Top Singapore-based Physicist Relocates to China After Superconductor Breakthrough

Stephen Lin Er Chow, a prominent young physicist known for designing a groundbreaking copper-free superconducting oxide capable of high-temperature superconductivity, has officially joined Zhejiang University in China. Previously affiliated with the National University of Singapore (NUS), Chow made headlines at age 27 when he published his findings in the prestigious journal Nature, marking the first top-tier publication for the NUS lab in two decades. Confirming his full-time move to the South China Morning Post, Chow cited Hangzhou’s appealing living environment and West Lake scenery as key factors, alongside personal connections to China through his Chinese wife and grandfather. At NUS, Chow was the youngest ever recipient of the Best Graduate Researcher Award in 2022 and became a research fellow immediately after graduating at 26. He now serves as a principal investigator under Zhejiang University’s “100 Young Professors” programme. This relocation highlights the ongoing competition among global institutions to attract elite scientific talent, particularly in advanced materials research. Chow’s move underscores China’s aggressive recruitment strategies in high-tech sectors and its growing appeal to international researchers seeking robust support for cutting-edge scientific endeavors.