10 years has passed since Dr. Logical Siyuan Yan’s time at BCIS, yet she remains a celebrity at her alma mater high school. As the epitome of a high-achiever that present-day BCISers strive to emulate, Logical’s success is not only evidenced by her academic prowess but also the sheer fervor twinkling in her eyes and the voracious curiosity that brightens her face. Nowadays, she works on an international particle physics project at the most prestigious research organization in the world, pursuing her childhood dream of unlocking the secrets of the universe.

Before coming to BCIS, Logical was raised in Jiangmen of Guangdong province, a city celebrated for its intellectual heritage and home to 34 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. As a child, she had a knack for finding solutions to problems and was driven by the thrill of uncovering more knowledge. Indeed, it seems perfectly fitting that her name should be Logical, even more so that her Chinese name translates to “deeply pondering the essence of origins”. It is no surprise that at the local schools she attended, she found the science classes extremely easy. Yet, she also felt confined by the Gaokao system, a one-size-fits-all approach to education that couldn’t satisfy her curiosity and passion. 

In search of a more holistic, explorative learning environment, Logical’s family relocated from Jiangmen to Beijing, where she eventually found her place at BCIS. “Transferring to BCIS was a very formative experience in my life”, she explains. “I could finally pursue hobbies and do the things I like, instead of just aiming for grades.”  BCIS is a place that values passion and community over academic perfection. With smaller class sizes and teachers who truly knew their students, Logical had the freedom to explore, communicate and grow. She wasn’t just digging deeper into her love for science but also experimenting with new interests and building strong bonds with both classmates and teachers.

Naturally, Logical’s career path after high school would be scientific research. This journey began with a physics bachelor at the University of London, followed by master’s at Imperial College and PhD at Oxford, all completed by the age of 26. Today, she works on the forefront of scientific discovery, as a part of the ATLAS experiment at CERN—the world's largest particle physics laboratory, nestled in the picturesque city of Geneva on the France-Switzerland border.

Her research focuses on the recently discovered Higgs Boson, a tiny particle that helps explain why everything in the world has mass. She studies muons, which are particles that the Higgs Boson decays into, and by analyzing the behavior of these muons, she traces their paths back to the Higgs Boson to learn more about its properties. Every morning, she walks to work through the scenic Swiss countryside, where farm fields stretch as far as the eye can see, and cragged mountains nestle idly on the horizon. Upon arriving at CERN, she begins another busy day of coding, calculations, modelling and collaborating with top minds from all around the world. Although she says that “a lot of scientist are very pessimistic about the future of particle physics, because in their mind, we’ve found everything already,” everyday she is motivated by the belief that there is always something else out there for humankind to discover. “Scientists are intrigued by problems that don’t have an answer, and I’m all here for it!”

As a researcher at CERN, a leading scientific institution, Logical has encountered both opportunities and challenges in her career. “Oh, tell me about it,” she says with a wry smile. While science is meant to transcend borders, she has at times felt the complexities of working in a diverse, international environment. She recalls a situation where a colleague made subjective comparisons between researchers, attributing differences in ability to personal characteristics rather than professional expertise. At first, she chose to focus on her work, but eventually, she decided to address the issue by seeking support from colleagues.

To her relief, the matter was taken seriously, and appropriate action was taken. “I was fortunate that my concerns were acknowledged,” she reflects, “though I know that fostering an inclusive and respectful work environment is an ongoing effort.” Logical acknowledges the progress being made in promoting diversity in STEM, highlighting initiatives such as ATLAS’ goal of increasing female representation to 25% by 2025. However, she believes that ensuring equal opportunities for all talented individuals remains a continuous journey. To young aspiring scientists, she offers this encouragement: “Stay confident in your abilities, speak up for yourself when necessary, and support those around you. Science thrives when we create an environment where everyone’s contributions are valued.”

From a young, wide-eyed girl with a love of science to the empowered woman she is today — from being bored in middle school science class to chasing the wonders of the universe as a professional researcher, from Jiangmen to Beijing to England to Switzerland — Logical has never lost the gleam in her eye or the enthusiasm in her voice. When she speaks of science, her eyebrows dance merrily up and down, and an irrepressible smile plays at the corner of her lips. Despite the possibility that there may not be any answers to her questions at all, her passion never dies.