PhD student Tang Cheng from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Tsinghua University has been awarded the title of "Academic New Star" at the 21st Tsinghua University Academic Newcomer Awards.
On the evening of May 27, the 21st "Enjoying Academia" Academic Newcomer Award Ceremony and Sharing Session was held in the Main Hall of Tsinghua University. Tang Cheng, a doctoral student from the Department of Chemical Engineering, was honored with the title of Academic Newcomer, and he shared his insights and experiences at the event. Tang Cheng, under the guidance of Professor Wei Fei and Associate Professor Zhang Qiang, specializes in three-dimensional graphene research. During his three years of direct doctoral studies, Tang Cheng has published 10 SCI papers as the first author in top international journals such as "Advanced Materials," "Advanced Functional Materials," "Nano Energy," and "Journal of Materials Chemistry A," with a total impact factor of 107. One of his papers is listed as an ESI highly cited paper, and his work has been cited a total of 110 times. He has also applied for five national invention patents, one of which has been authorized. Tang Cheng has participated in over a dozen international academic conferences, earning him the Excellent Paper Award at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Chemical Society of China and the Best Oral Presentation Award at the 2015 Qingdao International Graphene Innovation Conference. Additionally, he has been awarded the National Scholarship for Graduate Students for two consecutive years. Beyond his academic achievements, Tang Cheng emphasizes that "research is a lifestyle, but the laboratory is not the entirety of research." He actively shares his research insights and experiences, serving as a counselor for the second-year chemical engineering students. Tang Cheng was also instrumental in founding the "Future Graphene Application Interest Team" at Tsinghua University, where he took on the roles of the first counselor and chairman. Under his leadership, the team grew into a comprehensive innovation group, encompassing 14 departments and 9 grades, fostering a platform for interdisciplinary and inter-grade student exchanges focused on graphene application innovations from a student perspective. At the sharing session, Tang Cheng delivered a keynote speech titled "Research·Life: Fun, Useful, and Cool." He delved into the fascinating details of his research journey, recounting the reasons that led him to pursue a doctoral degree and sharing his original passion for exploring the unknown while young. Tang Cheng's enthusiasm for the "coolness of research" resonated with the audience, inspiring them to embrace a similar academic spirit. He attributes his motivation in research to the belief that "science becomes different because of me," a philosophy that has guided his transformation from initial anxiety and eagerness to a state of calm confidence in his academic pursuits. Tang Cheng advocates for integrating research into daily life, describing his approach as "learning like living and researching like eating," emphasizing that research should be a natural part of one's lifestyle. The "Academic Newcomer" award is a prestigious recognition program at Tsinghua University, aimed at highlighting outstanding academic achievements among graduate students. This program has been running for 21 years, and each year, it selects around 10 students who have made significant contributions to their fields. Over the years, numerous students have received this honor, using the platform to showcase their academic achievements and serve as role models for their peers. Tang Cheng's success and his commitment to fostering a community of academic enthusiasm and innovation exemplify the values and aspirations of Tsinghua University's graduate student body. His story encourages current and future students to pursue their academic passions with dedication and to contribute to the broader academic community through collaboration and sharing.
