BEIJING, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A group of dedicated Chinese researchers are advancing Chinese modernization by delivering practical innovations tailored to on-the-ground needs, turning individual scientific aspirations into tangible progress for local communities and national development.
The Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the China Association for Science and Technology recently released the touching stories of the nation's exemplary science and technology workers. Five distinguished representatives shared their decades-long endeavors at a press conference on Friday.
Song Rende has devoted four decades of his life to research on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. He now works as a researcher for the center for animal disease control and prevention of the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province.
Fondly called "Doctor yak" by the local herders, Song is the first researcher with a doctoral degree to conduct systematic yak breeding research in southern Qinghai. "The herdsmen have seen that my techniques can genuinely raise yaks well," Song said.
Song works at an altitude of around 4,200 meters. Harsh climatic conditions had long plagued local animal husbandry, with yaks losing weight and dying frequently in frigid winters. His team has established a complete breeding system and promoted scientific feeding techniques, helping more than 10,000 pastoral households enjoy higher incomes.
"This grassland needs me, and my research cannot do without this grassland either," Song said.
Huang Guiyun, a senior biodiversity researcher with China Three Gorges Corporation, has spent over 30 years surveying rare plant species in the Three Gorges Reservoir region. Her team has mastered the full inventory of rare plant species and has overcome propagation challenges for nearly 100 species of wild plants in the region.
"It is common for us to go deep into the mountains, climb cliffs, live in tents, and eat cold steamed buns," said the female researcher.
In addition to her fieldwork, she is also committed to science outreach, educating local residents and young people about ecological protection to encourage greater public participation in environmental governance.
"Ecological conservation cannot rely solely on researchers. We must also mobilize the public of the Three Gorges Reservoir region," said Huang, stressing the need to plant the seeds of environmental protection in the hearts of young people.
For Chinese researchers and scientists, ecological conservation is a long-term endeavor that requires continuous dedication.
Kong Hainan, a chair professor at the School of Environmental Science and Engineering of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, is now in his seventies. Even after retirement, he remains deeply committed to the ecological and environmental protection of the Erhai Lake in southwest China's Yunnan Province.
His team supports containing severe algal pollution, lifting the lake's water quality and reviving native aquatic plants. He also donated to set up a fund to encourage young researchers and students to stay committed to grassroots environmental work.
"If we keep at it, generation after generation, we will leave Erhai Lake in good hands," Kong said.
Also present at the press conference was Chen Lei, chief physician of the neurology department at West China Hospital of Sichuan University. She has dedicated her career to the diagnosis and treatment of female epilepsy, particularly for women of childbearing age -- a global research gap in epilepsy treatment.
"Behind every niche research topic lie the hopes of countless people." Chen said that, over the years, her team has standardized diagnostic and treatment protocols for female epilepsy, driving down mortality, disability rates, and infertility among patients.
From remote plateaus to outer space, ecological restoration to public healthcare, generations of Chinese researchers and scientists demonstrate how localized, people-centered innovation serves as a fundamental engine for the country's modernization.
Chinese astronaut Gui Haichao also shared his experience at the press conference.
A professor at Beihang University, Gui is also the country's first civilian astronaut into space. He served as the payload expert in China's Shenzhou-16 spaceflight mission.
The spaceflight experience "made me deeply realize that the practical demands and concrete task scenarios are the living source of scientific endeavors," Gui said.
After returning to the university, he established a space intelligent operation tech-innovation center, leading a team of more than 50 faculty and students in research on space robotics and space traffic management.
"In the space station, weightlessness renders our feet useless for locomotion, and we have to rely entirely on our hands for working, moving, and turning. These firsthand experiences have provided invaluable inspiration for our space robot designs. Through our efforts, we hope that robots can play a greater role in space activities," Gui said.
"Today, as the blueprint for our country's space endeavors continues to expand, our science and technology workers have vast opportunities. We are incredibly fortunate and blessed to be able to pursue our passions, create value, and serve the national strategic demands," Gui said. ■
