复旦在读博士王传超应Nature之邀撰写评论——Give youth a chance

记：王传超 复旦大学在读博士，人类学专业，2012年吴瑞获奖获得者。本文是他应Nature杂志之邀撰写的评论。文章点评了国内的科研制度，很值得思考。

Give Youth A Chance

Chuan-Chao Wang

Given the decades of continued growth inspending on research and development and huge investments in buildings and equipment, it is no wonder that Chinese scientists, officials and the general public are expecting great advances in science and technology. Yet the reality is that an increasing number of young researchers, including graduate students and postdoctorates, are choosing to escape from research — a situation that has become a topic of heated national debate.

Many recruitment notices for senior research positions require a candidate to have a good publication record,impact factor and citation metrics. Young scientists strive to have a paper published in Cell, Nature or Science — elite, peer-reviewed journals known collectively in China as CNS. A paper in a CNS journal is an unwritten requirement for a better salary or a promotion — especially in China’s top universities and institutes. A CNS paper could change a young researcher’s academic career — or even his or her life.

Focusing evaluation on such inflexible terms leads us, as scientists at the beginning of our careers, to adopt utilitarian ratherthan academic motives. Rather than follow our natural curiosity for research, we choose small, straight forward projects so that wecan obtain results quickly. We need a flow of publications to ensure continued financial support. But every researcher also wants the opportunity to make a CNS splash.


HOW TO RETAIN TALENTED SCIENTISTS

The irony is that although investment inscience is rising in China across the disciplines, there are few funds or fellowships for newly graduated PhDs. The largest is the Young Research Fund,which represents about 20% of the budget of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). However, each project receives only 240,000 yuan(US$38,000) over three years. The second option is a grant from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, in which a successful applicant can secure50,000–80,000 yuan for two years’ work. Neither amount is sufficient to purchase the necessary laboratory reagents and consumables to conduct research.For this reason,many young researchers apply for overseas postdoctoral positions,giving some of their best years of research to other countries — and often staying there.

As a consequence — and in contrast to most Western countries — research projects in China rely on graduate students rather than postdocs. Exacerbating this trend, many Chinese universities and institute shire as faculty only those candidates who have overseas research experience.China is, in effect, outsourcing the training of its young researchers. But the reality is that most scientists who graduate with a PhD from a Chinese university will not receive overseas offers; their choice is to stay at home and find work in a domestic laboratory and be paid a low salary with little hope of promotion, or give up their academic career entirely to seek alternative employment.

Thirty years ago, Ray Wu, a molecularbiologist at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, initiated the China–United States Biology and Biochemistry Examinations and Applications (CUSBEA)programme, which allowed for the first time large numbers of young graduates from China to pursue PhDs at leading universities in the United States. Many CUSBEA students have since become leading biologists in the United States as well as in China. Following Wu’s death in 2008, the Ray Wu Memorial Fund established a prize in his honour to inspire and reward PhD students who wish to further their education at universities in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan orSingapore. Unlike China’s typical evaluation system, the Ray Wu Prize — anaward of US3,000 plus the opportunity to apply for up to 5,000 to attendinter national conferences — does not focus on a student’s history of journal publications, overseas experience or examination results.

Instead, the prize winners, of which there could be ten or more each year, are determined by peer review by a selection committee consisting of eminent Chinese biologists who assess each candidate’scapacity for creative ideas, independent thinking and dedication to his or her field of interest. Applicants submit a statement describing why they chose to study science, the academic projects they would like to pursue at university,and their intended future career. They also have a face-to-face interview with the committee. In the years, or even decades, after the prizes have been awarded, the committee remains available for advice as the researchers develop their scientific careers.

The Ray Wu Prize is a comprehensive and impartial evaluation process that also offers advice and support. Moreover, it is starting to be recognized by Chinese universities and institutes as a factorin faculty appointments. In 2014, a scientist who was awarded the Ray Wu Prize was appointed as assistant professor (tenure-track) at Shanghai Tech University, despite not having overseas research experience.

For decades, the minds of Chinese student shave been shaped by passive rote education. But scientific progress requires not recitation of known concepts, but new ideas. The capacity to break the mould and truly innovate — the features that the Ray Wu Prize emphasizes — are crucial for the Chinese scientific community to deliver the results that the government and the people expect from their investment. The potential of new graduates cannot be fully reflected by publication metrics or overseas experience and as a consequence, China is currently losing their contribution.China must invest more in its promising young scientists, and in more effectiveways of measuring their achievements.

