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Return to One’s Duty and Dig Deep into the Root: Some Thoughts on the Value of Scientific Research in the New Era

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2026-04-30

Return to One’s Duty and Dig Deep into the Root: Some Thoughts on the Value of Scientific Research in the New Era

Sun Zuodong

Scientific research has its own principles, and academic pursuit requires abiding by one’s duty. Genuine scientific exploration begins with curiosity about the unknown and succeeds through perseverance in truth. Its value lies in independent thinking, deep exploration of fundamentals, and pragmatic contributions; it lies in uncovering laws and benefiting society—not in chasing paper counts or obsessing over titles and honors, still less in losing direction amid online popularity and empty fame.

The aphorism of physics pioneer Ernest Rutherford still rings in our ears: those who only bury themselves in mechanical labor without calm and in-depth thinking can hardly open the door to scientific innovation. Today, amid increasingly favorable research conditions and rapidly evolving technological tools, this simple saying deserves constant self-reflection and earnest practice by every researcher.

We are glad to see continuous growth in national investment in scientific research, widespread availability of high-end instruments, deepening international cooperation, and growing prominence of Chinese scholars on the global academic stage. Yet amid rapid development, certain phenomena warrant vigilance and reflection.

Some research relies excessively or even “obsesses” over specific high-end instruments, falling into the stereotype of “emphasizing observation and description while neglecting mechanism reasoning, prioritizing paper output over original construction.” Researchers are content with obtaining exquisite structural images, generating massive experimental data, and publishing papers in high-impact-factor journals, but fail to dig deeply into the “why” behind phenomena, devote insufficient effort to original construction of theoretical frameworks, and pay inadequate attention to the “last mile” of translating research findings into clinical applications and industrial services. If scientific research stops at “what has been observed” and neglects exploring “why it is so” and “how it can be possible,” its depth and influence will inevitably be limited.

The wave of artificial intelligence is sweeping through all disciplines and profoundly reshaping research paradigms. In life sciences and other fields, AI demonstrates powerful capabilities in structure analysis, data mining, and outcome prediction. This brings an efficiency revolution and also poses a profound question: when many repetitive and stylized analytical tasks can be efficiently completed by machines, how should researchers reposition their core value? The answer may lie in returning to humanity’s most irreplaceable traits: insight to raise critical questions, creativity to design ingenious experiments, reasoning power to build theoretical systems, and imagination for cross-disciplinary integration. After all, the core of scientific research is the clash of ideas and the creation of wisdom—not being reduced to operators of advanced equipment.

A sound academic evaluation system is the cornerstone of a healthy research ecosystem. Once, excessive pursuit of SCI paper counts, journal impact factors, and publications in top journals fostered a short-sighted tendency to “follow trends and chase factors,” fueling “fast-food-style” research and squeezing space for original and disruptive research that requires “sharpening a sword for ten years.” Genuine academic contributions are never simply defined by immediate citation counts; they lie in expanding the boundaries of knowledge, standing the test of time, and ultimately driving social progress. Currently, from the state to research institutions at all levels, reforms such as “breaking the five onlys” are being vigorously promoted to break the rigid single evaluation yardstick and establish a more diversified, inclusive system that focuses on practical contributions—a undoubtedly encouraging direction.

In the era of highly developed information, researchers are not only explorers of knowledge but also, to some extent, disseminators of knowledge and social role models. Seeking truth and being rigorous are the lifeline of science and should be the foundation of the public image of researchers. Thoroughly studying core issues in one’s professional field is the foundation of one’s academic career. If basic issues in one’s own field remain unclear, yet one eagerly chases trends, crosses boundaries frequently, and pursues online popularity in the name of “science popularization” or “commentary,” it may not only damage personal academic reputation but also blur the essence of scientific research and mislead public understanding of the scientific spirit.

Academic inheritance lies in the continuation of spirit. Pioneering scholars laid the foundation, and later generations carry forward the cause; together, they should safeguard the academic tradition of dedication and truth-seeking. Shedding vanity, cultivating inner strength, and earning respect through profound academic attainments and solid contributions should be the unchanging pursuit of the academic community. Meanwhile, we call for further optimization of the management and allocation of research resources, to direct precious funding and support more accurately to teams and individuals dedicated to tackling key problems without distraction, and to research directions concerning long-term foundations, key core technologies, and national well-being and people’s livelihood.

The essence of scientific research is not being a vassal of precision instruments, a slave to paper indicators, or a performer in public opinion. It is a lonely yet passionate pursuit of truth, a cautious exploration at the edge of human knowledge. Once deprived of the courage to think independently and the patience to delve into research, and alienated by tools, indicators, and empty fame, scientific research may deviate from its original aspiration.

The path of academic pursuit begins with rectifying the mind. On the road of scientific research, never forget to think. On the journey of building a country strong in science and technology, may every researcher keep the original aspiration, abide by their duty, and with the vision to look up at the stars and the diligence to stand on solid ground, jointly safeguard the sanctity of science and contribute wisdom and strength that stand the test of time.

The Party leads the direction of scientific research, and academic pursuit adheres to the right path. Keeping the mission and original aspiration firmly in mind, digging deep into fundamentals and devoting to truth-seeking, we will contribute our due share to China’s self-reliance and strength in science and technology and a clean and upright academic ecosystem.

(Author’s affiliations: Ya'ou Brain Science Institute of Heilongjiang province; Harbin Aobo Medical Devices Co., Ltd.)

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