The first cohort students were graduated from Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology this year. The series of interviews with the graduates from Class of 2021 will show their stories with GTIIT in the past four years. Here is the story about Xiong Yifei, a student of Class of 2021 from Biotechnology and Food Engineering Program.

Name: Xiong Yifei

High School: Shenzhen Second Senior High School

Program: Biotechnology and Food Engineering

Received offers from: Microbiology in the School of Medicine, Hebrew University, and won the HUJI International PhD Talent Scholarship

Awards: GTIIT Chancellor Scholarship, GTIIT Dean's List Scholarship

Xiong Yifei is a modest boy who can defeat the challenges one by one on his way to study methodically and steadily. His university life is fulfilling and wonderful with a wealth of knowledge, ability and precious friendship.

Think independently and work cooperatively

Yifei said that the four years at GTIIT with English teaching environment has greatly improved his English speaking and listening skills, which has also achieved one of the goals when he chose to study at GTIIT. "More importantly, the teaching model enables students to think independently, which is a very important skill for us." Taking the course of Physical Chemistry as an example, Yifei reviewed the process in which he gradually developed this ability. "The class focuses on figuring out formulas from the very beginning, but it doesn't mean the teacher will cover every detail. Due to the limited time in class, we need to spend a lot of time on reading and understanding the textbook by ourselves. This is very helpful because not only do we know where the formula is going to work, but we also know where the formula comes from, rather than just using it without knowing nothing."

Independent thinking and teamwork are never in conflict. Yifei believed that the profound friendship between him and his classmates is established in the process of completing the course projects together. "After countless revisions and discussions, we end up with a completed project that takes weeks, even months. In the discussions, we can use our wisdom and express opinions freely. After that, we also need to finish our own parts. It is a meaningful experience that will benefit our future work and research."

Xiong Yifei (right one) with his friends

Develop myself in extracurricular activities

During his freshman and sophomore years, Yifei joined GTIIT Association of Commercial Entrepreneurs and participated in organizing business competitions.

"The aim of this activity is to promote the knowledge of business competition. We invite Mr. Huang Hongchuan, who was on the 2017 China Forbes 30U30 List, to share his entrepreneurial experience with us. My main job is to talk with Mr. Huang, and at the same time, I also provide some supplementary materials for the publicity department of GTIIT Association of Commercial Entrepreneurs in the field of economics." The big challenge was to come up with good publicity ideas to attract more people, said Yifei. "Students are under a lot of schoolwork pressure and their time is precious. If we don't offer something compelling, they won't take the time to participate."

With the joint efforts of Yifei and other members of the Commercial Entrepreneurs Association, the activity has achieved satisfactory results. "Dozens of students come to participate and the activity is supported and recognized by GTIIT's teachers. For me, it is an unforgettable experience to hold an event from scratch with my teammates. I also learn a lot about business management and interpersonal skills from it."

Plan early and seize every opportunity

In the summer vacation of his sophomore year, Yifei joined Prof. Ka Yin Leung's research group at GTIIT, studying the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes of Edwardii in frog farms in Chaoshan area. "We are mainly responsible for sample collection, taking samples of bacteria from soil and frogs and screening them. This process not only makes me understand the characteristics of bacteria in the natural environment and other relevant knowledge, but also helps me realize how a project is developed from nothing. During this period, I also learn a lot of experimental techniques and pay more attention to the details of experiments, which will be of great help to my future study."

On the recommendation of Prof. Ka Yin Leung, Yifei applied for the master program of Microbiology in the School of Medicine of Hebrew University and passed the interview successfully. He also won the HUJI International PhD Talent Scholarship, and got the chance to go straight into a doctorate program if he has a good performance in the assessment after the first year study of the master degree.

Xiong Yifei with his teachers and friends

Yifei believed his university life was fullfilling. "The biggest challenge I face is the tight schedule of courses and research projects. Classes, research projects, daily chores and so on all put a lot of pressure on me, but I do believe that things can be resolved one by one, and when they are over, I can look back and be glad I didn't waste my time."

Yifei suggested that junior students try more new things, and gradually find their interest in this process. "Put more effort into your program and it will be better to keep your GPA above 85. Plan for your future as early as possible. If you plan to find a job, you should accumulate more internship experience; If you are interested in scientific research, you should try to join the research group in your sophomore or junior year. When you find your future direction, you can contact a tutor in the relevant field to prepare for further study."

Text: GTIIT News & Public Affairs

Photos: Xiong Yifei, GTIIT News & Public Affairs