
A: At that time there was an exchange program funded by the French government for qualified students to study in France. But because the program only accepted 130 students from China each year, applicants had to be the best-of-the-best to receive a scholarship. A perfect applicant score was 100, but I actually received a score of 120, because the board granted me additional points for using materials from an American textbook. As a result, I received a full scholarship for 4 years of graduate study in France.
Q: Which university did you attend?
A: I originally selected a professor from the University of Paris, but when he became a minister in the French government, I had to change professors. He sent me to the University of Aix-Marseilles, since I could no longer study under him.
Q: How did you prepare for school in France? Did you speak French?
A: Prior to leaving for France, I spent 9 months learning French at a language institute, and later enrolled for 3 additional months of French classes at the University of Besançon in Eastern France before I entered school.
Q: What advanced degrees did you pursue at the University of Aix-Marseilles?
A: I earned a Masters in Physics, and a Ph.D. in Material Science and Engineering at the age of 24.