In 2026, the sixth cohort of undergraduate graduates from Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) is ready to set sail. Armed with the knowledge and courage bestowed by their alma mater, and guided by the belief of "Dream it. Do it.", they have etched their youth in constant exploration and breakthrough. Let us step into their stories, and witness how they take action as wings to wider skies.

Yin Weijian

High School: Shengli No.1 Middle School of Dongying

Program: Mechanical Engineering and Robotics (MER)

GPA at application: 93.2/100

Offer：

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Mechanical Engineering)

Yale University (Mechanical Engineering)

Johns Hopkins University (Mechanical Engineering)

University of Pennsylvania (Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics)

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Mechanical Engineering)

Northwestern University (Mechanical Engineering)

University of California, San Diego (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)

Awards:

China National Scholarship (Academic Year 2023–2024)

GTIIT Vice Chancellor’s List (Academic Year 2023–2024)

GTIIT Dean’s List (Academic Year 2022–2023)

Outstanding Academic Performance Award (Top 10% GPA, Academic Year 2022–2023)

Outstanding Student Leader (Academic Year 2022–2023, 2023–2024)

Leadership Award for Extra-curricular Activities (Academic Year 2024–2025)

Public Service Award for Extra-curricular Activities (Academic Year 2023–2024)

Four years at GTIIT brings a resume that carries real weight to Weijian. Open the "offers" folder—Yale, Johns Hopkins University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, etc. Open the "awards" folder—National Scholarship, Vice Chancellor’s List, Leadership Award, Outstanding Student Leader. For him, GTIIT is more than just a prestigious stepping stone for graduate school; it's a "crucible of growth" that sharpened his thinking, built his practical skills, and cultivated a calm, open-minded attitude.

Thinking & Doing: The First Lesson at GTIIT

Weijian's journey with robotics began in junior high school competitions and truly took root at GTIIT. Attracted by the clear program setting, with strong English background, he chose this university that felt like a perfect fit.

Weijian delivered a speech as a student representative at the 2024 freshman opening ceremony

Once enrolled, Weijian quickly realized that GTIIT's curriculum emphasizes foundational thinking. "There were fewer problems than in high school, but each one was much deeper. We had to focus on the root of the knowledge—how a theorem was derived, the logic behind it—rather than just drilling problems."

This pursuit of depth carried over to small class sizes and a new style of interaction. "There's a lot of interaction between students and professors. Many professors encourage us to interrupt and ask questions during class, not wait until after. It felt more like a discussion than a lecture. A simple question could lead to deeper understanding."

With strong thinking skills as a foundation, hands-on courses further solidified his knowledge. "Many courses didn't just cover theory—they combined experiments, projects, and real operations, allowing us to truly apply what we learned and build solid engineering skills."

Weijian participated in a poster exhibition

Operating lathes and CNCs, programming robotic arms, working on SR3 model super-resolution projects to computer vision applications—this all-round practice made the mechanical world tangible and reshaped how he learned. "This environment helped me transform from a passive learner into an active explorer. That change has been crucial for my research and studies."

Beyond Research: The "Growth Wilderness" at GTIIT

In the second semester of his sophomore year, Weijian learned that Professor Kumaran Kannaiyan's research on fuels matched his interests. He reached out via email, joined the lab, and began his first research exploration.

photo between the research team with Academician Zhao Hua

He worked on a droplet evaporation project, focusing on how droplets evaporate under high temperatures. While studying multi-component droplets, he observed "preferential evaporation"—more volatile components evaporate first, affecting the overall process.

"What seemed simple became more complex, and I saw the subtlety behind micro-scale physics." Small experimental changes pointed to deeper scientific questions. To test his hypotheses, he spent long hours in the lab, adjusting parameters, comparing groups, and exploring different approaches. His junior year brought even more intensity than the college entrance exams, as he recalled.

Detours were also part of scientific research. "Sometimes I'd try to be efficient by tweaking multiple parameters at once, but that didn't work well. Professor Kannaiyan taught me something crucial: in research, you have to go step by step. It seems slow, but you clearly understand how each parameter affects the model, and you make steady progress." His efforts led to a paper, now under review.

At GTIIT, intense academic exploration was balanced by a relaxed growth environment. As Vice President of the Association Commercial Entrepreneurs, Weijian organized events like the Industry Research Competition, Stock Trading Competition, and Start-Up Challenge. From planning and securing sponsorships to managing events and reviewing outcomes, each experience strengthened his ability to coordinate resources and drive projects forward, shaping him into a young leader defined by strong execution and team cohesion.

Three-month summer break also became a time for recharge. Besides continuing his research, he traveled to gain new perspectives and ran marathons to stay fit and clear his mind. "A break like this helps me grow in both my studies and my life. I've found my own pace and figured out how to balance the two."

When talking about the future, he's in no rush to draw a fixed path. He prefers to find his direction through experience. "Sometimes what you like isn't what suits you best. You still need to explore, try new things, stay curious, take action—and find where your interests and abilities intersect." This open mindset will stay with him as he sets sail from GTIIT and moves into the next chapter of life.

Weijian adopted a tree on campus to support public welfare and commemorate his four years of growth

Text: GTIIT News & Public Affairs

Photos: provided by Yin Weijian