A growing number of Chinese-origin American academics are leaving the United States and switching from US to Chinese affiliations, according to the new study conducted by the Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF)
The report, Caught in the Crossfire: Fears of Chinese-American Scientists,” shows the chilling effect of potential federal investigation and prosecution since the US Department of Justice’s “China Initiative,” which launched in 2018 during the Donald Trump administration and terminated by the DOJ earlier this year.
“There has been a significant increase of Chinese-origin scientists returning to China in recent years despite them wanting to contribute to science and research in the United States," said Xihong Lin, Co-Chair of the Data and Research Committee.
"The fear among Chinese-origin scientists is palpable and the U.S. runs a high risk of losing talent," said Lin. "We want to use our research to raise awareness of these concerns and continue the long history of the U.S. benefiting from attracting and retaining the best and brightest scientists and engineers from around the world.”
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The national academic climate survey, conducted between December 2021 and March 2022 in collaboration with 11 Asian American professional organizations, collected responses from more than 1,300 faculty members nationwide.
Although an overwhelming majority of the survey respondents (89%) would like to remain in the US to continue contributing to the US leadership in science and technology, 42% are fearful of conducting research in the U.S., especially engineering and computing science faculty, life science faculty, federal grant awardees, and senior faculty.
Around 61% of the survey respondents feel pressure to leave the U.S., especially junior faculty and federal grant awardees, and 45% intend to avoid federal grant applications, especially engineering and computing science faculty, senior faculty, and those from public institutions.
Although the Department of Justice ended the China Initiative in early 2022 after community raised concerns about racial profiling, the new report reveals that the widespread fear of conducting routine research and academic activities, along with the significant risks of losing talent has resulted in scientists' hesitancy to remain in the US and contribute to federal sponsored research in science and technology.
Although an overwhelming majority of the survey respondents (89%) would like to remain in the US to continue contributing to the US leadership in science and technology, 42% are fearful of conducting research in the U.S., especially engineering and computing science faculty, life science faculty, federal grant awardees, and senior faculty.
Around 61% of the survey respondents feel pressure to leave the U.S., especially junior faculty and federal grant awardees, and 45% intend to avoid federal grant applications, especially engineering and computing science faculty, senior faculty, and those from public institutions.
Although the Department of Justice ended the China Initiative in early 2022 after community raised concerns about racial profiling, the new report reveals that the widespread fear of conducting routine research and academic activities, along with the significant risks of losing talent has resulted in scientists' hesitancy to remain in the US and contribute to federal sponsored research in science and technology.
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| AASF |
Although there were some instances of Chinese researchers benefiting monetarily with agreements with the private businesses and the government of China, most of the individuals accused of espionage were cleared for lack of evidence or found to have committed paperwork errors in research grants applications.
The aggressiveness of the China Initiative did not start with Trump, although the DOJ was emboldened by his rhetoric and policies. Nonwhites in the US were always targets as foreigners. As soon as Asians reached US shores, the anti-Asian sentiment began, leading to the Chinese Exclusion Acts of the 19th century. During the McCarthy era, the FBI ran a secret surveillance program of Chinese American scientists for decades, parts of which continued into the 1980s.
The aggressiveness of the China Initiative did not start with Trump, although the DOJ was emboldened by his rhetoric and policies. Nonwhites in the US were always targets as foreigners. As soon as Asians reached US shores, the anti-Asian sentiment began, leading to the Chinese Exclusion Acts of the 19th century. During the McCarthy era, the FBI ran a secret surveillance program of Chinese American scientists for decades, parts of which continued into the 1980s.
The practice of racial profiling is not an unintended error caused only by individual prejudice. The biases are deeply embedded in the American psyche, buried just under the thin facade of civility.
Addressing the fears of scientists of Chinese origin and making the academic environment welcoming and attractive for all will help retain and attract scientific talent and strengthen the U.S. leadership in science and technology in the long run.
Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) promotes academic belonging, openness, freedom, and equality for all and represents more than 7,000 scientists, researchers, and scholars in the U.S.. In response to heightened anti-Asian sentiments in the U.S. and increasing profiling of Chinese Americans and immigrants in science, AASF has been a leading national voice fighting for the rights of Asian American and immigrant scientists, researchers, and scholars.
Yu Xie, Co-Chair of the Data and Research Committee, said, “It is clear from our research that the impact of the chilling effect from the ‘China Initiative’ is far from over. We must address the fears of scientists of Asian origin so that we can make the academic environment welcoming and continue the global competitiveness and U.S. leadership in science and technology for future generations to come."
Read the full report here.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.
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