Teachers are like a lighthouse, enlightening all the passing generations. In Guangdong Technion – Institute of Technology, language is not a barrier between teachers and students. Teachers devoted themselves to teaching and research, winning many students' respect and love.

We will present a series of interviews with teachers, who will share their insights on education so that more people can get close to GTIIT's classes and teachers and know about its characteristics and educational philosophy.

"This is my third year at Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology." Dr. Fabian Rios said. This scientist, who is co-inventor in various patents, has won the "Excellent Teaching Award" for two consecutive years and has a long and fruitful career in the field of polymer materials, has another identity. He was the a player of the Israeli Rugby National Team and has participated in numerous international competitions.

When a polymer material scientist meets the rugby player, what kind of sparks will these two seemingly unrelated identities collide with Fabian Rios?

Here is Dr. Fabian Rios’ story. 

“I actually started studying electronics but life took me to plastics.”

Dr. Fabian Rios majored in electrical engineering at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Talking about those days of university, he still remembers it vividly. As a young immigrant student, he not only needed to focus on study, but also needed to earn his own living. "In order not to delay my studies during the day, I found a job as a night-shift extruder operator in a plastic factory. This may be the beginning of my association with plastics."

In that company, Dr. Fabian stayed for 15 years, and his position also rose steadily. When he chose to leave the company, he was already a Research and Development manager. Fabian admitted that he did not choose the field of plastics at first, but this job made him gradually discover the charm of this industry. So, in the master and doctoral stage, he chose polymer materials as his research direction. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts, he returned to university to pursue further research in his beloved field.

"I have been to China before, and I am deeply impressed by the country's long history and culture. I have also been following the construction process of GTIIT and am excited about the establishment of this university. “Talking about the reasons for choosing GTIIT, Fabian said that GTIIT is a small but sophisticated place. Here we have a beautiful campus, convenient living facilities, old and new cultures intermingling together in Shantou, all of which fascinate him.

Rich working experience makes Dr. Fabian Rios' class unique. At GTIIT, his lectures are mainly about momentum, heat and mass transport, introduction to polymer materials and composites and polymer rheology. "Instead of just explaining the knowledge in textbooks to students, I also aim to provide them with practical knowledge and skills to tackle with issues at work." He believes that in this teaching mode, students can acquire more useful knowledge.

His class is always full of passion, and he is still full of energy after class, which is the first impression that many students have of Dr. Fabian Rios.

The story of Fabian and rugby started when he was fifteen years old. That is the first time he felt the charm of this sport. At university, he joined the rugby team of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. As a university student, he needed to focus on study during the daytime, and on work and training in the evening and weekends. This seemed impossible but he persevered with love and hard work. A few years later, he became the captain and coach of the university's rugby team. The gold always shines. He was quickly recognized by the Israeli Rugby National Team and became a leading member of the team. During the time at the national team, he and the team represented Israel to take part in major international events such as the Rugby World Cup Qualifiers. After his active player period ended, Fabian continued coaching Rugby. Fabian has been a Rugby coach for several teams, including the Israeli Youth National Team and the Technion Team.

At present, Fabian is the head of the Sports Unit of GTIIT, the Unit mainly responsible for the organization of various sports events and courses at GTIIT. "The establishment of the Sports Unit can better help students develop in an all-round way and have good physical fitness. This matches with the teaching standards of the Technion and also meets the requirements of the Ministry of Education of China.” Dr. Fabian Rios explained.

In terms of physical education, Fabian also opened a touch rugby course. Compared with the traditional rugby which features “violent aesthetics”, touch rugby retains the passion of the game in a softer way. Once the course was launched, it was very popular among the students, and the GTIIT rugby team was also established.

"Compared with Israeli students, Chinese students retain the tradition of respecting elders and teachers. This can help them learn," Fabian praised. For him, college is a wonderful time in life. "During these four years, you will meet teachers who impart professional knowledge and help solve doubts, you are accompanied by your friends; you will receive different kinds of knowledge and can participate in various club activities. Here you may find the direction of your future efforts. "

Fabian believes that China is a country full of opportunities, which is very beneficial to the development of students. "China is developing rapidly, so there are a lot of things that need to be created, areas that need to be improved and repaired, and that's the job of scientists and engineers." As an elder generation of scientists and engineers, Fabian noted that they have created many things in the past few decades, but these things still need improvement. "Take plastics as an example, this material has brought many advancements to humanity but it has also raised a huge burden on the environment. It is what our new generation needs to work on.”

On the long road of scientific research, Dr. Fabian Rios used "work hard, but enjoy the way" as his motto. Life is like climbing a mountain. A good climber will not only focus on his goal, but also enjoy the process of climbing. In this process, you need to cross the icy stream and step through layers of thorns; sometimes after reaching a peak, you need to go down and climb higher mountains. The path of scientific research and life is just like this. Only by learning to enjoy the process can you go further on this path.

Fabian also gave some suggestions to GTIIT students. "Under heavy academic pressure, maintaining a good state of mind is most important. From a psychological point of view, one of the most important ways to achieve happiness is to have a sense of purpose. Whatever you do, embrace your purpose and enjoy the way.” He hopes that every GTIIT student can find their own field and create a better world.

Text: GTIIT News & Public Affairs

Photos：Dr. Fabian Rios, GTIIT News & Public Affairs