Reverse brain drain? Nasa data scientist takes job in China

Marine data expert Li Zhijin, who has also worked for the US Navy and other government agencies, is now employed at top university in Shanghai

According to one study, more than 1,400 Chinese scientists in the United States returned to China in 2021, a 22 per cent jump from the previous year

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Former Nasa data scientist Li Zhijin is now a professor at Fudan University, one of China’s most renowned institutions. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 5:04pm, 18 Oct 2022Updated: 5:26pm, 18 Oct 2022

A senior data scientist who worked for Nasa for more than 20 years has found a job at a top university in Shanghai, according to the university’s website.

Li Zhijin is an expert on marine data analysis and has developed data processing tools for Nasa, the US Navy and other US government agencies.

Li is now a distinguished professor and PhD mentor with the department of atmospheric and oceanic sciences at Fudan University, according to the university’s website.

Li’s return to China has prompted discussion on social media as an example of “reverse brain drain” driven by increased hostility against scientists of Chinese origin in the United States. In recent years, the US federal government has launched a number of investigations into researchers with connections to China.

It remains unclear when Li accepted the offer at Fudan, and an administrative staff member at the university said they could not give details on the matter. Li did not respond to the Post’s request for an interview.

A description of Li’s work in the US has been removed from the university’s website, but an older cached version of the page can be retrieved with Google.

Li worked for Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which was co-founded by Qian Xuesen, the founding father of China’s rocket programme. Photo: Reuters

According to the unabridged resume, Li’s research focuses on the processing of marine data sets gathered by satellites, buoys and ships.

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