On the evening of November 24, 2023, at 19:00, the final of the selection for the “Top 10 Outstanding Students” of South China University of Technology for the 2022-2023 academic year was officially held at the Yifu Science Museum. After intensive competition, Su Jiayu, a 2021-level student majoring in environmental engineering in our school, won the honor of “Top 10 Outstanding Students” of South China University of Technology for the 2022-2023 academic year with outstanding academic achievements, excellent scientific and technological achievements, and rich social practice experience.
Scene of the “Top 10 Outstanding Students” finals
Su Jiayu, a member of the Communist Party of China, and a 2021-level student majoring in environmental engineering at the School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology. Passionate about scientific research, she has won multiple national and provincial awards in competitions such as the “Challenge Cup” National College Students’ Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Works Competition and the National College Students’ Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Social Practice and Technology Competition. With remarkable achievements, she has filed two patent applications for inventions; with a full score in 26 subjects, she ranked first in the class in the 2022-2023 academic year in comprehensive, intellectual, and moral education and received the National Scholarship. She currently serves as a member of the school’s flag guard team, earning honors such as “Outstanding Member.”
Setting Sail with the Original Aspiration
Since elementary school, Su Jiayu has been a member of the school’s flag guard team, and the solemnity and beauty of the national flag have been deeply imprinted in her heart. Guarding the national flag has become a part of her life.
Guarding the national flag is the fundamental motivation for her to establish a foundation for the country’s ecological civilization construction and fulfill her mission. As a member of the school’s flag guard team, she has attended 43 times and excelled in completing flag-raising tasks at major events such as the 73rd anniversary celebration of the founding of the People’s Republic of China at South China University of Technology and the 70th anniversary celebration and 105th anniversary commemoration of the establishment of the university. She also participated in the fifth Guangdong Provincial School Flag Guard Team exchange and exhibition, winning the third prize. Based on her outstanding performance, she was awarded the honor of “Outstanding Member” of the flag guard team at South China University of Technology.
In more than two years of study at the school, she has developed new thoughts about guarding the national flag—guarding the national flag not only means successfully completing the flag-raising ceremony each time but also signifies guarding the prosperity of the motherland under the flying national flag. Therefore, her flag-guarding dream has transformed into a dream of strengthening the country, hoping to contribute to the construction of an environmentally friendly and strong nation through her practical actions.
Su Jiayu at the 73rd anniversary celebration of the founding of the People’s Republic of China(Third from right,the first row)
Continual Pursuit of Knowledge, Fulfilling the Mission
A good knowledge reserve is the foundation of realizing dreams. However, when Su Jiayu entered the university, her academic performance was only ranked 42nd in the major. The initial setback did not hinder her progress. After more than a year of effort, her major ranking rose to the top five, with full marks in 26 courses. In the previous academic year, she ranked first in the class in comprehensive evaluation, intelligence, and morality, earning her the National Scholarship.
In addition to focusing on her studies, she has also delved into her professional field and cultivated research capabilities. In her freshman year, she joined the research laboratory of Professor Chen Yan at the School of Environment and Energy. From a research novice who didn’t even know how to use basic instruments, she transformed into a research expert capable of independently undertaking project research. Addressing the two major practical needs of wastewater treatment and low-carbon ammonia production, she chose to research the composite topics of nitrate wastewater treatment and low-carbon ammonia production. She participated in various research projects, including SRP projects, national-level innovation projects, Guangdong Province’s “Climbing Plan” key projects, and the “Bai Bu Ti Climbing Plan,” responding to the call for pollution reduction and carbon reduction with practical actions, advancing toward the dream of guarding the country’s green waters and mountains.
Su Jiayu conducting experiments in the laboratory
Simultaneously, she participated as a key member in several high-level scientific and technological competitions. In this year’s “Challenge Cup” competition, she and her team proposed an electrocatalytic coupled membrane separation technology to eliminate waste ammonia, winning the provincial special prize and national second prize and achieving the best result in the history of the School of Environment and Energy. In the “Internet+” competition, their team further explored the commercial value and landing solutions of the project’s technology, ultimately winning the provincial gold medal and preparing to enter the national final. In addition, they won the national first prize in the National College Students’ Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Science and Technology Competition. Among 1,400 teams nationwide, they stood out, winning the unique special prize in the Yida National Innovation Competition, reported by official media such as People’s Daily and Guangzhou Daily.
Su Jiayu at the “Challenge Cup” national competition
Currently, she is involved as the second author and seventh author in two national patent applications, both of which have been accepted. At the same time, her project team actively visited enterprises and has reached cooperation intentions with multiple companies, including Yivei Environment, using wastewater value-added technology to help companies solve production difficulties and respond to the integrated strategy of pollution reduction and carbon reduction, not forgetting the initial aspiration of building an environmentally friendly nation.
Returning to the Original Aspiration, Giving Back to Society
While striving to climb the academic peak, Su Jiayu also frequently pays attention to social hot issues and actively engages in social practices. In the summer of 2022, she went to the Jiangmen area to investigate the characteristic tourism industry, contributing to the economic development of the region. In the summer of 2023, she joined the project team to enter Huadu, Guangzhou, exploring a new model of wastewater treatment for Dongfang Biotechnology Company using “wastewater value-added” technology, supporting rural revitalization. This project activity was also selected as a key project of the Guangdong “Bai Qian Wan Project” and was fully reported by “Zhong Qing Net” media.
In the field of voluntary service, she actively participates in activities such as welcoming new students and the organization of teaching materials for visually impaired students at the Qiming School. This contributes to assisting visually impaired students in taking the college entrance examination and changing their destinies. She understands the limited power of an individual but firmly believes that seemingly insignificant actions of each person can eventually converge into a powerful force, injecting warmth into society. Success lies in the details, just as in voluntary service, and the dream of safeguarding the country’s green mountains and clear waters is no different.
Su Jiayu’s rural practice scene
Image and Text: Su Jiayu, Li Wenjie
First Review: Li Wenjie
Second Review: Lü Xiaoting
Third Review: Wu Honghui