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Liqun Luo
Stanford University

Pursuing Science

across the Pacific Ocean

S

cientists born and educated in Asia have con-

tributed significantly to life sciences research in

the United States. Read any leading journal and

one will find first authors—and increasingly senior

authors—whose names are hard to pronounce for

native English speakers. Applications to graduate

school, postdoctoral and faculty positions are increas-

ingly coming from Asian-born scientists. A significant

proportion of this surge is contributed by scientists

born in the People’s Republic of China, which opened

the door to scientific as well as student exchange about

20 years ago. Given that one in five people living on

this planet is born in China and assuming a roughly

proportional distribution of talent and interest in bio-

logical research, it is not surprising that the sudden

availability of this talent pool should contribute to the

above phenomenon.

By many measures, scientists born and educated in

Asia, usually through college, have been successful as a

group in the development of their scientific careers in the

United States (or going back to Asia after they are trained

in the United States). However, behind these successes

are many difficulties that Asian-born scientists have to

overcome in pursuing science across the Pacific Ocean.

In this essay I will focus on the special challenges facing

scientists from China, although many of these challenges

also apply to those from other Asian countries.

CHAPTER 5 • POSTDOC ISSUES 175

Read any leading journal and one

will find first authors—and

increasingly senior authors—whose

names are hard to pronounce for

native English speakers.