Young delegates encourage women to pursue dreams in new era

Cui Yiwen and Wan Ruixue were born during the 1990s. Both are delegates to the 13th National Women's Congress of China. Cui is a police officer assigned to the High-tech Zone branch of Ningbo Public Security Bureau (in East China's Zhejiang Province). Wan is a researcher with Westlake University School of Life Sciences. Both are attending the national women's congress for the first time, and they have been roommates during the congress.

Cui is a brave woman. She has risked her life to save others. One night, in March 2019, Cui and one of her classmates were returning to their dormitory when they were approached by someone brandishing a knife. Cui pushed her classmate out of the person's path, just before Cui was stabbed by the attacker. The attacker then stabbed Cui and her classmate repeatedly. Cui protected her classmate, by using her body to cover her friend.

Cui's bravery and selfless deed were widely reported. She received many accolades, including being named a national ethical role model, a National March 8th Red-Banner Holder, and a national hero who acted bravely to help another in an emergency. She was selected a torchbearer for the 19th Asian Games, held in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, from September 23 to October 8.

Cui was born into a military officers' family. She became a police officer earlier this year, and she has since participated in various volunteer activities. As a young police officer, Cui vows to study and implement the guiding principles of the women's congress, and to work with enthusiasm to display the positive image of women police officers in the new era.

After Wan obtained her Ph.D. from Tsinghua University and finished her postdoctoral research, she joined Westlake University. She is always willing to accept challenges, and she devotes herself to solving tough problems in the life sciences.

She has more than 10 articles published in accredited magazines, and those articles have made important contributions in determining the atomic structure of the intact spliceosome, and in revealing the molecular mechanism of pre-mRNA splicing. Wan in 2022 received the 17th China Youth Science and Technology Award.

"Ten years have passed since I began studying for my doctorate. Given the strong support from the country, I hope there will be more young women striving relentlessly for their ideals in scientific research," Wan says.