Stanford PhD physicist applies for rural clerk job in central Chinese town

Su Zhen, with a doctorate from top US university, reportedly appears on civil servant candidate list in Anhui province, sparking speculation

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A Stanford University PhD graduate has prompted online debate after his name was seen on a screenshot of a list of civil service candidates for a rural part of China. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 5:00pm, 9 Jun 2024Updated: 5:26pm, 9 Jun 2024

A Stanford PhD graduate in physics is reportedly on a list of applicants hoping to work as a grass-roots public servant in rural China, prompting speculation over the career move – and debate on whether it is a waste of his academic talents.

A screenshot circulating on China’s social media shows a shortlist of this year’s township civil servants in the southwest province of Anhui, which includes a candidate named Su Zhen. He stands out for his impressive education: while other candidates attended little-known colleges and vocational schools in China, Su graduated from a leading American institution that ranks third in the Best Global Universities list.

In China, the civil service exam usually consists of a written test, interview and assessment – those listed on the screenshot still have to undergo their “political assessment” before the final decision is made and announced.

As the list has not yet been made public, the Post could not independently verify the original source of the screenshot. However the Post did confirm the authenticity of the case with two insiders, including one from Xiao county, a region of around 1 million people in northern Anhui province, where Su was born and graduated from a local high school.

One of Su’s high school classmates, who goes by the username Hyman, expressed his surprise on Monday on social media site Zhihu, a Quora-like online content platform.

He said when he heard the news from his high school alumni group, his first reaction was, “It’s impossible.”