Chen poses for a photo during his work. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

How can I do a good job in marine research if I don't work close to the sea, said Chen Jiawang, professor at the Institute of Ocean Engineering and Technology of Zhejiang University.

In 2011, Zhoushan was approved to be the first ocean-themed national zone and four years later, ZJU's Ocean College started operating in Zhoushan.

Chen and his team pose for a group phot during the 55th scientific investigation into Chinese oceans. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Chen therefore relocated from Hangzhou to the city. "With numerous islands and changing sea conditions, Zhoushan is helpful to testing marine technical equipment," said Chen.

Seven years of hard work in Zhoushan finally paid off. Chen has published more than 50 research papers, 40 of which have been collected by the Science Citation Index, and received over 70 granted patents.