Ling Xin in Ohio

Published: , 27 Apr 2025

Geophysicist Zhigang Peng has been voted in as the next president-elect of the Seismological Society of America in Baltimore, making him the first Chinese-American to hold the position in the organisation’s 118-year history.

A long-time professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and graduate of the University of Science and Technology of China, Peng was elected at last week’s annual meeting of the society and is set to assume the presidency in 2026.

His election reflects a slow but growing trend toward greater representation of China-born scientists in the leadership of US academic societies – roles in which they have long been under-represented despite their substantial contributions to research and education.

“There have been some improvements, but still limited,” Yi Rao, a neurobiologist at Peking University, said.

Peng is not alone in pushing boundaries. This July, virologist Shan-Lu Liu of Ohio State University will become the first Chinese-American to lead the American Society for Virology since its founding more than four decades ago.

“I hope to see more Chinese-American researchers take on leadership roles, expand their impact beyond their own science and better serve the broader community,” Liu said.

As these milestones accumulate, the South China Morning Post takes a closer look at those scientists of Chinese descent who have recently been elected to – or served as – presidents of academic societies in the US.

Zhigang Peng, next president-elect, Seismological Society of America

Born in Sichuan province, Peng earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Science and Technology of China in 1998 and a PhD in geophysics from the University of Southern California in 2004. He has been a faculty member at the Georgia Institute of Technology since 2006.

An internationally renowned seismologist, Peng specialises in using seismic waves to understand how earthquakes begin, evolve and interact. His research has shed light on previously overlooked slow-slip events, deep tremors and how earthquakes in one region can trigger those elsewhere.

His honours include a prestigious early career grant from the US National Science Foundation, the Charles F. Richter Early Career Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the Seismological Society of America. He previously served as president of the International Association of Chinese Earth Scientists.

Founded in 1906, the Seismological Society of America is a global organisation dedicated to advancing earthquake science, engineering and public safety.

Shan-Lu Liu said his appointment was unexpected. Photo: Ohio State University

Shan-Lu Liu, president-elect, American Society for Virology

“I didn’t expect to be nominated or elected – it came as a complete surprise,” Shan-Lu Liu said of his appointment to the top job.

A former president of the Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America, Liu said he often spent weekends attending meetings, editing journals and mentoring young researchers in the field.

Born in Henan province, Liu earned his medical degree from Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou University in 1989 and later completed a PhD in virology and gene therapy from the University of Washington. He held faculty positions at McGill University in Canada and the University of Missouri-Columbia before joining Ohio State in 2016.

Liu’s research focuses on how viruses enter human cells and how the body’s immune system fights back. By uncovering the molecular interactions between viruses and host defences, his work has helped explain why certain viruses – such as HIV, influenza and Sars-CoV-2 – spread more efficiently and how they evolve to escape immune detection.

“Liu is not only a respected scientist with a strong reputation, but also someone who deeply cares about science and has constantly spoken up for virology in challenging times,” said Hector Aguilar-Carreno from Cornell University, the current President of the American Society for Virology.

Aguilar-Carreno, the first Latino to lead the society, said that while meaningful representation of minorities in scientific leadership has only recently begun to take hold in the US, it signals a promising shift. “It means the barriers are being broken,” he said.

Wei Jiang is also a strong advocate for gender equality in academia. Photo: Emory University

Wei Jiang, president-elect, American Finance Association

In November 2023, Chinese-American economist Wei Jiang of Emory University was elected vice-president of the American Finance Association for 2024, setting her on track to become president-elect in 2025 and president in 2026.

She will be the first scholar of Chinese descent – and only the second Asian – to lead the association in its 85-year history. Founded in 1939, the American Finance Association is the world’s premier academic society for finance research.

Jiang’s research explores the role of institutional investors in corporate governance and the transformative effects of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, on financial markets.

Her work has been published in top journals across economics, finance and law, and has earned her numerous best paper and outstanding researcher awards.

Born in Henan province, Jiang was a member of Fudan University’s elite “gifted youth” programme and completed her undergraduate and master’s in world economics there. She later earned her PhD from the University of Chicago in 2001, where she studied under Nobel laureate Merton Miller.

