"Strong Nation, My Responsibility; Pursuing Dreams, Setting Sail" | School of Aeronautics and Astronautics Holds Opening Ceremony and First Lesson for the 2024 Freshmen

    Autumn Light as the Prelude, Youth Sails Forth. On September 19th, the School of Aerospace Engineering and Technology of Shanghai Jiao Tong University held the Opening Ceremony and First Lesson for the 2024 academic year, welcoming 194 young scholars to embark on a new chapter. The event was attended by the school's leadership, the 2024 cohort of undergraduate and graduate students, including part-time students, representatives of faculty members, and officials from relevant departments.   

    The opening ceremony kicked off amidst the solemn melody of the national anthem.             

    Executive Vice Dean Hu Shiqiang extended a sincere welcome to the freshmen on behalf of the school and delivered a message of encouragement.

    "The mud at our feet cannot deter our yearning for the vast sky and sparkling stars." Xi Enze, a 2024 undergraduate student, who was born on the Sino-Myanmar border in the southwest of the country, shared his initial impressions of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and his dreams of pursuing aerospace as a representative of the new students. He expressed his determination to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors, take up the baton of struggle, and embody the essence of "SJTU Aerospace People" through his actions.

    As the representative of senior students, Deng Hefang, a 2021 Ph.D. candidate, addressed the audience. Reflecting on his own research challenges in the field of aero-thermodynamics of aircraft engines, Deng shared his learning experiences and insights with the freshmen, encouraging them to actively utilize school resources, bravely face challenges, and continuously grow throughout their university life.

    Appointing young faculty members as class advisors has been a long-standing important measure of the school to promote academic atmosphere construction and ideological and political work. With the arrival of the 2024 freshmen, four outstanding young faculty members were appointed as class advisors, and Deputy Party Secretary Chen Fang presented them with letters of appointment. They will serve as mentors and guides, accompanying the new generation of aerospace students in their growth and development.

    "Choosing a university is, in essence, choosing a life path, a pursuit, and a spirit." Gao Yi, the representative of class advisors and an associate professor with a long-term appointment from the Department of Aerospace Propulsion, addressed the 2024 undergraduate freshmen with expectations and advice.

    During the event, outstanding scholarships were also awarded to non-full-time master's degree freshmen. Deputy Party Secretary Li Wei announced the list of award recipients, and Party Secretary Yi Lilin presented the awards to the winners.

    As the representative of the award recipients, 2024 MEM freshman Zeng Chao spoke. Zeng Chao expressed his firm confidence in his future academic and professional development, and inspired his fellow students to strive for academic progress and maintain a positive attitude.

    Following the opening ceremony, all freshmen attended the "First Lesson of the Semester," hosted by Party Secretary Yi Lilin. Chen Yunli, the Chief Designer of the Remote Sensing Satellite No. 6 at the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, was invited to give a special report on the current status and future development directions of China's satellite industry. The report introduced the principles of satellites and, using the "Lutan-1" satellite, a project in which the School of Aerospace Engineering and Technology at SJTU participated, elaborated on its mission and key technologies. Chen also shared his insights on the future development directions of satellite technology.

    The event also included an orientation program for the freshmen. Li Xin from the Teaching Management Office and Gao Shan from the Internationalization Office respectively introduced the graduate teaching management regulations and the school's internationalization efforts, helping the new students plan and arrange their academic pursuits more effectively.

    We wish the new students of the 2024 intake to inherit the spirit of Jiaotong Aerospace, aim high and be down-to-earth, and shine brightly on this fertile ground of Jiaotong Aerospace, where knowledge and innovation are nurtured.