Because his father was often working, Fan's eldest brother became his role model, from whom he learned to write Chinese characters and essays.
Fan remained affiliated with the university after obtaining his doctorate in 1952, serving as a postdoctoral researcher at the Yerkes Observatory under Aden Meinel until 1957.
Fan's association with the Laboratory for Astrophysics and Space Research lasted until 1967, when he was appointed to a professorship within the physics department at the University of Arizona, where he taught until retirement in 1988.
[3] Following the 1972 visit by Richard Nixon to China, Fan established links between Chinese and American scientists through his work with the US-China Peoples Friendship Association.
[4] Fan was diagnosed with late stage cancer in November 2008, and died on January 21, 2009, at home in Tucson, Arizona.