附原文链接：http://www.nature.com/nature/jou ... p/full/520S36a.html

闲了来翻个文~~有错误请多指教，尤其最后一段，China is currently losing their contribution处，加了一些补充。

Give Youth A Chance5 Q: R+ z; J+ j6 W
给年轻人一个机会

Chuan-Chao Wang9 @( g/ U. H  b& \: S& Z; ]& F9 @
王传超:

Given the decades of continued growth in spending on research and development and huge investments in buildings and equipment, it is no wonder that Chinese scientists, officials and the general public are expecting great advances in science and technology. Yet the reality is that an increasing number of young researchers, including graduate students and postdoctorates, are choosing to escape from research — a situation that has become a topic of heated national debate.
过去几十年，中国在研发方面的花费持续增长，政府在建筑和设备方面也持续投入了大量的资金。毋庸置疑，在这种前提下，中国的科学家、政府人员以及大众对科学技术的高速发展充满了期待。但现实是，越来越多的年轻科学家（包括研究生和博士后），选择了逃离科研之路——这一现象已经成为了国内热议的话题。
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Many recruitment notices for senior research positions require a candidate to have a good publication record, impact factor and citation metrics. Young scientists strive to have a paper published in Cell, Nature or Science — elite, peer-reviewed journals known collectively in China as CNS. A paper in a CNS journal is an unwritten requirement for a better salary or a promotion — especially in China’s top universities and institutes. A CNS paper could change a young researcher’s academic career — or even his or her life.' z& F$ o7
许多雇佣高级研究员的招聘通知明确要求候选人要发表过一定数量、一定影响因子和引用次数的文章。年轻的科学家们为了在Cell、Nature或Science等一流杂志上——中国简称为CNS——发表一篇文章费尽心力。曾在CNS上发表过一篇文章成为提薪或提升职称的一条不成文的约定。一篇CNS文章可以彻底改变一个年轻科学家的学术生涯，甚至他/她的人生。

Focusing evaluation on such inflexible terms leads us, as scientists at the beginning of our careers, to adopt utilitarian rather than academic motives. Rather than follow our natural curiosity for research, we choose small, straight forward projects so that we can obtain results quickly. We need a flow of publications to ensure continued financial support. But every researcher also wants the opportunity to make a CNS splash.
为了达到这条死板的要求，科学家们在科学家职业生涯开始的时候，就不得不变得功利。相比那些我们本身感兴趣的研究项目，我们更喜欢选择小规模的、横向的研究项目，因为这样可以快速取得研究成果。我们要不停地发表文章，这样才能保证有持续不断的资金支持。但是每一个研究者还都怀着CNS的梦想。

HOW TO RETAIN TALENTED SCIENTISTS
如何才能留住有才华的科学家？

The irony is that although investment in science is rising in China across the disciplines, there are few funds or fellowships for newly graduated PhDs. The largest is the Young Research Fund, which represents about 20% of the budget of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). However, each project receives only 240,000 yuan (US$38,000) over three years. The second option is a grant from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, in which a successful applicant can secure 50,000–80,000 yuan for two years’ work. Neither amount is sufficient to purchase the necessary laboratory reagents and consumables to conduct research. For this reason, many young researchers apply for overseas postdoctoral positions,giving some of their best years of research to other countries — and often staying there.
讽刺的是，虽然中国各个学科对科研的投入都在增加，但专门针对刚毕业的博士研究生的基金或奖金却少之又少。其中最大的当属青年研究基金，其资助金额相当于国家自然科学基金会预算的20%。但是，每个获批项目在3年内却只有少的可怜的24万人民币，相当于3.8万美元。第二大基金是中国博士后科学基金，获批申请人两年内可以获得5-8万人民币的资助。但这些钱连购买研究必须的实验试剂和耗材都不够！正因如此，许多年轻的科学家不得不申请国外的博士后职位，将他们最好的年华奉献给别的国家，很多人最后留在了那里。

As a consequence — and in contrast to most Western countries — research projects in China rely on graduate students rather than postdocs. Exacerbating this trend, many Chinese universities and institutes hire as faculty only those candidates who have overseas research experience. China is, in effect, outsourcing the training of its young researchers. But the reality is that most scientists who graduate with a PhD from a Chinese university will not receive overseas offers; their choice is to stay at home and find work in a domestic laboratory and be paid a low salary with little hope of promotion, or give up their academic career entirely to seek alternative employment.1 ?% Q" j' c) d7 T- l
结果就出现了与多数西方国家相反的情形——中国的科研项目依赖于硕士/博士研究生而非博士后来完成。更糟糕的是，许多中国的大学和研究所只雇佣有海外研究背景的候选人。中国实际上已经成为了一个年轻科学家输出国。但现实是，多数毕业于中国大学的博士研究生并没有得到国外研究的机会，他们仅有的选择是：要么留在国内找一个实验室的工作、拿着较低的收入，也没什么晋升的希望；要么放弃科研，去寻找非科研的其他工作。

