Chinese-born US forensic scientist reportedly in hunt for missing Chinese student

A Chinese-born American forensic scientist has reportedly been drafted in to help with the hunt for a missing Chinese research student.

A photo of Zhang Yingying released by the police [Photo: police.illinois.edu]

Henry Chang-Yu Lee, who was born in Rugao in Jiangsu Province, is one of the world's foremost forensic scientists and founder of the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science. In the past the 78-year-old has been involved in investigating several significant cases such the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the 'Watergate scandal', and the '9/11' terror attacks.

It's understood he will be helping in the search for 26-year-old Zhang Yingying, who was a month into studying at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).

The FBI also announced on Saturday night that it is offering reward up to 10,000 US dollars for information leading to the location of the missing Chinese student.

Zhang was last seen on June 9 on her way to sign a new lease on some accommodation. Wearing a charcoal-colored baseball cap, a pink and white top, jeans and white tennis shoes and carrying a black backpack, she was spotted talking to a driver of a black car, before getting into the passenger side of the vehicle.

The family of Zhang, who the FBI thinks may have been kidnapped, arrived in the United States on Saturday.

Zhang's father issued a statement before leaving for the US saying the family has been suffering with great pain since their daughter went missing, and are grateful for the efforts people are making in finding her.

The FBI has urged anyone with information about Zhang's disappearance to call their offices in Springfield Illinois, on 217-522-9675.