Spinster stereotype panned

If the stereotype is to be believed, women doctoral students lead dull, colorless lives.

However, a recent survey by Tianjin's Nankai University is about to put that old chestnut to rest: Almost 90 percent of the 117 future PhDs polled said they were quite happy with their lives.

"The results of our survey suggest that the lives of women doctoral students are normal and healthy and even full of sunshine. People should be more respectful toward these women," said Yan Guangfen, a professor at Nankai University's Higher Education Institute.