By the way, the National Natural Science Foundation of China is currently reviewing the period in 2022. So, for youth projects, do you know what the situation was in the past? It is reported that in 1988, a youth project cost 30,000 yuan!

By the way, the current National Natural Science Review Period in 2022, So, for youth projects, do you know what the situation was in the past? It is reported that in 1988, , a youth project cost 30,000 yuan (Academician Deng Xiuxin mentioned in this article that their salary was only 60 or 70 yuan at that time) ! Do you think the youth programs at that time were very affordable? In addition, Academician Deng Xiuxin also mentioned that the youth project of at that time was that needed to be defended! Nowadays, youth projects no longer have a defense session. Perhaps it is related to the large number of funded projects. After all, it is difficult to arrange a defense site for a large number of people.

Academician Deng Xiuxin’s views on youth projects can be read below

The 35th anniversary of the establishment of the National Natural Science Foundation Youth Project

Deng Xiuxin in the laboratory.

Deng Xiuxin (left) took a photo with his mentor Zhang Wencai in 1986.

Deng Xiuxin (left) took a photo with an American teacher in 1989. Photo provided by interviewee

The title is "Using protoplasm technology to screen drought-resistant and salt-alkali tolerant citrus mutants". The application has more than 10 pages in total and is handwritten. The picture is a black and white photo of cell regeneration that was developed by myself... 30 years later After many years, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Deng Xiuxin still has a clear memory of winning the bid for the first National Natural Science Foundation project.

"Winning the National Natural Science Youth Science Fund (hereinafter referred to as the Youth Fund) project not only provided me with a large amount of funds to start scientific research, but more importantly, it provided me with a rare opportunity to conduct scientific research independently." As an early stage One of the recipients of the Youth Fund, Deng Xiuxin, said in a recent interview with " China Science Journal ", "It almost became a turning point in my life!"

With the support of the Youth Fund, Deng Xiuxin officially embarked on the path of citrus research . Over the years, he has led his team to take the lead in establishing a complete citrus cell engineering technology system, which has been successfully used in germplasm innovation and genetic improvement.

late-ripening navel orange , early-ripening tangerine , and various other citrus... It is recognized by the agricultural industry that today's citrus is becoming more and more delicious, and this "citrus academician" has contributed a lot!

38800021, "lucky" turned into "concerned"

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Deng Xiuxin was the "lucky man" of that era - in the year he graduated with his doctorate, the National Natural Science Foundation of China established a special program to train young people Youth fund for scientific researchers.

For Deng Xiuxin, everything came just right. After discussing with Mr. Zhang Wencai, Deng Xiuxin decided to apply for the Youth Fund with the title of "Using protoplast technology to screen drought-resistant and salt-alkali-resistant citrus mutants". "I want to try to see what else can be done in this field."

In June 1988, Deng Xiuxin went from Wuhan to Beijing to participate in the project defense. "It was the same as when I took the college entrance examination. I wasn't nervous at all. I went there happily." At that time, Deng Xiuxin, who was less than 30 years old, had no idea what this defense would bring to him. He was only full of enthusiasm for science. .

...

Soon after, the project Deng Xiuxin applied for was approved. The project approval number was 38800021, and 30,000 yuan of funding was approved. He was overjoyed: "You know, our monthly salary at that time was only sixty or seventy yuan. How many things can we do with these 30,000 yuan!"

...

Recalling this past event, Deng Xiuxin sighed: "Unintentionally, The Youth Fund turned out to be a kind of "concern" for my motherland, pulling me back to the life track of studying citrus, which has led to today. Without the Youth Fund, I don't know where I would be now and what I would do. Research."

Funding has increased, and so have young people. Looking back on his nearly 40 years of scientific research life, the most unforgettable thing about Deng Xiuxin is still the Youth Fund as the starting point. "It's not just a sum of money, it also gave me the opportunity to conduct scientific research independently. "He told the China Science Journal.

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"In recent years, I have observed a rather worrying thing. There are fewer smiles on the faces of young scientific researchers in universities and research institutes, and they often put their work in bad shape. 'Lie flat' on the lips, or even actually do it. "Deng Xiuxin said seriously.

Why is this happening? His reflection is, "Our support for young scientific researchers is still too little! "In recent years, although the country's investment in scientific research funds has continued to increase, the number of young people engaged in scientific research has also increased. In Deng Xiuxin's words, "Everyone gets less 'cake'."

...

For this reason Deng Xiuxin believes that youth funds should continue to support "green peppers" to independently select topics to carry out basic research, cultivate their ability to independently conduct scientific research, and play a role in cultivating future talents for basic research in our country.

"The competition for youth funds is extremely fierce now, and the funding rate is still low. Less than 20%. "In this regard, Deng Xiuxin called for, if possible, to create conditions as much as possible to increase the funding rate of youth funds, provide a good environment for more "green peppers", and prevent them from "lying flat" in the " involution ".

(Source : Chinese Science Journal)