The first cohort students were graduated from Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology this year. The series of interviews with the graduates from Class of 2021 will show their stories with GTIIT in the past four years. Here is the story about Yan Waner, a student of Class of 2021 from Biotechnology and Food Engineering Program.

Name: Yan Waner

High School: Jinshan High School, Shantou

Program: Biotechnology and Food Engineering

Received offers from: 

Microbiology in the School of Medicine, Hebrew University, won the Abish-frenkel Fellowship Scholarship

Awards:

GTIIT Academic Excellence Scholarship

GTIIT Vice Chancellor's List

Yan Waner is self-disciplined in study and good at communicating with others. With her solid professional ability, she is successfully enrolled in the direct doctorate program of Hebrew University after graduation. She makes connections between her program and social issues, hoping to make a difference and put what she has learned into practice.

Focus on social issues based on professional knowledge

"Such a special program is rare even at home and abroad." When choosing the undergraduate program after college entrance examination, Yan Waner was torn between biology and food related programs. Later, she found that Biotechnology and Food Engineering Program at GTIIT was one of the few programs in the world that combined engineering technology and life science. It also allowed her to adapt to the foreign learning mode in advance in English teaching environment at GTIIT, laying a good foundation for her further study abroad, so she chose GTIIT without hesitation.

Waner says that studying at GTIIT helps her find the way that suits herself. " I went through a period of confusion. I like biotechnology but I am worried that there are too many people studying biology and it will be too competitive to find a job. I like food engineering, but find that food research and development is too complex, worrying that my ideas are not novel and creative enough. Fortunately, the four years at GTIIT gives me another chance to make a choice. I further affirm my love for biotechnology and find the direction I am willing to fight for in the future."

Yan Waner's understanding of food engineering has risen from the technical level to the concern of social issues. "After four years of study, I realize that food engineering is not just about developing innovative food, it is also important to solve the problems of hunger and nutrition of human being globally." She believes that the combination of biotechnology and food engineering further opens up ideas for food development and production. "It's a combination of the two," she says, "Things like fermentation, which uses microbes to make food and drugs, have become popular in recent years."

Enrich university life through communication

Yan Waner describes her university life as "ordinary but fulfilling". "I spend most of my time in studying and doing projects, which is also a pleasure for me. Learning and doing scientific research have enriched my life and taught me a lot."

Waner says she meets many lovely people at GTIIT. "The classmates are very close to each other. The happiest thing for me is to chat with my roommates in the dormitory, and discuss the topics with my classmates from the same program every day. In the lab, my professors and seniors are very friendly and willing to teach me patiently, and give me a lot of advice and help. I also have some new ideas about my future after talking with them."

As the Secretary General of the first GTIIT Student Association, Yan Waner witnessed its formation and development. "I participated in it and watched it develop from nothing, which gave me a great sense of achievement." 

Waner also joined GTIIT's literature club- The Monologist because of her love for literature. "Literature and science work in the same way to some extent. They can build the bridges between different countries and areas. At GTIIT, a Sino-foreign cooperative educational institution, the literature club also takes the responsibility of spreading the culture. It's a great feeling to be able to combine my hobby with something so meaningful." In her spare time, Waner also enjoys the time writing calligraphy. She participated in making ancient bookmarks for foreign visitors to GTIIT.

Opportunity is the result of effort

Yan Waner is optimistic about the prospect of microbial field. In her junior year, she joined Prof. Ka Yin Leung's research group at GTIIT, studying the topics related to microbial resistance in frog farms. "I've been part of this research group since it was first formed. We screened resistant bacteria in frog farms and analyzed the characteristics of bacteria and the transmission of resistance. It also taught me how to start a new project from scratch and how to get the ideas in my head to work. I also learned a lot about molecular biological experiments in this project, which would be of great help to my future study and scientific research."

Yan Waner says that getting the chance to go straight into a doctorate program is a coincidence. "Encouraged by my professors, I tried to apply for the direct doctorate program at Hebrew University. The process is relatively smooth, divided into the document submission and interview. The interview is to talk to the professor about a paper they had sent me. Before the interview, I reviewed what I had learned in the past four years, read the latest papers in the field of biology, and discussed the experimental methods with my teachers and seniors." In the end, Waner successfully passed the interview, admitted by the program of Microbiology in the School of Medicine, Hebrew University and also won the Abish-frenkel Fellowship Scholarship. She hopes that she can make full use of the resources of the program, learn more with people from all walks of life to broaden her horizon.

Waner's advice to the junior students is to be self-disciplined in study. "GPA is quite important for applying postgraduate university and even job hunting. Studying in the student hub maybe a good idea to help you concentrate on your work. If you are confused about your study or life, or interested in the culture of a certain country, you can communicate with the professors by email or in person. They are always willing to help us."

Text: Yan Waner, GTIIT News & Public Affairs

Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs