Xu Tong enrolled at the Smart Grid andRenewable Energy Lab of Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI) as abachelor-straight-to-PhD student in 2015. During his PhD years, he publishedfour papers in SCI journals and was granted three patents. He received aNational Scholarship for Doctoral Students, a governmental study-abroadscholarship from China Scholarship Council, and a comprehensive second-classscholarship from Tsinghua University. In addition, he won the ExcellenceScholarship from the TBSI Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarships program for threeyears in a row. After graduation, he will take a job at the Southwest ElectricPower Design Institute of China Power Engineering Consulting Group.
Becoming one of TBSI's first PhDstudents
"Opportunities are out there forthose who are ready." Xu Tong said. When Xu failed to get a satisfactoryresult from the National College Entrance Examination, in the summer break thatfollowed, he made up his mind to map out for the future. Starting from Xu’sfreshman year, he attached equal importance to both learning andextracurricular activities. His academic performance always ranked among thetop in the pack. When finished his undergraduate studies, he was awarded thetitle of Chongqing's Excellent Graduate. Back then, TBSI was recruiting itsfirst batch of PhD students. Xu Tong, who had no plan to go for a higherdegree, was intrigued by TBSI's educational philosophy featuringinternationalization, innovation, and interdisciplinary. That was how he setout on his journey of research at TBSI.
Challenges along the way
Xu Tong found that undergraduatestudies are about retracing steps already taken by previous generations andabsorbing knowledge whereas research is a process of making constantbreakthroughs, innovating non-stop, and rediscovering oneself, with the courageto venture into uncharted territory.
Xu published his first SCI-includedpaper in his second PhD year. He said, "The research process was likegestating a baby. It started from scratch, and I took tenderly care of it.Finally, it was born." The success of the paper instilled him with astrong sense of accomplishment, which intensified his interest in research.
However, his way forward was lined withsetbacks. He submitted his final paper for publication the first time as earlyas in 2018. It was resubmitted to three journals and revised five times. In thebeginning, he felt frustrated that the paper was dismissed by reviewers, buthis supervisor encouraged him to stick it out. In 2020, the paper was finallyaccepted by a first-rate journal IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics.
Xu Tong’s paper was accepted by IEEETransactions on Industrial Informatics.
He is grateful for the considerateguidance that he has received from his supervisor, especially in the initialstage of his research. He said, "During the past five years, my supervisorhas not only taught me specialized knowledge. He has shown me how to be a goodperson." As his supervisor said, the supervisor-student relationship mayevolve into one between academic partners.
TBSI has created many opportunities ofoverseas academic exchange for students. While he pursued his PhD, Xu Tongparticipated in the Tsinghua-Imperial Summer Vacation Program and spent oneyear studying at UC Berkeley. Such experiences opened his eyes to differentresearch systems and cultures abroad. He observed that foreign scholars aremore willing to express their intentions and present themselves than theirChinese counterparts, who tend to be quite reserved. So he deliberately trainedhimself to be more expressive in talking about academic topics. That effortpaid off well.
Xu Tong participated in theTsinghua-Imperial Summer Vacation Program.
Xu Tong studied at UC Berkeley for oneyear.
A rich life beyond research
Apart from his top-notch capabilitiesof research, this extroverted student was particularly active inextracurricular activities.
Even before his campus life kicked offat TBSI, Xu Tong took part in the Link Training Camp organized by theinstitute. At the training camp, he not only honed his skillset but alsodeveloped friendships with teachers and students. That was where hisfascination with student groups originated. Just a short time into his veryfirst semester, he joined the Student Union and served multiple terms as itsVice President.
Xu Tong took part in the Link TrainingCamp.
"You can always make time if youare passionate about what you do. Working in student groups sharpens my mindand abilities." Xu Tong said.
Advice for future graduates
"Failure is part of research."Xu Tong suggested that future graduates persevere in the face of failure andfind fun from research. As for career choice, he proposed three criteria, i.e. individualcapabilities, personal interests, and trends of the era. "There is nocookie-cutter answer to the question what job is good. The job that suits youis the best."
Editor: Fei
