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 Cai Jiaxiang, a student of the Class of 2022 from Chemical Engineering Program.

High school: Guangzhou No.2 High School

Program: Chemical Engineering 

Awards:

GTIIT Chancellor's Scholarship

GTIIT Academic Excellence Scholarship

GTIIT Vice Chancellor's List

GTIIT Dean's List

Received offers from:

Weizmann Institute of Science

Carnegie Mellon University

Wageningen University

University of Copenhagen

National University of Singapore

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen

There is no such thing as overnight success, only steady and long-term progress; he never seeks to complete things in one go, but achieves goals one by one. After being admitted to Weizmann Institute of Science with a full scholarship, and receiving offers from other world-renowned universities such as Carnegie Mellon University and University of Copenhagen, the cheerful boy told us, "There is no shortcut to learning, but it's not that difficult."

Jiaxiang with GTIIT Chancellor Prof. Gong Xingao on the graduation ceremony

Step by step, slowly but surely

When he took the IELTS for the first time, Jiaxiang got a total score of 7.5 with an 8 in listening, but he thought it was nothing to speak of. "Reading papers is very helpful in improving my reading speed and accumulating vocabulary. For example, in the test, I met an article about 'polymer', a topic uncommon to most people but familiar to me since it has appeared in chemical papers. After four years of training in the English teaching environment, I did not have too much difficulty in IELTS listening, too."

When asked what is the secret to getting a GPA over 90, Jiaxiang said his university life was just step-by-step, maintaining a balance of work and rest. "I tried to attend every class and finish my homework as soon as I could. Our teachers encouraged us to ask questions, so we could solve all the problems in class. Teachers also gave us detailed comments on our mistakes, which saved my time reviewing contents before the exams. When you get your schoolwork done, you have more time for fun and relaxation." According to Jiaxiang, his self-learning ability has "rocketed" over the past four years. He has developed the habit of taking notes efficiently and cured his procrastination.

photo of Changbai Mountains by Jiaxiang

In the first semester of junior year, Jiaxiang and his classmates formed a study group on Zoom during the online class period due to the epidemic. "At the beginning, it was formed to solve difficult problems in assignments of Physics 3. Later, it became a regular-used platform allowing us to solve problems with each other, maintaining the connection between classmates, and alleviating the anxiety during the epidemic."

"Exploring what is currently vacant can lead to unexpected surprises." Many people may think that theoretical learning is boring, but in Jiaxiang's eyes, theories are particularly fascinating. He also indicated that he may be inclined to research in the fields of chemistry and biopharmaceutical in the future.

Jiaxiang (right2) with his friends

Break down the goals, accomplish them one by one

From the second semester of the junior year, Jiaxiang joined the research group of Prof. Varenyam Achal from GTIIT Environmental Engineering Program, and participated in the research of "Encapsulation of ureolytic bacteria in the composites of bentonite and alginate to be used as microbial self-healing concrete".

photo of South China Botanical Garden by Jiaxiang

"Prof. Achal is very kind and responsible. He often encourages us to think independently and try new methods instead of directly giving us instructions, which gives me a lot of confidence in trial and error." In Jiaxiang's eyes, scientific research was the process of dividing the big goal into several small tasks and achieving them one by one. "Every time I get a result, I feel a sense of accomplishment." Jiaxiang recalled that before the project began, it was necessary to make a general research plan, such as deciding on special materials, experimental design, experimental methods, etc., all of which were inspired by a large number of literature. "Failure in experiments happens from time to time. It is very normal to reflect on and summarize the experiment after that, overturn the previous experiment and start again. I think it is very important to go through this process in advance for future research life."

photo of Nansha Wetland Park by Jiaxiang

For the future, Jiaxiang said he intended to pursue a Ph.D degree. He has received an offer of Master of Chemical Sciences from Weizmann Institute of Science with a full scholarship. "In Weizmann, I don't have to decide my supervisor in advance. Once enrolled, I can do three different projects before choosing the group I'd like to join. It gives me more time to explore what I'm really interested in." Jiaxiang suggested to the junior students that if they planned to engage in scientific research, prepare as soon as possible. "In the summer vacation of the freshman year, you can contact the teachers to join the research group, and see if it is suitable for you. The most important thing is to find out your interests and research direction, which is an important foundation for applying for a research master's degree in the future."

Text: GTIIT News & Public Affairs

Photos: Cai Jiaxiang, GTIIT News & Public Affairs