Ms. Qinglian He, born in Shaoyang, Hunan Province in 1956 came to the United through through a fellowship by Scholar Rescue Fund. Her book, The Pitfalls of Modernization, a hard-hitting expose of corruption and the seamier side of China's economic reform, became a national best-seller until was banned by the Chinese Government. She is now with the College of Steten Island, collaborating with Ming Xia, a professor at the College Steten Island to work on Chinese corruption. When she was interviewed through an interpreter by Karen W. Arenson (The New York Times, Sept. 11, 2002), she said that she hoped to return to China, her motherland, but "if the Chinese Communist Party does not change its current policy toward intellectuals, I cannot bo back."
The Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF) awards fellowships to support temporary visits to universities and colleges around world by scholars whose life, security or work is threatened in their home region. Scholars from any field or discipline--including preeminent academics, public intellectuals, writers and artists-and any country or region may qualify. Applications are reviewed in October, January and May each year. Emergency applications may be reviewed on a more frequent basis. Awards are made to universities, colleges and other scholarly institutions around the world willing to host a fellowship candidate and to contribute additional necessary support