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Graduates Interview: Wu Zuodong

PostTime:6/17/2022

Time flies and the second cohort of students are going to graduate from Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) this year. We will present a series of interviews with the graduates from the Class of 2022, to show their stories at GTIIT in the past four years.


Here is the story of Wu Zuodong, a student of the Class of 2022 from the Materials Science and Engineering Program.


Wu Zuodong describes his four years in GTIIT as “work hard, play hard” – being an excellent student, he won scholarships and dream offers; full of life experiences, he balanced well between work and life. 



Wu Zuodong

Program: Material Science and Engineering

High School: Shantou Jinshan High School

Received offers from: 

UCLA, Cornell University, Duke University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Washington, Imperial College University, Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore

Awards: 

Academic Excellence Scholarship, Dean's List






Uniqueness of GTIIT


“I am a local resident in Shantou. Back in 2017, I knew the university, and a year later, I became a GTer.” Wu Zuodong says that studying at GTIIT feels like studying in Haifa (where the Technion locates), which has brought him plenty of resources and opportunities. “GTIIT provides us with places to research in professors' teams. There are many research opportunities available here, so just go to ask the professors in whatever direction you like. They always welcome studious students.” In his junior year, Wu joined the project “Monolayer preparation and I-V Characterization with EGaIn top contact” in the molecular electronic group of Prof. Xie Zuoti from GTIIT Materials Science and Engineering Department.


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Sophisticated and advanced instruments equipped in GTIIT labs are helpful to train students with experimental knowledge and skills. Wu says, “our university's research environment and support give us the opportunity for trial and error. Teachers also encourage us to explore on our own. For example, when I was in Prof. Xie's group, he would not tell me the answer directly, but would instead give me the general direction and let me figure it out by myself.” He has also improved his “searching intelligence”, being able to find answers to questions independently.


Moreover, English-medium teaching brings him a serendipitous discovery. He used to feel unconfident with his English pronunciation. But when he came to GTIIT, he found that language is actually a tool for communication – here we have teachers from different places, with different accents, but this does not affect communication in class. “The biggest change for me now is that I'm no longer afraid to express myself,” he jokes, “I even have an accent speaking Mandarin! Then why should I care that much about my English pronunciation?”


Work-life Balance


Zuodong sets himself the goal of staying good in his studies and living the life he likes. Thus, he developed a method that works for him: overcoming procrastination and delayed gratification. “When I get an assignment, I will do it right now, reviewing what I have learned at the same time. When they are all done, mostly in a day or two, I will spend the rest of time for myself, without feeling guilty.”


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The first semester of his freshman year was the most memorable time for Wu Zuodong, as he was able to maintain a GPA higher than 90 while finding time to travel around Changsha, Shanghai and Hongkong.


Wu is also very helpful. He was the peer mentor of cohort 2019, leading junior students around the campus and answering questions regarding orientation and adjustment. “I'd like to help others avoid the wrong path and live a happy life in GTIIT.”


Dream Comes True


“Without GTIIT, I may not be able to receive offers from top schools.”


Wu has always dreamed of going to California, and Los Angeles, the big international city, brings together the elements he likes - his favorite basketball player, LeBron James, is playing for the Lakers in Los Angeles; his favorite singers Justin Bieber and Post Malone had concerts there, too; he loves the sunset by the sea, and the one of this western city fascinates him. With a clear goal in mind, he successfully applied to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with hard work and self-discipline, fulfilling his dream.


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As graduation approaches, Wu is unsure whether he would be able to adjust to life in the United States' second-largest city after living in Shantou for more than 20 years. But he also knows that growing up entails stepping outside of one's comfort zone. He will study electronic materials at UCLA. "I'm interested in environmental protection, and in the future, I want to pursue research in energy-related areas, such as photovoltaic cells; if I can improve the efficiency and stability of photovoltaic cells through research, expand the application scenarios of photovoltaic materials, and reduce the amount of power generated and used by thermal power, it will be considered a contribution to environmental protection."


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“You only live once” is his motto, as well as his expectation for the future. His dream comes true in California and will start a new journey there, pursuing his passion.


Text: GTIIT News & Public Affairs

Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs, Wu Zuodong



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