Thirty years ago, Ray Wu, a molecular biologist at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, initiated the China–United States Biology and Biochemistry Examinations and Applications (CUSBEA) programme, which allowed for the first time large numbers of young graduates from China to pursue PhDs at leading universities in the United States. Many CUSBEA students have since become leading biologists in the United States as well as in China. Following Wu’s death in 2008, the Ray Wu Memorial Fund established a prize in his honour to inspire and reward PhD students who wish to further their education at universities in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan or Singapore. Unlike China’s typical evaluation system, the Ray Wu Prize — an award of US3,000 plus the opportunity to apply for up to 5,000 to attend international conferences — does not focus on a student’s history of journal publications, overseas experience or examination results.2 M6 R: i5 y8 j. S# D: L5 c9 i# f
30年前，纽约康奈尔大学的分子生物学家吴瑞先生创建了中美生物化学联合招生项目（CUSBEA），使许多中国的年轻研究生第一次有了在美国知名高校求学的机会。许多该项目的毕业生后来成为了美国和中国生物学领域的优秀科学家。2008年吴瑞先生去世后，吴瑞纪念基金会成立，并支持那些希望在中国、香港、台湾、新加坡等地大学继续深造的博士研究生。与中国一贯的评估系统不同，吴瑞奖——3000至5000美元不等的费用，赞助申请人参加国际会议——并不关注学生文献发表的记录、海外求学经验或实验结果。

Instead, the prize winners, of which there could be ten or more each year, are determined by peer review by a selection committee consisting of eminent Chinese biologists who assess each candidate’s capacity for creative ideas, independent thinking and dedication to his or her field of interest. Applicants submit a statement describing why they chose to study science, the academic projects they would like to pursue at university, and their intended future career. They also have a face-to-face interview with the committee. In the years, or even decades, after the prizes have been awarded, the committee remains available for advice as the researchers develop their scientific careers.
相反，每年10多个奖项获得者，是由多位中国优秀生物学家组成的委员会共同评审出来的；他们会评估候选人的创新能力、独立思考能力、及对所研究领域的兴趣。申请者需要提交一份声明，解释自己为什么要选择所学的领域、未来想在大学里做什么样的项目、未来的职业追求。申请过程还有一个与委员会成员面对面交流的环节。在获奖后的几年甚至几十年，委员会成员都有责任给这些年轻的科学家提供职业规划的建议。

The Ray Wu Prize is a comprehensive and impartial evaluation process that also offers advice and support. Moreover, it is starting to be recognized by Chinese universities and institutes as a factor in faculty appointments. In 2014, a scientist who was awarded the Ray Wu Prize was appointed as assistant professor (tenure-track) at Shanghai Tech University, despite not having overseas research experience.$ ?4 |' h2 l. l3 ^
吴瑞奖有一个综合、公证的评估流程，可以为申请者提供建议和支持。此外，这个奖项已经逐渐被中国的大学和研究所认可，并成为雇佣研究员的一个考虑因素。2014年，一位往期的吴瑞奖获得者，在没有国外研究经验的前提下，被上海科技大学聘为助理教授。

For decades, the minds of Chinese students have been shaped by passive rote education. But scientific progress requires not recitation of known concepts, but new ideas. The capacity to break the mould and truly innovate — the features that the Ray Wu Prize emphasizes — are crucial for the Chinese scientific community to deliver the results that the government and the people expect from their investment. The potential of new graduates cannot be fully reflected by publication metrics or overseas experience and as a consequence, China is currently losing their contribution. China must invest more in its promising young scientists, and in more effective ways of measuring their achievements.
在过去的几十年，中国学生的思维都是在被动的机械化教育中形成的。但是科学发展所需要的并不是对已知概念的单纯背诵，而是创新。中国科学界要为政府和大众展现后者在投资后所预期的研究结果，就要做到打破固有模式、切实创新的的能力；这一点非常重要，也是吴瑞奖所重视的。刚毕业研究生的潜力很难通过文章发表情况或海外研究经验得到完美体现，（执着于发文章这一指标）所导致的结果就是——中国对科学的贡献在不断减少。中国必需给有潜力的年轻科学家提供更多的资金支持，同时用更有效、更多元化的方式去评估他们的成就。

此时的一个鼓励，换来的是长久的激情