UCLA emeritus professor Pei Qibing joins University of Macau as chair professor
Synopsis
After 30 years in the US, UCLA emeritus professor Pei Qibing — who once studied in a resource-scarce rural school on a Yangtze River island — is heading to the University of Macau as chair professor and director of its Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, in a move that underscores the region's push to attract top diaspora scientists.
Key Takeaways
Pei Qibing , emeritus professor at UCLA , has been appointed chair professor and director of the Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering at the University of Macau .
Pei is returning to China after 30 years in the United States .
He began his education at a rural school on a Yangtze River island in Anhui province before studying chemistry at Nanjing University in 1981 .
His career spanned the Chinese Academy of Sciences , Linköping University , UNIAX Corporation , DuPont , SRI International , and UCLA .
Former classmate Wang Xianglong confirmed Pei was consistently top of his class in his early school years.
Pei Qibing, an emeritus professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), is returning to Chinese soil after 30 years in the United States, taking up a senior academic post at the University of Macau. According to the university's official website, Pei has been appointed chair professor and director of the Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, marking a significant addition to Macau's research capabilities in advanced materials science.
From a Rural Yangtze Island to Global Research
Pei's academic journey began under strikingly modest circumstances. He attended a small rural school on an island in the Yangtze River in Anhui, a central province of China, where resource constraints shaped his early education. 'Because the school did not have enough chairs, students needed to bring their own stools,' former classmate Wang Xianglong recalled in remarks to local media in the nearby city of Tongling two years ago.
Wang also noted that the rural primary school lacked sufficient students to run separate classes for each year, meaning Pei and his elder sister studied together in the same classroom. Despite these limitations, Pei was consistently top of his class, according to Wang.
Academic Foundations and Career Trajectory
Pei went on to study chemistry at Nanjing University in 1981, laying the groundwork for a career that would span continents and institutions. His professional path included stints at organisations such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Linköping University, UNIAX Corporation, DuPont, and SRI International, before his long tenure at UCLA. His research intersects polymer electronics, flexible displays, and electroactive materials — fields closely tied to the Nobel Prize-winning work of Alan Heeger in conducting polymers.
Why It Matters
The appointment reflects a broader pattern of China and its special administrative regions actively recruiting senior diaspora scientists back from Western institutions. Macau, traditionally known for its gaming economy, has been investing in higher education and research infrastructure, and landing a UCLA-level materials scientist signals ambitions to build credible applied-science capacity.
For the global materials and polymer electronics research community, Pei's move could redirect collaborative networks and grant pipelines toward Macau and the wider Greater Bay Area.
What's Next
As Pei assumes leadership of the Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering at the University of Macau, attention will turn to the research agenda he sets and the talent he attracts. His track record across industry and academia positions the institute as a potential hub for electroactive materials and flexible electronics research in the region.
Point of View
Senior Chinese-born researchers at Western institutions are increasingly receptive to high-profile offers from Greater China universities. Macau's play here is strategically shrewd — the territory sits within the Greater Bay Area innovation corridor and can offer competitive packages without the political sensitivities of mainland postings. What mainstream coverage often misses is that these recruitments don't just bring individuals; they bring grant networks, industry contacts, and PhD pipelines that can reshape a research ecosystem within a single faculty cycle. The materials science field — particularly electroactive polymers and flexible electronics — sits at the intersection of consumer hardware and defence applications, making such appointments worth tracking beyond the academic press-release cycle.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Pei Qibing and why is his appointment significant?
Pei Qibing is an emeritus professor at UCLA and a specialist in materials science, particularly electroactive polymers and flexible electronics. His appointment as chair professor and director of the Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering at the University of Macau is significant because it brings a senior Western-trained researcher back to the region after 30 years in the United States .
What role will Pei Qibing take at the University of Macau?
According to the University of Macau 's official website, Pei has been appointed chair professor and director of the Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering . This is a senior leadership role overseeing applied physics and materials research at the university.
What is Pei Qibing's academic background?
Pei Qibing began studying chemistry at Nanjing University in 1981 and went on to build a career across the Chinese Academy of Sciences , Linköping University , UNIAX Corporation , DuPont , SRI International , and ultimately UCLA , where he became an emeritus professor.
Why are Chinese scientists returning from the US to China or Macau?
A growing number of senior Chinese-born researchers at US institutions have been accepting offers from universities in China and Macau , driven by competitive academic packages and increasing friction in US-China scientific collaboration. Macau 's position within the Greater Bay Area makes it an attractive destination for researchers seeking proximity to mainland research networks.
Where did Pei Qibing grow up and what were his early school conditions like?
Pei Qibing grew up on an island in the Yangtze River in Anhui province, central China . According to former classmate Wang Xianglong , the rural school lacked enough chairs, requiring students to bring their own stools, and had too few pupils to run separate classes for each year — meaning Pei and his elder sister shared the same class.
