difficult journey,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “But the support I’ve received from the scientific community and beyond has been overwhelming.”

Later, in an open letter following his victory, Tao wrote: “The struggle against these ten completely unfounded charges over the past four years has been an unimaginably difficult fight.” The exorbitant legal fees had placed an unsustainable financial burden on the Tao family, with his wife once holding down three jobs at a time, and by the time of the 2023 appeal, they still owed over a million US dollars in legal bills.

The macro-trends

Although the controversial “China Initiative” has been terminated, its toxic legacy still lingers. In the corridors of America’s prestigious research institutions, an unsettling silence is growing. Labs that once buzzed with the energy of diverse minds are now echoing with uncertainty. A seismic shift is underway in the world of science, and it’s sending shockwaves through the very foundations of U.S. innovation.

Recent studies paint a stark picture of a growing exodus. Chinese-American scientists, long at the forefront of groundbreaking research, are leaving in droves. The numbers are staggering: from a trickle of 900 departures in 2010 to a flood of 2,621 in 2021.

A survey published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that while 89% of Chinese-American researchers yearn to contribute to U.S. science, many are held back by a pervasive feeling of insecurity and a hostile academic environment.

The exodus is not evenly distributed. Life sciences, a field crucial to America’s competitive edge, has been hit hardest. In 2021 alone, over 1,000 life scientists packed their bags, taking with them years of expertise and potential breakthroughs.

Since the implementation of “China Initiative”, departures of U.S.-based, China-born scientists have surged by 75%. The initiative created an atmosphere of suspicion.

The numbers tell a chilling story. In a survey of 1,304 U.S.-based scientists of Chinese descent:

• 72% reported feeling unsafe as academic researchers in the U.S.

• A staggering 61% had contemplated leaving for opportunities abroad.

• Perhaps most troubling, 45% avoided applying for federal grants, fearing repercussions stemming from the China Initiative.

As the trend continues, concerns are mounting about the long-term implications for U.S. research and innovation. With China, including Hong Kong, becoming increasingly attractive destinations for top talent, America risks losing its competitive edge in critical fields.

A deeper issue

And surprisingly, it’s not just those scientists with Chinese descent are on the move, suggesting a deeper problem with the American academia.

In November 2019, Daniel Povey, a Fellow of the prestigious IEEE and elite researcher in speech recognition and artificial intelligence, announced his decision to leave Johns Hopkins University and assume the new role as chief speech scientist at Xiaomi, China’s technology giant.

With a stellar academic background that includes a degree from Cambridge University and research stints at tech giants like Microsoft and IBM, Povey carved a niche for himself in the realm of discriminative training of hidden Markov model-based speech recognition systems. His crowning achievement? The development of the widely acclaimed Kaldi speech recognition toolkit, a go-to resource in the field.

Joining Johns Hopkins University in 2012 as an associate research professor at the esteemed Whiting School of Engineering, Povey’s focus remained steadfast on enhancing Kaldi and nurturing the next generation of tech enthusiasts.

However, controversy struck in May 2019 during a sit-in protest against campus militarization at Johns Hopkins. Povey’s attempt to access critical servers in Garland Hall using bolt cutters triggered a clash with protesters, resulting in a tumultuous physical altercation. While Povey defended his actions as safeguarding his and his students’ research, protesters decried his behavior as aggressive.

Subsequently placed on administrative leave and ultimately ousted in August 2019, Povey faced termination on grounds of student safety concerns. The university contended that his actions posed a threat to the campus community’s well-being. In response, Povey publicly criticized the decision, asserting unfair treatment and a lack of accountability for the protesters’ actions.

Povey found himself at a crossroads after parting ways with his former employer. While bids from tech giants like Google beckoned, Povey’s heart led him to Facebook, where he hoped to continue his groundbreaking research endeavors.

Little did he know that his transition to Facebook would be anything but smooth. Unveiling the true reasons behind his departure, Facebook’s HR department stumbled over his onboarding process, delaying his entry. It soon transpired that Facebook sought a public apology from Povey before he could officially commence his work—an ultimatum he staunchly refused, standing by his principles and rejecting any compromise on his integrity.

