Physicist Stephen Lin Er Chow Leaves NUS for Full-Time Position at Zhejiang University
The 28-year-old researcher, who published groundbreaking copper-free superconducting oxide findings in Nature at age 27, has relocated from the National University of Singapore through Zhejiang University’s “100 Young Professors” programme. Chow cited Hangzhou’s living environment and West Lake scenery as factors in his move, noting family ties to China.
South China Morning PostPhysicist Stephen Lin Er Chow has joined Zhejiang University full-time from the National University of Singapore after designing a groundbreaking copper-free superconducting oxide capable of high-temperature superconductivity. South China Morning Post reported that Chow arrived in China through Zhejiang University’s “100 Young Professors” programme.
He is a principal investigator at the elite research university and a doctoral supervisor at the leading Chinese institution.
In 2025, at age 27, Chow published his findings in the journal Nature. The 2025 Nature publication marked the first top-tier publication for the NUS lab since its establishment two decades ago. ” He also pointed to his connections to China, noting that his grandfather was of Chinese descent and his wife is Chinese.
The article detailing his move was published on 15 May 2026. At NUS in 2022, Chow became the youngest recipient of the Best Graduate Researcher Award during his PhD studies. Immediately after graduation at 26 years old, he was offered a position at the university as a research fellow.
His relocation comes amid a high-level recruitment drive by Chinese research universities.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
4 events- 2022
Stephen Lin Er Chow became the youngest recipient of the Best Graduate Researcher Award during his PhD studies at NUS
1 sourceSouth China Morning Post - 2022
Immediately after graduation at age 26, Chow was offered a position at NUS as a research fellow
1 sourceSouth China Morning Post - 2025
At age 27, Chow published findings in Nature, the first top-tier publication for the NUS lab in two decades
1 sourceSouth China Morning Post - 2026-05-15
South China Morning Post publishes article on Chow's full-time move to Zhejiang University
1 sourceSouth China Morning Post
Potential Impact
- 01
Zhejiang University gains a young principal investigator and doctoral supervisor with breakthrough superconductivity research
- 02
NUS loses a researcher who delivered its first Nature paper in 20 years for its lab
- 03
Chow's relocation may strengthen China's high-temperature superconductivity research capacity
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