In June this year, the news of Dr. Stanford applying for a position as a township civil servant in Lingbi County, Suzhou, had attracted attention. The latest update reveals that the doctor has taken up a position in Xiangyang Town in Lingbi County and is currently in the internship phase, sparking controversy once again.
On September 30th, it was reported by The Paper that Dr. Stanford Su Zhen has already started working in Xiangyang Town, Lingbi County, and will be officially stationed after completing a one-year probation period. However, due to a shortage of staff and heavy workload, it is challenging to allocate one position per person, and there is no special training plan for him.
According to a report by Red Star News, Su Zhen applied for a comprehensive management position in grassroots affairs administration within the government of Lingbi County, Suzhou. The position is classified as a level-four directorial officer or below, and it is required to be filled by residents of the city, who will be assigned to Xiangyang Town or Weiji Town in Lingbi County.
On the morning of September 29th, a Red Star News reporter called the government of Weiji Town and was informed that Su Zhen was in Xiangyang Town. After contacting the staff of Xiangyang Town, they mentioned that this matter needed to be reported to the county’s Propaganda Department. Later that afternoon, the Propaganda Department of Lingbi County responded that Su Zhen had indicated he was already working and wished to keep a low profile, politely declining the reporter’s interview.
That evening, Red Star News encountered Su Zhen in Xiangyang Town, Lingbi County, where he declined the reporter’s request for an interview.
In June this year, a list of candidates for township civil servant positions in 2024 sparked controversy online. The list revealed that Su Zhen, a graduate of Stanford University in the United States, participated in the selection process for the position with job code 040167.
On June 20th, a reporter from Red Star News visited Su Zhen’s hometown in Xiaoxian County, Anhui. Guided by a villager, the reporter arrived at Su Zhen’s home, but no one was there as the front gate was tightly locked. A neighbor mentioned, “Su Zhen’s parents are usually not residing in the village, they work outside and seldom come back. I know he got into a top university, the relationship between his parents and villagers is good, but we don’t interact much with him.”
Previous reports revealed that Su Zhen had also received the Guo Moruo Scholarship, which is the highest honor scholarship for undergraduate students at the University of Science and Technology of China. According to the school’s announcement, he also received a scholarship when he later went to Stanford.
The issue of Su Zhen’s employment has once again stirred up controversy.
An expert from the “Famous Column” on the Zhiyin website and Weibo influencer “Liao Xiaoli” stated, “Highly educated talents can indeed work as grassroots civil servants. For instance, some humanities master’s and doctoral degree holders may find it challenging to secure employment, so becoming a civil servant at the grassroots level is viable, especially as some humanities disciplines are suitable for civil service jobs. But looking at this child, who managed to get into a prestigious university like USTC as an undergraduate, studying physics, and then obtained a highly prestigious doctorate from a top global university, undoubtedly demonstrates high intelligence and academic excellence. Why didn’t he choose to teach at a top university in the ‘985 Project’? Why not continue with scientific research? Why?”
Weibo influencer “Above the Dome Talks about Metaphysics” expressed, “Previously, the blogger mentioned that several Ivy League graduates compete for high-ranking positions, and many doubted it in private messages. Well, this trending news now involves a doctorate from an Ivy League school.”
Weibo influencer “Imperial Academy Academician” commented, “In recent years, it is not uncommon for graduates from prestigious universities to apply for grassroots civil servant positions. For example, in April this year, a woman who graduated from Harvard University was appointed in the Education Bureau of Yuhang District in Hangzhou; in 2022, a female Ph.D. from the Physics Department of Peking University was employed in the ‘Urban Management Law Enforcement Post’ in a street office in Chaoyang District, Beijing.”
A netizen with the username “Waiting78241” remarked, “If he had a powerful official father, his future and destiny would have been completely different!”