Patrick Collison's Questions
On the Chinese research question: Just wait a decade.<p>In all likelihood, I am permanently departing academia in about a month. The underlying reason is structural -- neither our funding agency nor our institution is willing to yield on a fundamental sticking point that is causing all of our young researchers to leave. I am about to join them. There is literally no path forward.<p>In the decade that I have watched my world-leading research group wither, our Chinese colleagues have expanded their laboratories by 4-5x, appear to be well-resourced, and are poised to lead the world on all fronts within the decade.<p>An excellent colleague of mine, who had done <i>excellent</i> work for US particle-physics experiments, went to China for a high-energy physics faculty interview. On arrival, he was surprised to find that there appeared to be another candidate competing for the position. He did his best, as did the other candidate. As he prepared to depart, he asked whether or not it had been a competition for the open position. The reply? &quot;We had one position, but we liked both of your talks so much, we are extending offers to both of you.&quot;  There was no matching US offer of which I am aware: he accepted.<p>That essentially never happens these days in the United States. It is a story the likes of which one might have heard from 1950-1970.<p>Chinese physics results are continuing to gain in reliability. Where once we saw quite a bit of copy-catting, Chinese fundamental science research is beginning to transition into regularly breaking new ground.<p>Wait a decade.<p>We should welcome this development with open arms. A billion smart people, with equal potential, should be able to turn out roughly three times as much research as the 0.34 billion smart people in the US.  We can encourage that research at the same time that we must stand against the regime&#x27;s attacks on democracy in Hong Kong, the atrocities occurring in Xinjiang, their surveillance state, threatening the independence of Taiwan, enabling North Korea, and more.  ( The US has dirty laundry, too: Our President is incompetent. <i>Vote!</i> )