TBSI Graduate Story | Xi Jingyang: Building a bridge across cultures

2020-06-24

Xi Jingyang’2020, Canadian, is graduated with amaster's degree in management science and engineering at TBSI. Under theguidance of supervisor Prof. Wai Kin (Victor) Chan, He focused his research ondisaster management. Xi has already received a PhD offer from TBSI for furtherresearch. With the intention to build a bridge bringing together students from differentcultures, he founded iShare, a cultural exchange program for internationalstudents.

Enthusiastic on international student activities

Q: What makes you so fascinated with organizingactivities? How do you balance research and extracurricular activities?

Xi: Back in my undergraduate years, I was alreadyactive in organizing student activities. Shortly after I started my campus lifeat TBSI, a teacher asked me if I was interested in working on international student affairs. Of course yes, soI set about supporting TBSI'sinternational student activities. I was honored to be  elected as the Vice President of GraduateStudent Union.

Organizing activities sharpened my skills in manyways and brought me a strong sense of accomplishment. Besides, I got to makefriends from all parts of the world.

I have the clearest memory of leading a team ofinternational student scholars on a trip to Beijing for the John Ma Cup duringTsinghua's anniversary celebration in 2018. That was the first trip I organizedand led. A lot of students, including myself, had never been to Tsinghua's maincampus in Beijing. Visiting the campus was an overwhelming experience andfilled us with pride. The trip also gave us a better understanding of China'sculture and history.

Xi Jingyang (the second from the left in the rear row) and the team visiting Schwarzman Scholars

Future plan: making contributions to disastermanagement

Q: You are about to start pursuinga PhD program at TBSI. What is your plan for the future?

Xi: I will allocate more time to academicresearch during my PhD years.

My research direction, disaster management, is abranch of management science and engineering. There are differentcountermeasures in three different stages of a disaster: prevention, response andreconstruction.

My research is about disaster response. I designand test computerized simulation models that tell us what it is like whendisasters happen. Such models help optimize response plans and provideconstructive suggestions on how to handle disasters better. I hope my researchfindings will improve disaster response, which serves the public and makes contributions to thecountry.

Advice for future graduates: make full use ofinterdisciplinary courses

Q: What prompted you to choose TBSI in the firstplace? Why did you decide to go on with a PhD program at TBSI? What advice doyou have for future graduates?

Xi: When I knew UC Berkeley and Tsinghua hadjoined hands to found a new institute known as TBSI, it felt quite novel. Besides,I had a plan to develop a careerin China. That was why I chose TBSI.

During my master's years, my priority was tostudy China's disaster and emergency management by using computerizedsimulation models. The COVID-19 pandemic suddenly broke out when I waspreparing for graduation. I realized I should press ahead with my research. ThenI decided to stay at TBSI for a PhD.

TBSI sets up interdisciplinary courses. I suggestfuture graduates get to know about different research areas, to find out whatsuit them best and really interest them. If students have spare time, they maytake part in more extracurricular activities. That helps them develop skills andconnects them to high-caliber people in the same age group.

An engineering student, a designer, and a singer

Q: Pick a single adjective to describe yourself.

Xi: Maybe "creative". I always look fornew methods to do things that appear ordinary to others.

I do some design and use art to express myself,such as design booklets and posters for TBSI's cultural exchange activities.

Xi Jingyang's designed works

Q: In 2019, you made it all the way to the finalof Tsinghua's Annual Singing Competition. Tell us the story between you andmusic.

Xi: Singing is my hobby. During the last fewyears, I participated in quite somecompetitions and did pretty well. When I first came to TBSI, I learned aboutTsinghua's Annual Singing Competition, a grand event held in a stadium big enough to accommodate overone thousand people. I just wanted to take my chance. The competition had fourelimination rounds. I made it to the final, but I kind of blew it because I wassick. Anyway, it was an amazing, eye-opening experience. I look forward toreturning to that stage.

Xi Jingyang onstage at Tsinghua's Annual Singing Competition

A more international, open, and united TsinghuaSIGS

Q: In which aspects do you think TBSI has done agood job?

Xi: A higher level of internationalization isdefinitely a highlight. More and more international students are joining ourbig family. As well as cultural exchange activities are increasing, liketraditional holiday celebrations, the Mentor Partnership Program, and theGlobal Competence Salon. I hope TBSI invite more Chinese and foreign teachersinvolved in such activities. That will make SIGS and TBSI more internationaland open.

Xi Jingyang (leftmost) at Global Competence YouthEvent


Editor: Fei