After spending more than twenty years in the United States building an international reputation, mathematician Yuan Yuan has returned to China to continue his academic career. He has taken up a full-time professorship at Westlake University in Hangzhou, joining the Institute for Theoretical Sciences in May 2025.
Yuan, whose research expertise lies in complex geometry and several complex variables, is among a wave of senior academics recruited by Westlake this year. The university also welcomed Zhongwei Shen, a mathematical analysis specialist from the University of Kentucky; Yiyuan She, a machine-learning statistician from Florida State University; and Hai Zhu, an applied and computational mathematician from the Flatiron Institute in New York.
In an official statement, Yuan explained that his decision to return was driven by both personal aspiration and the academic environment Westlake offers. “Maths can really be done anywhere – all you need is paper, a pen and a computer with internet. If you have colleagues who share your passion, that makes it even better,” he said.
He recalled visiting Westlake last year to deliver a lecture, an experience that convinced him the university would be the ideal place to continue his work. “When I was invited to give a talk at the university, I found the campus first-class and the people lively and full of spirit,” he remarked, adding that as a new-type research-oriented university, Westlake naturally became his first choice.
Westlake University, founded in 2018, has positioned itself as one of China’s most ambitious young institutions, aiming to build an international reputation in cutting-edge research. Its Institute for Theoretical Sciences, directed by leading mathematician Gang Tian, has quickly become a magnet for scholars in pure mathematics and theoretical physics. The recruitment of Yuan and his peers signals Westlake’s commitment to expanding its global presence and strengthening its foundation in both pure and applied mathematics.
For Yuan, the move represents both a personal homecoming and a chance to shape the next generation of mathematicians in China. His return also reflects a broader trend of accomplished academics returning from abroad to contribute to China’s scientific and educational development.