Without my Chinese lab mates, students, and colleagues, my research would have never been what it is today. I am forever grateful and proud of the friendships I have built and the science I have learned from them. https://twitter.com/Dichtel/status/1265857841107210241

Chinese exclusion act was racist in 1882 and it is racist now. If you think you are losing the competition, invest in science and collaborate. Don't use that excuse to enact white nationalist laws.

A large number of health care professionals saving our lives in this crisis were first and second generation Chinese students at some point. So are many scientists and engineers building the technology we are using today.

While my Chinese students have been the target of racist attacks, they, along with their friends collected and donated thousands of KN95 masks to health care professionals and essential workers just in the part two months. I am grateful for the contribution they made <3

Dehumanizing and banning Chinese students will only hurt us. They will find other ways to survive and to thrive. I speak of personal experience. When I was banned from this country, I went to Canada and did my science and became a Canadian. We need them. They don't need us.

The right thing to do is fix our ridiculous immigration laws so that our international students can have a path to citizenship if they chose to do so and can contribute to this country without the added stress.