Geophysicist Huang Danian scaled his field’s heights in Britain before returning to China
With China continuing its rapid growth, Chinese scientists and researchers are returning home from abroad to aid in their country’s development. One of those scientists was the renowned Huang Danian, a geophysicist who returned to China seven years ago from Britain and contributed greatly to deep earth exploration technology.
“Huang Danian’s most valuable quality was his sincerity. He sincerely treated his friends well, and loved his family and his motherland,” said Sun Wei, a dear friend of Huang.
In January, Huang died of bile duct cancer at the age of 58.
In 1993, he went to Britain’s Leeds University to study, and earned his doctor’s degree in geophysics, finishing the top of his class.
“When studying in Britain, he combined his Chinese intellectual integrity with British precision,” said Sun.
Though having to encounter language and living difficulties in a foreign country, Huang quickly earned respect from his British professors and colleagues thanks to his profound academic knowledge and hard work.
Dr Roger Clark, Senior Lecturer at Leeds University’s School of Earth & Environment, used to supervise Huang’s PhD work on the quantitative analysis of gravity and magnetic field anomalies.
“As a student, he was clearly very skilled at mathematics, and we enjoyed guiding him into geophysics,” Clark said.
“He was certainly a very dedicated student while he was in Leeds, and I heard exactly the same from colleagues in industry,” he said.
“I always knew he had the skill and energy to do well in whatever he wanted to apply himself to.”
Clark also expressed shock and sadness on Huang’s passing-away. “We never think or expect the students we have taught to pass away before us ... It’s a great loss, both personally and professionally.”
Shortly after he obtained his doctor’s degree, Huang joined a geophysical service company ARKeX in Cambridge as an advanced researcher on high resolution airborne and marine gravity gradiometry, mainly used in oil, gas and mineral resources exploration at sea and on land.
Huang’s team had been deemed by fellow researchers as one of the leading research teams in the industry of mobile detection technology.
Mark Davies, president and CEO of AustinBridgeporth, used to work with Huang at ARKeX for many years.
“I think Huang was an extremely talented geophysicist who pioneered many projects over the years for large independent oil companies,” he said.
My father always wanted to serve his motherland, and wanted to be a person helping others.” Huang Xiao, daughter of Huang Danian