American Courage Awards 2024
Champions of Justice and Science: Honoring the 2024 American Courage Award Recipients
These Asian American scientists and scholars have stood against injustice with unwavering resilience
At the intersection of groundbreaking research and civil rights, a group of Asian American scientists and scholars has stood against injustice with unwavering resilience. This year, we honor Dr. Gang Chen, Dr. Anming Hu, Dr. Franklin Tao, and Dr. Xiaoxing Xi with the 2024 American Courage Award for their extraordinary resilience, bravery, and commitment to justice in the face of racial profiling and wrongful prosecution.
These four scientists, wrongfully targeted by the now-defunct “China Initiative,” were subjected to baseless accusations of espionage solely due to their Asian heritage. Despite the trauma of their experiences, each has persevered, not only defending their innocence but continuing to lead in their respective fields of research. Their courage under pressure and determination to uphold truth and justice reflect the very spirit of this award.
Dr. Gang Chen is the Carl Richard Soderberg Professor of Power Engineering at MIT and a respected scientist in nanoscience, clean energy, and clean water technologies. However, his remarkable career was nearly derailed when he became one of the many Asian American scientists wrongfully targeted by the U.S. government under the now-defunct “China Initiative.”
In 2021, Dr. Chen was arrested and accused of espionage, despite there being no evidence to support these charges. Thankfully, the scientific and Asian American community rallied around him, and by 2022, all charges were dropped, allowing him to return to his role at MIT, where he was warmly welcomed back. Shortly after in 2023, he was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Chen, who will be accepting the award on behalf of his fellow honorees, exemplifies the incredible strength and perseverance that define this group.
The stories of Dr. Xiaoxing Xi, Dr. Anming Hu, and Dr. Franklin Tao echo similar themes of resilience in the face of injustice. These brilliant minds were also unjustly targeted, arrested, and prosecuted under the “China Initiative”.
Dr. Xiaoxing Xi, Laura H. Carnell Professor of Physics at Temple University, was one of the first victims of this unjust profiling. In 2015, the FBI arrested him in his own home, holding his family at gunpoint, and accused him of sharing confidential technology with China. The charges, later revealed to be baseless, were eventually dropped. While Dr. Xi’s exoneration brought relief, the scars of the experience ran deep. For him and his family, the trauma of that day is far from forgotten.
Dr. Anming Hu, a tenured associate professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was the first academic to face trial under the China Initiative. Although he had followed all disclosure protocols, he was indicted in 2020. After enduring a harrowing trial, he was acquitted in 2021. Dr. Hu has since been reinstated to his position, but the trauma of the ordeal remains.
Dr. Franklin Tao, a professor at the University of Kansas, was similarly targeted based on baseless accusations. Arrested in 2019, he faced numerous charges, all of which have since been dismissed after a grueling 5-year battle. Despite the challenges, Dr. Tao has continued his groundbreaking research on catalysis for energy and environmental sustainability, receiving multiple prestigious awards for his work.
As Dr. Gang Chen steps forward to accept this year’s award on behalf of his peers, we recognize the strength and solidarity that has allowed them to rise above the challenges they faced. Together, they remind us of the profound resilience needed to overcome systemic bias and discrimination — and the power of truth in the pursuit of justice.
These four scientists, Gang Chen, Anming Hu, Franklin Tao, and Xiaoxing Xi, exemplify not only academic excellence but also extraordinary bravery and strength. For their courage, perseverance, and contributions to both science and society, we are proud to honor them with the 2024 American Courage Award!
Our 2024 American Courage Awards signature event will honor individuals and those in the corporate sector who have shown extraordinary commitment to civil rights on Thursday, October 3 at The National Press Club in Washington, DC. Register to attend here.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice — AAJC has a mission to advance the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and to build and promote a fair and equitable society for all. Visit our website at advancingjustice-aajc.org
