Starting from the publication of large-scale randomized double-blind trial results of traditional Chinese medicine in the top journal The Lancet, inhibiting interleukin-11 (IL11): a new method to turn back the clock; brain-machine interfaces—making paraplegia a thing of the past; glimpsing neural network principles from handwritten digit recognition...

Can you imagine?

These topics that seem very frontier and professional

are actually the "academic report" topics of first-year students at Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology(SUAT)!

On December 11, SUAT held the first "academic event" centered on undergraduates—the Dawning Science Festival—with 26 first-year students in formal attire taking the stage one by one to deliver academic reports covering life sciences, computer science, materials science, computational mathematics, astronomy, and more.

Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology (SUAT)

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Guests handed a golden key symbolizing opening the hall of knowledge to student representatives, signifying the opening of the door to academic exploration and inheritance

First-year undergraduate Hong Yucong delivered a report on "brain-machine interfaces," addressing the loss of upper limb sensation and motor abilities in high-level paraplegic patients: "Building on the original visual feedback brain-computer interface (BCI), this research adds a tactile feedback mechanism, generating tactile perception through somatosensory cortex microstimulation (ICMS), enabling high-level paraplegic patients to better control robotic arms. "

"This Science Festival gave me a completely new understanding of preparing future academic reports and speech techniques. " Hong Yucong said,and during the event, he also encountered the latest research achievements from multiple disciplines: "This cross-disciplinary knowledge not only broadened my horizons but also provided valuable references and inspiration for my academic research.”

Academician Li Guojie of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and former Honorary Dean of SUAT Dawning College attended the Dawning Science Festival site and, after listening to the students' reports,exclaimed in surprise, great joy, and feeling "there are successors!"

"This is the first time I've heard first-year university students give reports related to science; compared to when I was in my first year, it's worlds apart—we wouldn't dare think of such activities back then. " Li Guojie said, "These students have only been in university for a few months, not even a full semester, but their knowledge level greatly surprised me; their breadth of knowledge is very wide, they dare to read papers and express their own views, and the topics are not old textbook knowledge but very frontier—even some students spoke entirely in English. I feel very joyful and believe there are successors." "

Chinese Academy of Engineering Academician and Former Honorary Dean of SUAT Dawning College Li Guojie Delivers Keynote Speech

Of course, Li Guojie believes that the purpose of holding the Science Festival is not to examine whether first-year students have produced scientific achievements now, but to enhance their expression abilities, confidence, etc., through the event, stimulate their curiosity about frontier science and cutting-edge technology, and cultivate their interest in scientific research.

Zhang Xian'en, Dean of the SUAT Faculty of Synthetic Biology, expressed similar views. He believes that through this approach, it actually allowsfirst-year undergraduates to choose topics they are interested in to showcase, and cultivating interest is very important so that teachers and students can better cooperate in future teaching. Moreover, after several months of laboratory rotations, they can engage in scientific research earlier and truly learn some new principles, methods, and frontier progress.

Dean of the SUAT Faculty of Synthetic Biology Zhang Xian'en Delivers Keynote Speech

"Whether students grow into scientists, engineers, or entrepreneurs in the future, we hope they can speak confidently to the public, andthis is a stage for them to exercise themselves. " said Liang Qingning, Executive Dean of SUAT Dawning College. "The residential college is not only a cultural community but also an academic one; by inviting academic masters for keynote speeches and holding student-centered Science Festivals, we can create a vibrant academic atmosphere." "

In fact

This Dawning Science Festival event, from planning and organization to implementation

was primarily led by first-year students

with residential college mentors only providing guidance and assistance

Qiu Linfeng, a first-year undergraduate deeply involved in the entire event preparation, had deep feelings. "Participating in this academic report event not onlyexercised my reading, learning, and speaking abilities but also coordination, organization, and time management skills, which is very helpful for my personal growth. " Qiu Linfeng said.

SUAT will hold the Dawning Science Festival once every semester in the future, continuously creating an academic feast to enhance undergraduates' academic expression abilities and confidence, and enliven the academic atmosphere in residential colleges.