Quest for excellence keeps young, old minds ticking

Almost every Chinese knows about "Two Bombs and One Satellite", which refer to China's first atomic and hydrogen bombs detonated in 1964 and 1967, and the first satellite launched in 1970.

Since my childhood, I have often heard of the hardships and various obstacles faced by Chinese scientists in the quest for scientific excellence.

A recent trip to the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE), however, provided more firsthand insight into the trials and tribulations of the great scientists.

Founded in 1950, CIAE's history is inked with names of outstanding scientists with the two bombs projects, including the founding fathers of China's nuclear science such as Qian Sanqiang, Wang Ganchang, and Yu Min.

Undoubtedly, there have been more less-famous scientists and technicians who have also devoted their entire careers to the country's needs, with little worry about their own personal needs.

Zhang Xingzhi, an 83-year-old accelerator expert, who retired in 1995 from CIAE but still works as a freelance consultant in the industry, said he, as well as many others, started working in the nuclear sector since their graduation as the country needed them to do so, despite his major being telecommunications.

He recalled that in his youth, he, and other colleagues, no matter what education background they had, seized every opportunity to learn more about nuclear science and technology from books and by training, and spent all day on work.

Zhang Wenhui, an 80-year-old former researcher of the institute, said that he and his colleagues worked for more than 18 consecutive months in the 1970s to successfully repair and update China's first nuclear reactor, which had been in a bad condition after 20 years' operation since it was built in the 1950s.

"Chinese had to learn nuclear knowledge from abroad back in the 1950s, and then we were able to make our own findings and developed our own technologies," Zhang said.

"That's all due to the passion for the nuclear industry and the fighting spirit."

Such passion and spirit has passed on from one generation of the staff at the institute to the subsequent one, making CIAE a pioneer in China's nuclear science, technologies, and applications.

Song Mingzhe, a young researcher with the CIAE, said lights are usually on in the institute after 11 or 12 pm, as the staff members are still at work.

"We feel valued and honored that our work is useful to the country and society," he said.