On August 20, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) announced the valid candidate lists for 2025 academician selection, with 639 valid candidates for CAS academician selection and 660 for CAE. The subsequent process will involve external peer expert evaluation and academician selection conference elections to select new academicians.

CAS academician is the highest academic title established by the state in science and technology, representing lifelong honor. Academician selection and foreign academician elections are held every two years. By the end of December 2023, a total of 1,555 scholars and experts from various departments and regions across the country (including Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) have been elected as CAS academicians (academic division members). Since the foreign academician election began in 1994, 191 foreign academicians have been selected.

The "2025 CAS Academician Selection Guide" published earlier this year indicates that the 2025 academician selection quota does not exceed 100. The "CAE 2025 Academician Selection Guide" also clearly states that the total quota for 2025 CAE academician selection does not exceed 100, with specific allocations: Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering Division 10, Information and Electronic Engineering Division 10, Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Division 10, Energy and Mining Engineering Division 10, Civil, Water Resources and Architectural Engineering Division 10, Environmental and Light Textile Engineering Division 8, Agriculture Division 10, Medicine and Health Division 12 (including 2 for Traditional Chinese Medicine).

Additionally, the CAE guide introduces that 7 quotas are designated for special channel candidates, 8 quotas mainly support candidates from private technology leading enterprises, and 5 quotas mainly support candidates who have worked for more than 20 years in western remote areas (9 provinces and autonomous regions including Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps), with these three categories of quotas used in coordination.

**"Silence Period" Set for Candidates, Serious Violations Lead to Permanent Disqualification**

Alongside the announcement of valid candidate lists, the CAS Academic Divisions Work Bureau published a notice further emphasizing discipline requirements for 2025 CAS academician selection work. Beyond previously emphasized prohibitions against lobbying or seeking favors in any form, either personally or through affiliated institutions and related personnel, and against conducting activities under the guise of academic exchanges, inspections, evaluations, defenses, reviews, awards, consultations, or consultations that might affect the fairness of selection work, this notice explicitly introduced "silence period" requirements for academician candidates.

The notice specifies that from becoming valid candidates until academician selection results are announced, except for attending internal meetings at work units, meetings of superior supervisory departments, or overseas conference activities due to job responsibilities, candidates shall not organize or participate in other meetings and review activities attended by peers, including but not limited to academic conferences, academic reports, project reviews, strategic planning, and consultation evaluations.

The notice emphasizes that violations of selection work discipline requirements will be severely investigated and handled according to regulations. In serious cases, participation qualifications will be permanently cancelled with lifelong accountability. If already elected, academician titles will be cancelled according to procedures.

On August 21, the CAE Selection Work Office also published a notice further strengthening academician selection discipline, emphasizing that academicians must not participate in activities organized by candidates and their institutions during the selection period, must not privately contact candidates or their representatives in violation of regulations, and must resolutely resist various lobbying behaviors.

**"Post-85s" Appear in Academician Candidate Lists**

From the lists announced on the 20th, with 639 valid candidates for CAS academician selection and 660 for CAE, there are many highlights. For example, Liu Yifeng from Zhejiang University and Wang Shu'ao from Soochow University entered the 2025 CAS academician selection valid candidate list, both aged 39.

Liu Yifeng was born in 1985. In June 2021, after resigning from his full professor position at Yale University, he returned to China to join the Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics at Zhejiang University as professor and doctoral supervisor. His main research areas include algebraic number theory, automorphic forms, and algebraic geometry. He received the 2017 American Sloan Research Award and 2018 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize, and currently serves as Executive Vice Dean of the School of Mathematical Sciences at Zhejiang University.

Wang Shu'ao was also born in 1985. He serves as Dean of the School of Radiation Medicine and Protection at Soochow University Medical College, Director of the National Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Radiation Protection at Soochow University, recipient of National Natural Science Foundation Distinguished Young Scholar Fund and continuation funding, Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor of the Ministry of Education, member of the Expert Advisory Committee of the Chemical Sciences Division of the National Natural Science Foundation, Fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society, and member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Chang Chao, a "post-80s" scholar who was previously shortlisted for the 2023 CAS academician selection valid candidate list, has been shortlisted again this year. Chang Chao is from the National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology at the Academy of Military Science of the People's Liberation Army. Two years ago, Chang Chao, then only 39 years old, was shortlisted with Li Jiaming as recommender. This time, the recommendation channel is the China Association for Science and Technology.

Also "post-80s," Fu Qiaomei from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of CAS is listed among CAS academician selection valid candidates, aged 41, recommended by Zhu Min. Fu Qiaomei, female, Han ethnicity, born in December 1983, CCP member, with doctoral degree, currently serves as researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of CAS. She dedicates herself to developing innovative ancient genomics experimental techniques, focusing on exploring human population origins and evolution issues, decoding the complex genetic history of East Asian modern humans, mapping dynamic genetic histories of Eurasian populations across different periods, conducting large-scale systematic ancient genomics research on Chinese populations, and obtaining the first extinct ancient human DNA in East Asia from Tibetan Plateau "soil." Related achievements have been selected for Nature "Top Ten Scientific Events of the Year" and "China's Top Ten Scientific Advances."

For CAE, candidate Tao Fei from Beihang University was born in February 1981, Lu Chaoyang from University of Science and Technology of China was born in November 1982, Wu Chen from Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences was born in January 1982, Xu Xun from Shenzhen BGI Holding Group was born in April 1984, and Zhang Cheng from Qilu Hospital of Shandong University was born in March 1980, all representing "post-80s" young scholars in the CAE academician candidate group.

