Xue Qikun, a renowned Chinese physicist, received the Buckley Prize for his groundbreaking research on topological insulators and the quantum anomalous Hall effect. His dedication and perseverance in science, which has earned him the monicker the "7-11 Professor", has made him an authority in the field of condensed matter physics. He says the scientists in his field are ready to form the foundation for the future of "new quality productive forces".