PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Yanqing Ye

Yanqing Ye is a former Boston University researcher charged in a 2020 federal case involving alleged People's Liberation Army intelligence gathering on US robotics and computer science experts. After studying in China at the National University of Defense Technology, she submitted a US J-1 visa application in August 2017 stating that her military service had ended. From October 2017 to April 2019, she worked as a researcher in Boston University's Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at the Center for Polymer Studies before leaving the school and admitting her military rank during an April 2019 FBI interview in Boston. Federal prosecutors in Boston charged her in January 2020 with acting as an agent of a foreign government, visa fraud, making false statements and conspiracy, and the Justice Department confirmed in 2020 that she remained in China.

Timeline

  1. August 2017

    J-1 visa application

    Before joining Boston University, she studies in China at the National University of Defense Technology. In August 2017, she submits a U.S. J-1 visa application identifying herself as a student and stating that her military service has ended.

  2. October 2017–April 2019

    Center for Polymer Studies at BU

    From October 2017 to April 2019, Ye works as a researcher in Boston University's Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at the Center for Polymer Studies.

  3. April 2019

    FBI interview and departure from BU

    In April 2019, she leaves Boston University. While waiting in Boston for a flight back to China in April 2019, she is interviewed by an FBI agent and admits her People's Liberation Army rank.

  4. January 2020

    Federal charges and arrest warrant

    In January 2020, she is charged in the United States alongside two other individuals for assisting the Chinese government, and a federal arrest warrant is issued for her in Boston. She is wanted on charges of acting as an agent of a foreign government, visa fraud, making false statements and conspiracy.

  5. 2020

    Alleged military research assignments

    In 2020, prosecutors allege that while studying at Boston University she conducts research for the Chinese military and sends documents and information to China. A search of her electronic devices allegedly shows her compiling information for the People's Liberation Army about two U.S. residents with expertise in robotics and computer science.

  6. 2020

    FBI wanted poster and location

    In 2020, the FBI releases a wanted poster for Ye and states that she is believed to be in China, where the Justice Department confirms she remains. Her last reported research role is at Boston University's Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering, at the Center for Polymer Studies from 2017 to 2019.

Career

  1. 2017–2019Boston University

Education

  1. National University of Defense Technology

From the biography.

  1. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes Boston University. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  2. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Boston University. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  3. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes Boston University. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  4. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes Boston University. We estimate that Google holds the highest combined h-index at 8,016, while universities account for 73% of the deduplicated total across AI organizations.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Yanqing Ye yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Former Boston University student wanted by the FBI for alleged counterintelligence boston.com. Checked 22 October 2026.
  2. US ties activities of arrested Chinese military officer to those by defendant in Boston case finance.yahoo.com. Checked 22 October 2026.
  3. Yanqing Ye - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 22 October 2026.
  4. Daily Free Press: Boston University researcher indicted dailyfreepress.com. Checked 22 October 2026.
  5. Harvard Professor, BU Researcher Among 3 Charged With Illegal Ties To China - CBS Boston cbsnews.com. Checked 22 October 2026.
  6. Warrant Issued For BU Researcher Who Allegedly Worked As Agent For Chinese Government cbsnews.com. Checked 22 October 2026.
  7. Harvard professor charged with hiding China ties pbs.org. Checked 22 October 2026.