Key facts
- Xu Ying, a scientist involved with China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, rejects the nickname 'BeiDou Goddess'.
- She stated that research transcends gender and is not defined by it.
- Xu Ying was born in Sichuan province to a maths teacher and an agricultural technician.
- She was a gifted child with a passion for physics and mathematics.
- She began primary school at age four and entered university at 16.
- She pursued communications engineering and consistently ranked at the top of her class.
Xu Ying, a prominent scientist associated with China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, has publicly stated her discomfort with the nickname 'BeiDou Goddess.' She asserts that scientific research is a pursuit that transcends gender and should not be defined by it. Born in Sichuan province to a mother who was a mathematics teacher and a father who was an agricultural technician, Xu Ying displayed exceptional academic aptitude from a young age. Her passion for physics and mathematics was evident early on. She commenced her primary education at the age of four and entered university at 16 to study communications engineering. Throughout her academic career, she consistently achieved top rankings in her classes, culminating in earning her PhD by the age of 26.