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.

Name: Chen Shuhong

High School: Shantou Chaoyang Experimental School

Program: Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)

Awards:

• GTIIT Freshmen Scholarship (2022)

• GTIIT Dean's List (2022-2023)

• GTIIT Chancellor's Scholarship (2022-2023/2023-2024/2024-2025)

• First prize in the 4th GT Start-Up Challenge

Offers:

• University of California, Berkeley

• Weizmann Institute of Science

• Carnegie Mellon University

• University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

• National University of Singapore

He is a reliable senior to freshmen, serving as a peer mentor to help them adapt to university life. Holding an electric guitar, he leads the music club to rock Shantou University Music Festival and GT Night twice. On the competition field, he and his teammates won the first prize in the 4th GT Start-Up Challenge. As graduation approaches, he has received admission offers from top institutions such as UC Berkeley, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Carnegie Mellon University, etc. "It feels like a perfect ending to my university life—I didn't let myself down, or my family and friends. I'm grateful to GTIIT for being such a great platform, and to everyone who have helped me along the way."

A two-way journey sparked by interest

A promotional poster from high school first connected Shuhong with GTIIT. The small-scale yet high-quality education, excellent research environment, impressive graduate outcomes, and generous scholarship policies sparked his strong interest in this university. Graduating with dual degrees and the high international recognition of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology offer a clear advantage when applying for graduate school—truly maximizing the value of studying abroad. His parents also thought highly of it and recommended it.

What truly solidified his decision was a campus visit. Before filling out his application for university, he toured GTIIT's labs under the guidance of a senior student and listened to Prof. Xu Peng explain each program. Chemistry and physics had always been his strengths, and the MSE program happened to demand excellence in both. So he made his choice—GTIIT's MSE program.

Shuhong (left 2) 

"Cutting-edge and dynamic" is how Shuhong describes the MSE program. In his view, materials science serves as a vital bridge between fundamental research and engineering applications, combining scientific reasoning with engineering principles and spanning fields such as chemistry, physics, and manufacturing. "It's not just theoretical learning, nor is it the so-called 'dead-end major'."

Over the past four years, Prof. Iain MCNAB's course on Statistical Thermodynamics left the deepest impression on him. The course was challenging. To help students truly grasp it, the professor insisted on leading every tutorial session. However, he rarely stood at the podium to explain problems step by step. Instead, he waited for students to think and ask questions, then sat down beside those who needed help and explained individually. "Such an approachable teaching style was a unique experience for me in my four years at GTIIT." It was through this interaction that students built close connections with the professor. Later, he also wrote a letter of recommendation for Shuhong.

Shuhong (middle) and his teammates won the first prize in the 4th GT Start-Up Challenge

A proactive growth beyond the comfort zone

Shuhong believed his greatest growth comes down to two things: independent problem-solving and perseverance.

In his view, university life is a constant process of stepping out of one's comfort zone, a period of truly transitioning from passive learning to active growth. "Learning meant following the teacher and burying myself in exercises when I was in high school. In university, the courses are harder, the pace is faster, and I had to look up literature, derive, and summarize the knowledge on my own." When encountering problems, he couldn't just wait to be taught—he had to figure things out on his own. Gradually, independent thinking became a habit. "I learned many things from scratch. I often felt like there wasn't enough time, and I got anxious when things didn't go well. But it was precisely the pressure that pushed me to try and adjust. The process was exhausting, but I became more independent and clearer about what I wanted."

Shuhong (right 3) 

Driven by his interest in energy storage devices, he proactively approached Prof. Daniel Tan to study how to improve the dielectric properties of PEI thin films using nickel oxide as a filler. In the early stages of film preparation, he wasn't skilled yet, and the quality was inconsistent. With the hands-on guidance of Ph.D. student Wu Xudong and lots of repeated practice, he gradually mastered the process, greatly improving the yield and stability of the films. When he first performed XPS characterization analysis, he spent several nights following tutorials on Bilibili, proactively sought advice from seniors, and eventually received recognition from the professor for his results. When encountering bottlenecks, he would schedule office hours with Prof. Tan, bringing along his progress to clarify the experimental direction together. "In research, problems are inevitable, but the key is to take the initiative to communicate and solve them."

Chen Shuhong (left), Prof. Daniel Tan (middle), Dr. Wu Xudong (right)

Shuhong can list GTIIT's resources like the back of his hand: abundant research opportunities allow undergraduates to participate in research and build deep connections with professors; the Career and Learning Center frequently holds lectures, inviting industry professionals and senior students to share experiences and help with application planning. He advises underclassmen to actively join research groups and participate in activities during their first two years when academic pressure is lighter, identify target university early, and plan their further studies. "Don't rely too much on translation software. Consciously improve your English skills, take the initiative to talk with teachers, and language exams will be much easier later on." In his view, students who are quick learners, motivated, outgoing, and energetic are the best fit for GTIIT. They can handle the intensive English instruction and self?driven pace, and make the most of the school's resources.

Shuhong (middle) with his friends

Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs, Chen Shuhong