China Replaces Celebrity Ads with Honors for Scientists Amid Academic Integrity Push

Key summary

Since August, large-scale advertisements in China's shopping malls, bus stops, and airports have shifted from entertainment celebrities to leading scientists. The campaign highlights figures such as Qian Xuesen, Deng Jiaxian, Yuan Longping, and Tu Youyou, citing their global contributions. Initiated in Heze and Zibo, Shandong, the trend has spread to major cities including Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, Chongqing, and Jinan. The move supports a 2019 national policy on scientific spirit and addresses three main drivers: emphasizing science and technology for national development, supporting Chinese scientists returning from abroad (with reports noting a 75% increase in Chinese-origin scientists leaving the US recently), and setting academic role models over entertainment idols to reduce social issues. The campaign occurs alongside concerns over academic credibility, citing research output in Nature Index rising from 5,022 papers in 2014 to over 32,122 in 2024. In April 2026, Gei Hongwei exposed data irregularities at Dongji University's biology department, leading to an investigation and admission of guilt by the university in May 2026. Consequently, China's Ministry of Science and Technology issued new research ethics guidelines to prevent unethical paper retraction and uphold scientific integrity.