As tensions mounted, Facebook proposed a temporary contract, a move that only served to stoke Povey’s ire. Feeling slighted by the suggestion, he took to the virtual sphere, sharing his experience and cutting ties with the company.

Disillusioned with the American landscape, Povey began exploring new horizons, eventually accepting an offer from Beijing’s Magic Data Technology as their chief consultant. The allure of a dynamic startup beckoned, leading Povey to embark on a new chapter in China.

Enter Xiaomi, the rising star in the tech world. Intrigued by their offer, Povey engaged in discussions with the company’s Founder and CEO, Lei Jun, who assuaged his concerns and sealed the deal. With his reservations allayed, Povey bid adieu to the US, embracing a fresh start in Beijing.

Xiaomi wasted no time in recognizing Povey’s expertise, appointing him as the chief scientist of their esteemed speech recognition team, marking a new beginning for the tech luminary in the heart of China’s tech revolution.

Finding the new home

Soon, another American academic superstar would follow suit.

In the rarefied air of Harvard’s hallowed halls, few stars shone as brightly as Charles Lieber. A titan in the field of nanotechnology, Lieber was the kind of scientist whose name was whispered in the same breath as “Nobel Prize.” His research group, a powerhouse of innovation, had attracted over $18 million in grants from the likes of the Department of Defense and National Institutes of Health. Lieber wasn’t just pushing the boundaries of science; he was redefining them.

However, this globally esteemed scientist found himself entangled in the notorious “China Initiative” in the United States in 2020, facing conviction and sentencing solely for his collaborations with Chinese academic institutions. In January 2020, Lieber was apprehended by the FBI on charges of allegedly providing misleading information regarding his financial associations with a Chinese university. Disclosures from the U.S. Department of Justice unveiled that Lieber had been receiving a $50,000 monthly salary, $158,000 for living expenses, and $1.74 million in research funding from the Harvard University-Wuhan University Nano Joint Laboratory. U.S. prosecutors asserted that Lieber had concealed these facts and issued false statements, sparking significant controversy at the time.

By March 2021, a coalition of 40 scientists, including 7 Nobel Prize winners, penned an open letter in support of Lieber. They raised doubts about the U.S. Department of Justice’s actions and criticized Harvard University for what they perceived as insufficient assistance to Lieber. Despite enduring intense public scrutiny, Lieber was pronounced guilty in December 2021. Against the backdrop of the “China Initiative” coming to an end in January 2022, he was sentenced to two years of supervised release, including six months of house arrest commencing in April 2023. Additionally, he was fined $50,000 and required to pay $33,600 in back taxes. Throughout the ordeal, Lieber steadfastly maintained his innocence.

In June this year, Charles Lieber, having regained his freedom and health, resolutely bought a one-way plane ticket and set off on a journey to China. When asked by his Harvard colleagues how long he intended to stay, he steadfastly replied, “Forever!”

It is known that Charles Lieber is presently serving as a professor at the University of Hong Kong, diligently spearheading multiple groundbreaking research projects in pioneering fields like high-density photovoltaic cells, ultra-high-density storage devices, nanochips, and nanocomputers.

“There is no present or future-only the past, happening over and over again-now.”

                                                                                                                        —-Eugene O’Neill

The United States itself has greatly benefited from the influx of scientists fleeing Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. These scientists contributed to the Manhattan Project, and propelled the advance of rocket science which led to space exploration, to name but a few. Together, they made the US the undisputed leading power in science and technology.

But today, the US academia, and the society as a whole is plagued by a toxic culture created by both the left, with the tyranny of Political Correctness, and the right, with their prototypical xenophobia, especially Sinophobia. In this dire circumstance, the mass exodus of scientists will continue. On the receiving end, China, embracing its enduring Confucian tradition that venerates knowledge and wisdom more than anything, would warmly welcome them with open arms.

The history is set to repeat itself once again.