Qian Xuesen's eldest son talks about the cold phenomenon of civil scientists’ hot scientists

"Five major choices are for the country."

Yesterday, the "People's Scientist Qian Xuesen Deed Exhibition" was held at Cihu Middle School in Ningbo. Qian Xuegang, Qian Xuesen’s son, attended the event. Afterward, Qian Yonggang gave a special lecture titled “Come to Qian Xuesen” to the teachers and students of Cihu Middle School. His opening words were quite unique: “I think you forgot one thing — I am the son of Qian Xuesen.”

"Five major choices are for the country."

Qian Yonggang, born in 1948, is the eldest son of the renowned scientist Qian Xuesen. He has spent most of his career working on the development of computer application software systems. Currently, he is a senior engineer and part-time professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University.

During the event, he shared five key life decisions that shaped Qian Xuesen’s journey. These choices not only defined his personal path but also had a profound impact on China’s scientific and technological development.

The first choice came when Qian Xuesen was deciding which university to attend. His math teacher encouraged him to pursue mathematics, while his Chinese teacher suggested he study literature. His mother hoped he would follow in his father’s footsteps as a teacher, and some of his teachers believed he had a talent for art and music. However, Qian Xuesen had his own vision.

He was influenced by Sun Yat-sen’s “Founding Nation Strategy” and admired Zhan Tianyou, a pioneer in railway engineering. Inspired by these figures, he chose to study mechanical engineering at Jiaotong University with the goal of building railways for China.

The second major shift happened during his university years. When he witnessed Japanese military operations near Shanghai, he realized that railway engineering alone might not be enough to protect the nation. This led him to switch to aeronautical engineering, aiming to build planes to defend China. Later, he found that the field lacked solid theoretical foundations, prompting him to make a third decision: to focus on aviation theory rather than just engineering.

This change faced resistance from his family. The fourth choice, well-known to the public, was his decision to return to China despite the U.S. offering him a prestigious position. The fifth choice came later in life, when he shifted back to academic research, focusing on future scientific trends.

“At that time, he was already a highly respected scientist,” Qian Yonggang recalled. “I remember seeing a very vivid image of him — without air conditioning, he was fanning himself while reading.”

Qian Yonggang expressed concern about the current trend in career choices being overly utilitarian. He hopes that sharing Qian Xuesen’s story can inspire young people and provide them with positive energy.

How to Change the Phenomenon of “Scientists Being Cold”

Before the exhibition, a survey was conducted among 262 students from five classes in three senior high schools. It was found that only 4.58% of students had scientists as their first career choice.

When Qian Yonggang learned about this, he resonated with the findings. “Everyone has their own choices, and it’s okay if they don’t choose science. Everyone can find happiness and value in their own roles. But as a social issue, the low status of scientists suggests that our education system and environment may have overlooked important aspects,” he said.

In response to the growing trend of admiration for public servants and neglect of scientists, Qian Yonggang believes that more efforts should be made to promote the contributions of scientists to society. By highlighting their influence, we can gradually reverse this imbalance.

This article is a reprint from online media. It only reflects the author’s opinion and does not represent the views of this site. If any content infringes on your legal rights, please contact us, and we will handle it promptly.