What they say

Editor's Note: Ahead of National Science and Technology Workers' Day, which falls on May 30 each year, the State Council Information Office held a group interview on Wednesday in Beijing to discuss fostering a passion for science among young people and helping China become a leading country in science and technology.

Ye Cong, director of the 702 Research Institute at the China State Shipbuilding Corporation

People might think that deep-sea work is distant from daily life and industry, but exploring new frontiers often holds the key to future development opportunities. It's not just about visiting the deep sea; we also recognize the ocean's impact on our living environment. We ask scientific questions like: Where does life come from and where is it headed? What challenges are we facing now? Therefore, we need to integrate current deep-diving technology with industry while continuously exploring these uncharted territories to expand our boundaries for the sustainable future of humanity.

Zhang Yuanming, director of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography at the Chinese Academy of Sciences

Our team has always believed that research papers are produced through practical work, not just writing. That's why we emphasize hands-on experience, especially for young teachers and students. We ensure that each of our doctoral students spends at least a year in the field, working on real engineering projects. The goal is to immerse them in real-world situations, understand genuine needs, find effective methods and solve actual problems.

Su Donglin, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor at Beihang University's School of Electronic Information Engineering

We've made significant progress in the field of ecological and environmental research by using new technologies and methods. For example, cutting-edge tools have been highly beneficial to the study of the Tianshan Mountains' wild fruit forests, the ancestral home of cultivated apples. Technologies such as remote sensing, drones and ground-based radar have improved our accuracy in estimating forest degradation. We can now analyze the causes of degradation through molecular biology, gene editing and genetic evolution. Thanks to these technologies and multidisciplinary approaches, the Tianshan wild fruit forests have been restored to a thriving state.

Chen Zheng, associate professor at the School of Physical Science and Engineering of Beijing Jiaotong University

As a science educator and communicator, the most striking change I've noticed over the years is that the cutting-edge examples I use when teaching students are increasingly our country's own achievements. When I was a student over a decade ago, the most advanced and impressive accomplishments always seemed to be from other countries. But today, the examples I share with students — from lunar and Mars exploration to deep-sea diving, and from space stations to neutrino detection — are our own. These major scientific achievements are also becoming accessible to our youth and science enthusiasts across society.

Xia Lixue, co-founder and CEO of Shanghai Infinigence AI

Innovation in artificial intelligence requires breaking free from traditional mindsets, and young people have a great capacity for this because they are willing to take risks and try new things. For instance, our company once achieved a remarkable result: enhancing the computational efficiency of AI algorithms on hardware by over three times. The lead of this achievement was a 24-year-old female intern, a very young colleague, and such examples are not unusual in our company. With an average employee age of just 32, our young tech professionals demonstrate exceptional creativity and imagination, translating advanced technology into practical applications. This is exactly what we aim to foster. I believe that AI thrives on the boldness of young innovators.