Chinese authorities have awarded military computer scientist Wang Ji the honorary title of "Role Model of the Times" for his contributions to the development of national defense technology despite his physical disability.

Wang Ji was born in 1969. He is a researcher at the College of Computer Science and Technology at the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT). He's been working in the research and development area of the high-confidence software technologies, whose goal is to verify the correctness of software code based on underlying mathematical principles.

After receiving his PhD in 1995, Wang chose to work at NUDT. In 1999, 30-year-old Wang was invited to evaluate the reliability of aerospace software, leading a team to debug parameters, compare data and successfully identify the optimal model.

It was precisely this mission that convinced Wang that a software's "trustworthiness" is an important support for national defense security. He believes that the reliability of code is not merely a technical metric, but a cornerstone of national security. Every line of instruction must withstand extreme conditions and potential threats, ensuring zero errors in critical operations.

This realization drove him to enforce stricter validation protocols and foster a culture of precision within his team. By prioritizing robustness over speed, he aims to build software systems that are not only efficient but also impervious to failures, thereby supporting the construction of national defense forces.

In early 2013, Wang suffered a sudden aortic dissection. Multiple surgeries saved his life, but he lost both legs. Nevertheless, his resolve remained unshaken. From his hospital bed and later from a wheelchair, he has continued to lead his team, reviewing code and approving designs through a tablet. Many of his students said that seeing him work tirelessly inspired them to push beyond their own limits. They recall how he would often say, "The life that everyone has taken back for me is not seen as mine personally. I believe my life should belong to this society, and I should make more contributions to it."

Wang returned to work in 2015. Ten years later, the major national defense basic research project he led won the Military Science and Technology Progress Award. He also serves as a PhD supervisor, mentoring new generations of scientists.

He has led his team to multiple innovative achievements that reached the international advanced level, trained more than 120 scientists, and made important contributions to ensuring the reliability and safety of key software for major equipment. Wang's disability has not changed his nature as a military professional: "As long as my mind remains sharp and my hands can work, I will never stop."