Story perspectives

Chip Engineer Xu Zhenpeng Returns to China for Freedom

2/5/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Xu Zhenpeng, a chipmaking engineer, will return to China after joining Shanghai Jiao Tong University, citing a lack of freedom in the U.S. research environment.
He previously led a team at Atomic Semi in California, focusing on chipmaking technology.
Xu says strict policies and corporate compliance in the United States hindered his research mobility.
He seeks a more independent research setting in China, where the advanced manufacturing ecosystem is evolving.

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Story summary

Xu Zhenpeng, a chipmaking engineer, will return to China after joining Shanghai Jiao Tong University, citing a lack of freedom in the U.S. research environment.
He previously led a team at Atomic Semi in California, focusing on chipmaking technology.
Xu says strict policies and corporate compliance in the United States hindered his research mobility.
He seeks a more independent research setting in China, where the advanced manufacturing ecosystem is evolving.