[Model of Excellence] Jia Han: Geological research is a job that truly “wears you down.”

Unlike most scientists who spend much of their time in the lab, Jia Han, a geologist at the Institute of Geology, spends more than half the year in the field. From phosphate‑mine exploration and mining‑site geological‑environment assessments to ecological protection and restoration of land‑space resources, Jia Han has consistently been on the front lines of both research and production‑oriented operations.

In 2017, Jia Han officially joined the Geological Society of China. Since then, leveraging the Society’s platform and his fieldwork experience, he has continuously expanded his scholarly contributions. In 2021, recommended by the Geological Society of China, Jia Han was selected for the seventh cohort of the China Association for Science and Technology’s Young Talent Support Program.

01 Geological research is a job that truly tests one’s patience.

Research in the geological sciences has its own distinctive character: it is a cyclical process of practice, reflection, renewed practice, and renewed reflection, with particular emphasis on integrating fieldwork and laboratory analysis. To ensure the accuracy of data, researchers must frequently conduct on-site surveys and collect samples, enduring wind, sun, rain, and frost as an everyday reality. Consequently, in Jia Han’s view, geological research is a truly demanding and painstaking endeavor.

One scorching summer, Jia Han and his team traveled to a mining area along the Yangtze River to collect soil samples from nearby farmland. The timing coincided with the sweltering peak of the “Sanfu” period, and after a full day of fieldwork, nearly all members of the project team suffered heatstroke. Yet, in pursuit of accurate experimental results, no one voiced a single complaint. Their local driver, skeptical at first, kept asking, “Are you really college students? Why would university graduates take on such grueling work? It seems you’d better choose a good major if you’re going to go to college!” He acknowledged that every profession has its own hardships, and that the geological field upholds the spirit of “Three Glories and Four Specials”: “taking pride in the geological cause, in hard work and perseverance, and in making contributions through mineral exploration,” as well as “being especially resilient, patient, combative, and dedicated.”

“Although today’s field conditions for geological surveys have improved significantly compared with the past, this spirit remains timeless and must be passed down and carried forward. A challenging work environment can forge an unwavering character and a tenacious, persistent mindset; while difficulties and setbacks are only temporary, the resilience cultivated through such experiences will become life’s most precious asset,” said Jia Han.

02 Conducting academic exchanges through the society’s platform

In 2017, Jia Han officially joined the Geological Society of China. Over the course of five years, leveraging the Society’s platform, he engaged in academic exchanges with numerous peers and participated in its activities, thereby gaining substantial experience to support his research endeavors.

Jia Han stated that the Geological Society of China has provided him with a high‑level platform for academic exchange. The Society has organized numerous conferences and workshops showcasing cutting‑edge, pioneering, and groundbreaking achievements in the geosciences, all of which have broadened his horizons, clarified his research approach, and helped him identify clear directions for future studies.

In addition, the Society has helped drive the transformation and upgrading of the geological sector by, for example, organizing evaluations to designate geologically‑rich cultural villages and towns and certifying naturally selenium‑enriched lands, thereby extending the benefits of geological research to society. This not only advances the modernization of the industry but also puts the national rural revitalization strategy into concrete practice. Such pioneering initiatives enable the rapid application and commercialization of geological findings, delivering both economic and social returns while fostering a sense of accomplishment among researchers.

03 Writing Papers on the Land of Our Motherland

In 2020, Jia Han officially joined the Communist Party of China. “The most profound impact of joining the Party has been that my ideals and convictions in scientific research have grown even stronger, my goals have become clearer, and I am determined to be a practitioner who ‘writes my papers on the land of our motherland,’” said Jia Han.

Jia Han believes that “writing one’s thesis on the land of our motherland” is highly compatible with the geoscience profession. By its very nature, geological work demands fieldwork, the collection of extensive geological data, and a focus on identifying and solving real-world problems—rather than confining research to the laboratory.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping, from the holistic perspective of ecological civilization, has put forward the proposition that “mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, and grasslands constitute a community of life,” emphasizing the need to “coordinate the systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, and grasslands” and to advance ecological civilization construction in an all‑round, region‑wide, and throughout‑the‑entire‑process manner. As a Party member, Jia Han stated that, going forward, he will take Xi Jinping’s Thought on Ecological Civilization as his guiding principle, focusing on the chemical and mineral sectors—areas where he has a solid professional foundation—and, from a hydrogeological standpoint, conduct research on the prevention, control, and remediation of acidic mine wastewater pollution, thereby contributing to the integrated protection, systematic restoration, and comprehensive management of territorial space.