Name: Chen Yanxi

High School: Shantou Jinshan Middle School

Program: Biotechnology and Food Engineering (BFE)

Awards: GTIIT Vice Chancellor's List (2020-2022)

Offers: ETH Zurich, University of Copenhagen, Technical University of Denmark, Wageningen University & Research

GPA94+, ranked NO.2 in the BFE Program, member of the presidium of GTIIT Student Association, admitted by ETH...In the four years, Chen Yanxi not only experienced the thrill of a full sprinting, but also enjoyed the harvest at a slow pace. She gradually explored the wisdom of "long-distance running of life", and learned to appreciate the scenery of the road to growth.

There's a lot to be done at GTIIT

As a local student in Shantou, Yanxi believed that developing herself at GTIIT for four years was a good choice. "Set your sights on the long term and take advantage of the resources and opportunities at GTIIT, so that you can expand your horizons and explore a wider world in the future."

Yanxi found a huge difference in teaching methods between university and high school. "Rote learning doesn't work in university, where teachers delve deeper into the concepts and explain them thoroughly. English textbooks help us understand abstract concepts a lot. What might be summarized in a few sentences in Chinese can be elaborated more carefully in English."

Yanxi cared about the academic environment and personal growth of the university. The open and inclusive learning atmosphere at GTIIT satisfied her greatly. "Interrupting the teacher and asking questions in class is not only allowed but also encouraged at GTIIT. Our teachers are willing to explain the concepts in a variety of ways until we understand, and they do not feel that it is a waste of time. After class, it is common to see students and teachers discussing together. Sometimes, even the teachers are stumped, but they don't feel embarrassed or afraid of making mistakes. They are happy to discuss with us and accept students' questions."

At GTIIT, it is normal for students to help each other and make progress together, and Yanxi was willing to share her learning experience with her classmates. "When my classmate asks me a question and my answer can help him, it means I can practice what I've learned. I used to be confused by what other students didn't understand, but now I figure it out and want to help more peers solve their problems."

Good teachers guide me forward

Yanxi was interested in biotechnology, especially in synthetic biology. There are many people who considered career development when choosing a program, but in her opinion, getting a deeper understanding of what she likes was more important in university.

"No matter how well you learn theoretical knowledge, you still need to tackle many problems when doing experiments. You don't know how to get knowledge from paper to practice, so you need to think about more details and learn from additional research to find out what you can improve from other people's experiences."

Yanxi joined the research group of Associate Professor Xu Peng of Chemical Engineering Program at GTIIT. She saw the pure spirit of scientific research from him. "When we found the data from the experiment was completely different from what we expected, Dr. Xu would encourage us that this data was also very interesting. He would guide us to analyze it and make conclusions. He emphasized that we should not publish just for the sake of publishing, and that we should not be too focused on achieving the desired result." Dr. Xu's words are undoubtedly a beacon for students who have just learn about scientific research. 

"He has a lot of ideas and seems to come up with a new idea all at once. Every day, he forwards scientific articles in our WeChat group, shares his experience and cutting-edge research in the field with us, and asks us to summarize the literature after reading, to broaden our horizons and inspire us to have more ideas." Yanxi appreciated the teachers she met at GTIIT, who made her more determined to do scientific research.

Keep my pace to go further

Yanxi grew a lot in the four years at GTIIT, from pushing herself too hard to balancing study and life with ease.

She believed that process was more important than the outcome. Years later, you may not remember the courses you failed in university, but you will always remember the time when you went all out. "When I retook linear algebra in freshman year, I was pretty tough on myself, deleting all my notes and starting from scratch. I would go to the teacher's office hour, even when I didn't have a specific question, I would sit by and listen to the questions from others."

The taut strings sometimes need to be loosened. After a period of intensive study, she gradually realized the importance of work-and-rest balance. "Go out to feel the nature, talk with different people and exchange ideas. The more you experience, the better you can weigh the importance of issues you faced."

Yanxi was impressed by the course of Heat Transfer. "At the last class before the exam, the teacher asked us if we had any questions. While I had not yet begun to review, I was surprised to see that there were already many students asking questions. But I told myself not to worry because I took the course carefully for the whole semester and already knew the key points of the course, so I could start with them to grasp the whole picture of the course." In the end, Yanxi got a perfect score in this course.

Yanxi believed that self-deception is the stupidest way to study. "Many people engage in 'self-comforting learning'- getting up early, staying up late, sitting in the front row. However, how well you learn doesn't equal to how early you go to the classroom or where you sit. When you need to use what you've learned, you could know immediately whether you've truly learned it or not." Yanxi encouraged the junior students to lay a solid foundation at GTIIT, and never be influenced by others.

In September this year, Yanxi will go to study in ETH Zurich. "I plan to participate in internships in the next two years to gain valuable insights into the industry needs. By doing so, I would further hone my skills and ensure that any future education I pursue will be more targeted."

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