Former coal miner digs deep to earn a doctorate in engineering

A former coal miner who overcame adversity to earn a doctorate from Beijing University of Technology has captured widespread attention, with his dissertation acknowledgments moving many online and earning him praise as "a truly remarkable man".

In the widely shared acknowledgments, the student described his journey from working in a coal mine with his father at age 12 to graduating in June with a doctoral degree in engineering. He requested that his name not be disclosed as he did not wish to attract public attention, insisting that he only shared his acknowledgments publicly to encourage other students.

The university confirmed to China Daily that the author is a real student and said it respects his wish to remain anonymous. He was a full-time student at the university's College of Architecture and Civil Engineering from September 2020 to June 2025.