On the afternoon of December 29, 2023, to implement the university’s “Three Rooms and One Hall” educational approach and further enhance the undergraduate talent cultivation at the Kuang Yaming Honors School, a lunch meeting was held with the theme “Sharing Session of Outstanding Undergraduate Youth in Research Fund: Nurturing Men of Tremendous Promise.” The event was attended by the following leaders and faculty members: Professor Lu Yanqing, Vice President of Nanjing University; Professor Pan Lijia, recipient of the National Distinguished Youth Scholar, from the School of Electronic Science and Engineering; Professor Qian Zhuzhong, Assistant to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the School of Computer Science and Technology; Professor Hu Xiaopeng, from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, an alumnus of Kuang Yaming Honors School, the 1998 class; Associate Professor Xue Bin, recipient of the National Distinguished Youth Scholar from the School of Physics; Professor Dong Hao, Vice Dean of Kuang Yaming Honors School; and Si Linmin, Secretary of the Kuang Yaming Honors School’s Youth League Committee. The event was hosted by Associate Professor Zhou An, Deputy Secretary of the School’s Party Committee. More than 30 undergraduate students from the 2020 to 2023 cohorts participated in the event.
Deputy Secretary Zhou An introduced the background of the lunch meeting. This year, two outstanding students of the Kuang Yaming Honors School, Gao Daohong and Sun Yuxuan, were selected for the first batch of the National Natural Science Foundation’s basic research projects for young students, thanks to their exceptional research achievements. Among them, Sun Yuxuan won the prestigious Dongliang Scholarship this year for her outstanding performance. To inspire more students to actively engage in scientific research and improve the quality of talent cultivation, the school invited these two excellent undergraduates to share their experiences with the younger students, aiming to pass on experience, spark interest, and inspire creativity.
The students then shared their experiences. Sun Yuxuan primarily introduced her preparation process and efforts in securing the award. She emphasized the importance of having a deep understanding of the research project and taking a leading role in the research, rather than just assisting. She also highlighted the need for early preparation, as waiting until the application notice arrives would be too late.
Gao Daohong shared his detailed experience during the defense process and the content of his defense, allowing everyone to understand how a scientific research idea is formed in a visual way. He also recommended that students join their mentor’s laboratory or research group early to engage in substantive work. He pointed out that interdisciplinary research has a current advantage, which makes it easier to stand out from numerous topics in the competition among similar projects.
After the students shared, the professors gave their comments. Professor Pan Lijia said that universities are places where knowledge is generated, and early involvement in scientific research is extremely beneficial. He also emphasized the importance of selecting the right mentor and choosing the most suitable direction based on personal interests. Nanjing University, with its rich historical accumulation, can offer students a variety of choices
Professor Qian Zhuzhong used his own students as examples to point out that in scientific research, students must be proactive and good at expanding scientific problems, making contributions after conducting feasibility analyses. He also noted the essential support from the university and the school in this process.
Professor Hu Xiaopeng shared his own research experiences and introduced the research resources and work at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, hoping to recruit more outstanding students to explore new knowledge together.
Associate Professor Xue Bin provided some research advice, stressing that students should not blindly follow trends, but instead find a direction that suits them. He also mentioned that students should not fear failure during the trial-and-error process. At the same time, students should balance their academic tasks and manage their time well. He welcomed students with an interest in biophysics to discuss further.
Vice Dean Dong Hao expressed gratitude for the support from relevant schools and departments in the undergraduate talent cultivation and affirmed the Kuang Yaming Honors School’s continued efforts in nurturing top-notch innovative talents in the future.
The lunch meeting concluded with a speech by Vice President Lu Yanqing. He introduced the background of the undergraduate research funding program and key points to pay attention to during the application process. He then set new goals and expectations for the Kuang Yaming Honors School’s development in the new era and urged the students to take the two exemplary students as role models. He encouraged them to use the various scientific research training platforms provided by the university and school to improve their scientific research and innovation abilities, as well as their overall qualities, to achieve greater success in the future.
The event not only guided academic atmosphere but also inspired interest, motivating more students to aspire to scientific research, scale academic heights, and become the backbone of solving cutthroat technological challenges.
This event effectively implemented the university’s requirements for undergraduate talent cultivation, carried out new attempts at collaborative education and holistic nurturing, and significantly promoted in-depth exchanges and complementary advantages among students from different grades. The Honors School looks forward to more outstanding undergraduates shining in their scientific research careers. The school will continue to carry out the “Three Rooms and One Hall” initiative to promote the high-quality development of talent cultivation.