**Renowned Scholars Reappear as Candidates**

Beyond these young faces, some scholars who previously participated in selection candidacies have been shortlisted again this year, launching another sprint toward academician status. For example, Liang Tingbo, President of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, entered the CAS academician selection valid candidate list, recommended by Shi Yigong, President of Westlake University and CAS academician. This marks Liang Tingbo's second appearance on the CAS academician selection valid candidate list after 2023, with Shi Yigong also among the previous recommenders.

Liang Tingbo, born in October 1965, is chief physician, professor, and doctoral supervisor. He previously served as Party Secretary of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine and was appointed as hospital president in July this year.

Professor Hu Hailan from Zhejiang University has been shortlisted again for CAS academician selection candidacy this year. Previously, she was shortlisted for CAS academician selection candidate lists in 2019 and 2021. Hu Hailan's research directions include neural encoding mechanisms of normal emotions, abnormal emotions (such as depression), neural circuits and molecular mechanisms, and neural circuit mechanisms of social competition.

Li Shutao, who was just transferred from Vice President of Hunan University to President of Chang'an University in July, has been shortlisted again for CAS academician candidacy after 2023. This year's nominator is Cui Tiejun, with his affiliated institution remaining Hunan University. Li Shutao, male, born in October 1972, CCP member, Doctor of Engineering, professor, and doctoral supervisor, has long engaged in research in image processing, information fusion, and pattern recognition.

**Cutting-Edge Talents in "New Three Categories," 3D Printing, Artificial Intelligence and Other Fields Featured in Candidate Lists**

From a disciplinary perspective, multiple scholars from the "New Three Categories" industries represented by solar batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and electric vehicles have been shortlisted for academician selection valid candidate lists. For example, Lian Yubo, Chief Scientist of BYD Group, and Wu Kai, Chief Scientist of CATL, were both shortlisted for CAE academician valid candidate lists in 2023, and both Lian Yubo and Wu Kai have been shortlisted again this time.

Lian Yubo previously worked at China Automotive Technology and Research Center participating in design and joined BYD Co., Ltd. in February 2004. In July 2023, BYD announced that Lian Yubo would assume the position of Chief Scientist, resign from Vice President position, and continue serving as Chief Engineer of Automotive and Dean of Automotive Engineering Research Institute.

Wu Kai was born in November 1968, holds a doctorate from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. From 1992 to 1998, he served as lecturer at Wuhan University of Technology; from 1998 to 2002, as R&D manager at Dongguan New Kemai Magnetic Factory; from 2002 to 2015, as R&D director at Dongguan New Energy Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.; and since 2011, as Chief Scientist at Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL). On June 21, 2023, CATL announced receiving written resignation from company director and vice general manager Wu Kai. After resignation, Wu Kai continues serving as company Chief Scientist while assuming the position of Director of the National Engineering Research Center for Electrochemical Energy Storage Technology.

Li Zhenguo from the photovoltaic industry has also been shortlisted for CAE academician valid candidate list this time, affiliated with LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd., nominated through China Association for Science and Technology. Li Zhenguo has long devoted himself to photovoltaic technology research, application, and promotion, leading and participating in R&D of multiple key technologies, driving systematic breakthroughs in monocrystalline silicon rods, wafers, cells and other segments multiple times.

Beyond the "New Three Categories," scholars from 3D printing and artificial intelligence fields featured in the shortlists have also attracted attention. For example, materials scientist and renowned 3D printing field scholar Tang Huiping has been shortlisted for CAE academician selection valid candidate list. Tang Huiping mainly engages in research and industrialization of metal porous materials and metal 3D printing, presided over establishing the State Key Laboratory of Porous Metal Materials, and serves as metal group leader in CAE's "3D Printing Materials and Application Development Strategy Research" consulting project.

Artificial intelligence expert and Director of Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence Zhu Songchun has been shortlisted for CAE academician selection valid candidate list, nominated by Zheng Nanning. Zhu Songchun has long devoted himself to constructing unified mathematical frameworks for computer vision, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence science, publishing over 300 papers in international top journals and conferences; winning the Marr Prize, the highest international award in computer vision, three times; and serving as chairman of the International Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition twice.

**Multiple Candidates from New Research Universities**

This year's academician selection candidate lists feature multiple individuals from new research universities such as Westlake University and Ningbo University of Technology, representing another highlight of this year's candidate list.

For example, Yan Ning, who was elected CAS academician in 2023 and serves as President of Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, has become the recommender for Chai Jijie, Chair Professor of Plant Immunology at Westlake University. Chai Jijie's laboratory has long engaged in structural and functional research of receptor-like kinases (RLK) and NOD-like receptor proteins (NLR) mediating innate immune responses in plants. Both Chai Jijie and Yan Ning are students of Professor Shi Yigong, President of Westlake University and CAS academician.

The CAS Mathematics and Physics Division academician candidate list includes Tang Leihan and Wang Xujia from Westlake University, as well as Wei Suhuai from Ningbo University of Technology. Among them, Tang Leihan previously served as Director of the Institute for Computational and Theoretical Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University and was appointed as Chair Professor at the School of Science and Center for Interdisciplinary Studies at Westlake University in 2024. Wang Xujia was elected Foreign Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2009, received the Australian Laureate Fellowship in 2013, and joined Westlake University in September 2024. Wei Suhuai returned to China full-time in 2015 to serve as Chair Professor and Director of Materials and Energy Research Department at Beijing Computational Science Research Center, and joined Ningbo University of Technology as Dean of the School of Physics in June 2024.

Additionally, Cai Zongwei from Ningbo University of Technology and others have also entered the valid candidate lists.