This summer, the Class of 2025 will graduate from Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT), carrying with them the wisdom and courage forged in university to embrace infinite possibilities. At GTIIT, they have persevered through challenges brought by the pandemic, conquered academic puzzles, broadened international horizons, celebrated cultural richness, and discovered their true passions, showcasing the exemplary spirit of "Dream it. Do it." through each innovative practice.

GTIIT is launching a series of interviews featuring the Class of 2025 undergraduates. Let's delve into these powerful stories of passion and perseverance, and witness how their defining moments of efforts blossom into fruition.

Name: Kuang Wei

High school: Bashu Ivy Academy

Program: Chemical Engineering, Mathematics with Computer Science (dual degree of the Technion)

Award: Vice Chancellor's List（2022/2023/2024）

Offers: Monash University (direct Ph.D. program), Carnegie Mellon University, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Master's/PhD)

GPA: 96.5 (summa cum laude)

Over the four years, Kuang Wei excelled academically, graduating as the top-ranked student in Chemical Engineering (CE) while earning dual degrees in CE and Mathematics with Computer Science. During this time, he published research papers as both first and second author and ultimately received direct Ph.D. and Master's/Ph.D. offers at world-renowned universities. Resilience, initiative, and an open mindset, are the pages of his playbook as he writes his future.

Make a strategic "retreat", pursue a dual degree

In 2020, after graduating from high school, Kuang Wei enrolled at University College London (UCL) to study Chemistry. However, the inefficient online classes during the pandemic exacerbated his uncertainty about the future, and the theoretical focus of the Chemistry program gradually fell short of his expectations.

It was then GTIIT offered a new way for students affected by the pandemic, bringing him a turning point. Drawn to GTIIT's strong STEM focus, he made the bold decision to withdraw from UCL in 2021 and enroll in Chemical Engineering program at GTIIT, embarking on a fresh academic journey.

The emphasis on engineering applications in GTIIT's Chemical Engineering program aligned perfectly with his desire to "apply knowledge into practice". Thanks to his background in English education during high school and his experience with Advanced Placement (AP) courses, he quickly adapted to GTIIT's teaching pace. He admitted that GTIIT's curriculum allowed him to truly appreciate the broad inclusivity of engineering and its cross-disciplinary applicability for the first time.

Kuang Wei (left 1) with friends at GTIIT

In the second semester of his first year, Kuang Wei decided to challenge himself further. Upon learning that GTIIT opened Mathematics with Computer Science (MCS) program and allowed students to pursue a dual degree, he proactively contacted Prof. Eli Aljadeff, head of the MCS department, for details. During the summer break, he took a trial step by enrolling in an advanced mathematics course.

"At the start of my sophomore year, I had to pass three courses with satisfactory grades to continue pursuing the dual program in mathematics," he recalled. "After trying out the courses during the summer, I found the mathematics curriculum very interesting and decided to stick with it." In his view, engineering training focuses on practical skills, while mathematics shapes an abstract logical system. He metaphorically described it as, "Learning mathematics is like building an imaginary pavilion, starting from the foundations of algebra and analysis and building upward layer by layer, honing logical thinking skills."

Kuang Wei visited the Mathematics Department of University of Geneva

Despite having to take additional courses each semester and occasionally facing scheduling conflicts, Kuang Wei remained passionate, treating MCS program as "interest studies". He noted that the program provided systematic computer science courses covering computer architecture, theory, and training in various programming languages. "This laid a solid foundation in computer science for me and enabled quick knowledge transfer when I need programming support in future research."

Reflecting on this experience, Kuang Wei feels immensely grateful, as it not only built mental resilience but also significantly enhanced his capabilities. "The two programs are entirely different, but these four years of challenges thoroughly trained me in both learning methods and mindset. Now, no matter what unfamiliar subject I encounter, I believe I have the ability to start from scratch."

A first taste of scientific research

"GTIIT offers undergraduate students incredibly abundant research opportunities," he remarked. In the second semester of his freshman year, he developed a strong interest in biochemical engineering and proactively reached out to Prof. Xu Peng from GTIIT Chemical Engineering program. He joined Prof. Xu's Metabolism and Synthetic Biology Laboratory, participating in research on gene editing-related projects.

Kuang Wei (left 1) with Prof. Xu Peng (right 1) at an academic conference in Singapore

"Initially, I worked on projects with senior graduate students. Later, when I wanted to try an independent project, Prof. Xu was very supportive and provided me with a direction suitable for a beginner. I encountered obstacles during the project, but I always communicated with him, and I'm very grateful for his encouragement throughout." This research experience allowed him to go through the entire process, from experimental design, operation, and adjustment to result analysis, paper writing, and revision. He ultimately published a paper as the first author.

Kuang Wei's first-author publication

During his specialized coursework, Kuang Wei developed a strong interest in membrane processes. As a result, in his senior year, he joined the research group of Assoc. Prof. He Xuezhong in the Chemical Engineering program, participating in research on carbon membrane processes. "Even when facing an entirely new field in chemical engineering, the solid foundation I built at GTIIT gave me the confidence to quickly get started." He later published a paper as the second author.

Kuang Wei's second-author publication

In his view, GTIIT's relatively "small" scale is a unique advantage. "One thing that sets GTIIT apart from many other universities is the close connections between students and faculty," he reflected. "I am especially grateful to my teachers Xu Peng and He Xuezhong for their careful guidance in my research, as well as the support and help from teachers like Andrea, Connie and Avishai in both academics and daily life."

Kuang Wei with Assoc. Prof. He Xuezhong (right 1) and Prof. Zhong Ziyi (left 1)

There's more than one path to the future

Beyond academics, Kuang Wei was also active across campus. In his sophomore year, with the help of Dr. Chen Fen of Career & Learning Center, he and like-minded peers reestablished the university's Peer Tutor Program, shifting from the original "group meeting model" to subject-specific Q&A sessions. "We adopted a format similar to professors' office hours, where senior peer tutors prepared in advance and offered targeted guidance for different courses to junior students at specific times and classrooms." This reform was met with positive responses from students, fostering a mutually supportive learning atmosphere.

Additionally, he joined the dancing club and performed on stage in the first year. During the summer vacation of his junior year, he went to the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel for an exchange program. These diverse experiences enriched his life. "I love trying new things," Kuang Wei smiled. "Exploring new stuff while I'm young brings me great joy. See more, think more, try more. I believe this will help me understand the world better."

Kuang Wei had a meal with friends at Weizmann on the Mid-Autumn Festival

Four years at GTIIT helped shape his direction, but he's still exploring what's next. In his eyes, finding a lifelong passion is a "luxury". The boy dreaming of becoming a scientist in high school, now has a deeper understanding of scientific research, "GTIIT opened another door for me, giving me freedom for exploration and a clearer vision of what I truly want." Starting from GTIIT, he is well prepared to write the next "open-ended question" of his life.

Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs, Kuang Wei