Sloan Fellow Dai Liang leaves US to join Fudan University Shanghai
Synopsis
Sloan Research Fellow and black hole physicist Dai Liang has left a US academic post to join Fudan University in Shanghai — a high-profile data point in China's accelerating campaign to repatriate world-class scientific talent.
Key Takeaways
Dai Liang , a 2021 Sloan Research Fellow in physics, has joined Fudan University in Shanghai as a professor.
He earned a PhD in theoretical cosmology from Johns Hopkins University and previously studied at Peking University .
The Sloan Research Fellowship , founded in 1955 by Alfred Sloan of General Motors , has produced 60 Nobel laureates and 17 Fields Medal winners.
Dai specialises in cosmology, astrophysics, and black hole detection, including gravitational lensing research.
His appointment at the Fudan Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics aligns with China 's expansion of theoretical research alongside observational assets like China Sky Eye FAST .
Dai Liang, a Chinese astrophysicist and 2021 Sloan Research Fellow recognised among the brightest early-career scientists in North America, has returned to China, accepting a professorship at Fudan University in Shanghai and joining the Fudan Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics. The move adds a high-profile name to the growing list of overseas-trained Chinese researchers choosing domestic institutions over continued careers abroad.
Who is Dai Liang?
Dai, born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in 1988, specialises in cosmology and astrophysics, with a focus on black hole detection. He completed his undergraduate studies at Peking University before earning a PhD in theoretical cosmology from Johns Hopkins University in the United States.
His research interests span gravitational lensing, the Milky Way's structure, and high-energy astrophysical phenomena — fields increasingly relevant to projects such as China Sky Eye FAST, the world's largest single-dish radio telescope.
The Sloan Fellowship pedigree
The Sloan Research Fellowship was established in 1955 by Alfred Sloan, former chief executive of General Motors, through the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, to support early-career researchers across eight disciplines. Sixty past fellows have gone on to win Nobel Prizes, while 17 have received the Fields Medal in mathematics, according to the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
The fellowship is awarded to researchers at institutions in the United States and Canada and is widely regarded as one of the most competitive early-career honours in the natural sciences.
Why it matters
The departure of Sloan-calibre talent from North American academia to Chinese institutions reflects a broader structural shift in global scientific recruitment. China has aggressively expanded funding for basic research, and universities such as Fudan, Tsinghua, and Peking University have raised compensation packages and laboratory resources to compete with Western peers.
Industry analysts and academic observers have noted that geopolitical tensions — including visa restrictions and export controls affecting research collaboration — have accelerated the calculus for some overseas Chinese scientists considering a return.
The competitive backdrop
Fudan University has been expanding its astronomy and astrophysics capacity as China invests in next-generation observational infrastructure. The addition of a researcher with Dai's theoretical cosmology background is seen as complementary to observational assets like China Sky Eye FAST, located in Guizhou province.
Institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley — where Dai was previously based — have seen a number of Chinese-origin faculty members reassess their positions amid a tightening research environment in the US.
What's next
The trend of high-credential returnees is expected to intensify as China's national science funding continues to grow and Western research environments face budget pressures and regulatory friction. Dai Liang's appointment at Fudan will be closely watched as a signal of whether elite theoretical physicists can find the resources and collaborative networks at home that once drew them abroad.
Point of View
The friction cost of staying abroad has risen for overseas Chinese academics, while the pull of well-funded domestic posts has grown. What mainstream coverage often misses is that the talent flow was never purely about salary: it is about where the next generation of students, collaborators, and instruments will be. With China Sky Eye FAST operational and a new generation of space telescopes in planning, theoretical cosmologists like Dai now have credible domestic infrastructure to match their ambitions — a combination that was far less compelling a decade ago.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dai Liang and why is his move significant?
Dai Liang is a Chinese astrophysicist and 2021 Sloan Research Fellow who specialises in black hole detection and theoretical cosmology. His decision to leave a US academic post for a professorship at Fudan University in Shanghai is significant because the Sloan Fellowship is one of the most competitive early-career honours in North American science, making his return a high-profile example of China's brain-gain efforts.
What is the Sloan Research Fellowship?
The Sloan Research Fellowship was established in 1955 by Alfred Sloan , former chief executive of General Motors , through the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation . It supports early-career researchers at US and Canadian institutions across eight fields, and its alumni include 60 Nobel Prize winners and 17 Fields Medal recipients, according to the foundation.
Why are Chinese scientists returning from the US to China?
A combination of factors is driving the trend, including increased research funding at Chinese universities, improved laboratory infrastructure, and rising friction in the US research environment — including visa restrictions and export controls affecting academic collaboration. Institutions like Fudan University have raised compensation and resources to compete with Western peers.
What will Dai Liang research at Fudan University?
Dai Liang has joined the Fudan Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics , where his work is expected to continue in cosmology, astrophysics, and black hole detection, including gravitational lensing. His theoretical expertise is seen as complementary to China 's observational infrastructure, including the China Sky Eye FAST radio telescope.
Which university did Dai Liang attend before returning to China?
Dai Liang completed his undergraduate education at Peking University in China before moving to Johns Hopkins University in the United States , where he earned a PhD in theoretical cosmology . He was subsequently awarded a Sloan Research Fellowship in 2021 for his work in physics.
