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 will launch 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.

Han Qiansheng

Program：

Mathematics with Computer Science (MCS)

GPA：98.27

Offers：

Purdue University Mathematics PhD program  (full scholarship)

Stony Brook University Applied Math & Stat PhD program (full scholarship)

University of Washington Applied & Computational MS program

Weizmann Institute of Science Math & CS MS program

Awards & Honors:

Vice Chancellor’s list (2019-2022)

First Class Chancellor’s Scholarship (2020-2023)

Most Innovative Project in Research Poster Competition of GTIIT (2024)

High School: 

Weifang No.1 High School, Shandong Province

After the Gaokao, Qiansheng gave up chances from 985 universities and pursued his passion for STEM at GTIIT as his first-choice institution. Over the next few years, he proved his academic excellence with a 98+ GPA, ranking top three in MCS, and published a first-author SCI paper. Through both scholarly research and industrial practices, he broke through confusion, finally earning fully-funded direct PhD admissions from Purdue University and Stony Brook University.

Learn with Insight: "Know the what, and know the why"

From developing a "math phobia" in high school to reigniting his passion in university, Qiansheng's turning point came during his first-year advanced mathematics courses in chemical engineering. "GTIIT's engineering program offers intensive math courses in the first year, which showed me what real mathematics is about," he said. Instead of a formula-solving method, the deeper theoretical exploration in university-level math nurtured his love for the subject. "It’s vital to know the what, and know the why. I really love the process of constructing mathematical frameworks from scratch—everything becomes clear. It’s very beautiful."

After careful consideration, he transferred into GTIIT's newly established MCS program the second year, chasing his passion in this emerging interdisciplinary field. The program—"mathematical base paired with hands-on programming"—was a perfect fit for his analytical mindset and growing interest in advanced technologies. Systematic training in abstract thinking with computational science perspectives in this program further led him to the boundless exploratory joy of mathematics.

"At first, I wasted a lot of time into details, trying to fully grasp every definition and sentence," he admitted, recalling his initial struggles after switching majors. "But later, I realized what truly matters is understanding the intuition and ideas behind problems, then working through the proofs step by step."

Such reflection applies equally to classroom learning. His knowledge absorption follows a three-step rhythm: focusing on listening and comprehension to perceive core logics; organizing photographed notes into structured PDFs after class to reconstruct logical flows; and addressing any gaps immediately through professors’ office hours. In under three and a half years, he completed all required credits, maintaining a 98+ GPA and consistently ranking among the program’s top three students.

Learn with Purposes:“How research translates into production”

As graduation approached, while peers prepared for their next journey, Qiansheng found himself deep in contemplation about his career path. "Pure mathematics is fascinating, but I don’t know how they turned into practical applications—the deeper I went, the lonelier I felt," he admitted.

When struggling to resolve the confusion of  "learning with purposes”, he enrolled in the exchange program at the Technion, discovering broader life possibilities. “Many of the graduate students I met there had worked for several years before finding what they really love to pursue,” he noted. Their choices instilled conviction in his choice of gap year, leading him to defer graduate studies for a year-long quest for answers.

Qiansheng went to Technion for exchange studies

"This decision came with real pressure. Many of my classmates had went for graduate studies," he said. Misunderstanding from others became his "compulsory course" that year. "But what matters is to find what you really want."

"Factories and companies are where real value is created—I wanted to get into the industry, to see how the knowledge I have learned become useful, and how research translates into production." In July 2024, Qiansheng joined Langge Technology Ltd (subsidiary of Geely Automobile) in Beijing as an intern in the core algorithms team. There, he tackled tangible challenges in autonomous driving—helping develop and implement algorithms for the automatic construction of high- definition (HD) maps, putting theory into practice at the frontier of real-world tech.

"Without the knowledge I gained at GTIIT, I wouldn’t even understand my colleagues’ work," Qiansheng reflected. Over half-year internship deepened his grasp of combinatorial algorithms, data structures, and system programming, sharpening his way of thinking: "I've come to realize my strength lies in using mathematical thinking to tackle industrial optimization problems. For example, applying statistical methods and combinatorial optimization theories can open up much broader applications."

Qiansheng as an intern

Parallel to his industry experience, his research trajectory accelerated. After joining Assoc. Prof. Antti Rasila’s lab in his junior year to build foundational skills, he dedicated his senior year (with early graduation credits completed) to lab work, culminating in fruition. In October 2024, he published first-authored work in Applied Mathematics and Computation (CAS Q2, JCR Q1, IF: 3.5), independently producing all associated coding, performed numerical computations, and generated visual content. The paper introduced innovative approaches for efficient simulation of mixed boundary value problems and conformal mappings.

Driven by unwavering focus, he approached his second application with more confidence: "I aimed straight for a U.S. Ph.D.—the pinnacle of overseas study." When the word "Congratulations" leaped from the offer letter, that extra year of perseverance finally crystallized into a golden ticket to his dream school.

Learn with Gratitude:"I owe my growth to GTIIT"

Looking back on his undergraduate years, Qiansheng summarized with heartfelt conviction: "I owe my growth to GTIIT. If I had chosen a regular 985 university instead of GTIIT, I wouldn’t have gotten offers from these leading U.S. universities—the international reputation just wouldn’t be the same." From getting into Vice Chancellor’s list to maintaining four consecutive years of First Class Chancellor’s Scholarship, he deeply appreciated GTIIT’s commitment to nurturing talents. "GTIIT has given me not only knowledge, but also a stage for holistic growth."

Qiansheng with PT team

On campus, he actively participated in the Peer Tutor Program, passing on valuable academic insights to more students. Off campus, he engaged enthusiastically in admissions events and inspired more outstanding students to join GTIIT, turning the abundant developmental opportunities provided by his alma mater into meaningful actions.

Qiansheng attended GTIIT Admissions events，and visited GCII

GTIIT professors’ mentorship, both rigorous and nurturing, also earned his deepest gratitude. “Assoc. Prof. Antti Rasila pushed me to become a meticulous scholar, serving not just as my academic advisor but a life mentor." Their relationship was special: there were times when he got strict criticism for sloppy academic writing, but also six-hour talks when ideas flowed freely, and exciting moments when Qiansheng’s creative thinking led to breakthroughs. This connection nurtured Qiansheng’s deep respect for research, and the courage to question established ideas.

Qiansheng with Prof. Antti Rasila

"Just because someone's a professor doesn't mean they're always right," Qiansheng explained. Research means venturing into "uncharted territory" where no authority is beyond question. "When you're surrounded by darkness, the most important skill is proactive exploration. Divergent thinking is essential when facing problems—that's how breakthroughs happen."

Qiansheng also gave a special shoutout to Professor Paulo Andrés Tirao. ‘He’d play soccer with us, grab meals together, share his life experiences, and joke around—no professor-student barrier at all, just super chill,’ he said. Such connection is something he truly treasures, "The professors at GTIIT feel less like teachers and more like friends who discuss math with us."

When asked about the future, his answer was "no limits." "There's so much fun in life beyond research," he said, "however, perhaps after trying new things, I would find nothing is more fascinating than discovering the fundamental principles of the world—and return to scientific research." Now standing at the starting point of his next journey, his plan remains the same: explore more possibilities. "I hope to find something I'm truly passionate about, and then give it my all."

Text: GTIIT News & Public Affairs

Photos: provided by Han Qiansheng