Jiang joined Emory in 2022, after a long tenure at Columbia University. She is also a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and a Fellow and Board Member of the European Corporate Governance Institute.

She previously served as former president of the Society of Financial Studies.

A vocal advocate for gender equity in academia, Jiang has spoken openly about systemic barriers facing women in research. “The greatest loss from gender bias is the untapped potential of brilliant women,” she said in a 2018 interview at Fudan University.

Meifang Zhu is widely seen as a pioneer in fibre materials research in China. Photo: Donghua University

Meifang Zhu, president, The Fibre Society

In 2024, Chinese fibre materials scientist Meifang Zhu from Donghua University in Shanghai was elected president of the Fibre Society, becoming the first scientist based in China to lead the US-founded organisation in its more than 80-year history.

The society is an international association of scientists and engineers dedicated to advancing research in fibre-based materials and technologies. Its current leadership includes Zhu as president and Xiangwu Zhang from North Carolina State University as vice-president.

Zhu is widely seen as a pioneer in fibre materials research in China. As director of the State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibres and Polymer Materials, she has developed new techniques to create fibres that are not only strong and durable, but also functional, comfortable and responsive to their environment.

Her innovations include methods for embedding smart properties into synthetic fibres and improving their performance without sacrificing wearability – advances that bridge fundamental science and real-world application, and have been widely adopted in China’s textile industry.

Born in Jiangsu province in 1965, Zhu earned her degrees from the China Textile University (now Donghua University) and later received her doctorate through a joint programme with TU Dresden in Germany. She has held various leadership roles at Donghua and served as vice-president of the university from 2005 to 2009.

Guangping Gao is internationally recognised for his work. Photo: UMass Chan Medical School

Guangping Gao, former president, American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy

Guangping Gao, a pioneering Chinese-American gene therapy researcher, served as president of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy from 2019 to 2020 – the first scientist originally from mainland China to lead the organisation.

A tenured chair professor at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and founding director of its Horae Gene Therapy Centre, Gao is internationally recognised for his work on adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors – tools that have revolutionised the delivery of therapeutic genes for previously untreatable diseases.

Over the past three decades, he has led efforts to discover and engineer hundreds of novel AAV variants, contributing to advances in treating rare genetic diseases and central nervous system disorders. His work includes the development of an FDA-cleared gene therapy for Canavan disease, a severe condition that affects brain development in infants.

Gao was named one of the world’s top 20 translational researchers by Nature Biotechnology in 2017 and 2019. He is also a fellow of the US National Academy of Inventors and co-founder of several biotech companies, including Voyager Therapeutics.

Gao received his medical degree from West China University of Medical Sciences in Chengdu in 1982. He went on to earn his master’s and PhD degrees in biological sciences from Florida International University.

Founded in 1996, the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy is the largest professional organisation in the field, with around 2,400 members from the US and around the world.

Minlin Zhong said Chinese voices needed to be heard in international organisations. Photo: Tsinghua University

Minlin Zhong, former president, Laser Institute of America

Minlin Zhong, a professor at Tsinghua University, served as president of the Laser Institute of America (LIA) in 2019 – the first Asian scientist to hold the position since the organisation’s founding in 1968.

A leader in laser materials processing, Zhong’s research spans laser micro- and nano-fabrication, surface engineering, additive manufacturing and the development of novel functional materials. His work has enabled breakthroughs in fields from aerospace to clean energy through precise surface structuring at micro and nano scales.

Zhong earned his bachelor’s degree in optical engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 1983 and completed his PhD in mechanical engineering at Tsinghua University in 1997. He has remained on the faculty ever since.

In 2010, Zhong became the first scholar from mainland China to be named an LIA fellow – an honour previously awarded to only around 80 scientists worldwide, including several Nobel laureates.

In a 2016 interview with Laser Manufacture News, Zhang recalled attending his first LIA conference in 1996 in Detroit as a doctoral student – the only delegate from China.

“My path reflects the continuous rise of China’s academic standing in laser manufacturing, from being barely noticed to playing a significant role on the global stage,” he said. “It is essential that Chinese voices are represented and heard in international organisations.”

Ling Xin

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Ling Xin is a science journalist based in Ohio. She mainly covers physics, astronomy and space.