Listen to her story on International Women's Day

Editor’s note

March 8 marks International Women's Day. Many female TsinghuaRen have made significant contributions in their respective fields. Let’s listen to their stories and understand their enthusiasm, courage, and persistence in pursuing their dreams.

Dedicating to rural revitalization

Zhang Zheyu, a master alumna of the School of Journalism, has transitioned from urban to rural life. After graduating in 2020, Zhang came to Xunwu, Ganzhou, Jiangxi and became a village leader.

Zhang Zheyu helped villagers raise free-range chickens

Since then, she has visited hundreds of families while mobilizing resources to improve their lives. Zhang revitalized her small village by renovating the roads, sewerage network, parking lots and other infrastructure. Simultaneously, she introduced amenities like libraries, gyms, and museums to enrich the villagers' lives.

Today, fruit farming and tourism are the village's primary industries under Zhang's leadership. She developed e-commerce and personally showcased local fruits through webcasts, generating a sales record of ￥500,000 in a single night. Additionally, her village has become a tourist attraction with its historical heritage presented in vivid online videos.

Zhang Zheyu was shooting a short video of agricultural products

"No journey is too distant to complete," affirms Zhang. She is determined to establish roots in her village, striving for a prosperous and sustainable future.

Pioneering flexible electronics 

for a warmer, smarter world

Can you imagine batteries can be soft and stretchable? This is no longer a science fiction scene thanks to He Lei , an alumna of the Materials Science and Engineering Department, Class of 1994. Chinese athletes were equipped with heated shoes during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, capable of sustaining warmth and comfort for over 4 hours in a -25℃ environment. This was made possible with the flexible battery from He's group.

The heating shoes equipped with soft battery 

In 2018, she founded a company that designs and manufactures flexible and stretchable electric devices equipped with flexible batteries. Her research covers a wide range of areas, including materials, electronics and mechanics. The products have been applied in various fields, such as smart apparel, healthcare, sports, AR/VR, flexible displays, and robotics.

He Lei demonstrated flexible batteries at an entrepreneurial event

"For me, the greatest charm of scientific research lies in its tangible impact on everyday life," says He. She remains steadfast at the forefront of flexible electronics, striving to dedicate the technology to improving more people's lives.

Dreams blossoming into victory

Xia Yuyu, a master’s student from the School of Social Sciences, has been pursuing her dream of becoming a world champion since she was admitted to Tsinghua University in 2016. She has worked tirelessly, training day after day.

Xia Yuyu attended the 30th Summer Universiade

Her hard work paid off at the 2023 Universiade in Chengdu, where she finally achieved her dream. With the final bell ringing of the 10,000-meter race, Xia Yuyu took the lead and accelerated in the last lap, overtaking her competitors at the decisive moment. Xia won a hard-won gold medal, which was also the first track gold medal of the Chinese delegation in the track and field events of the Chengdu Universiade.

Xia Yuyu won the women's 10,000m title at the 31th Summer Universiade

"Being fearless in the face of difficulties and strong opponents and having courage in fighting" is the deepest public impression of Xia. Running has been a part of her life, from a small town in the mountains of Guizhou to Tsinghua in Beijing. She has since taken her running to the world.

Witnessing each of you pursuing your dreams is truly the most breathtaking view. 

This International Women's Day, may you step into the spotlight of your own life, shining as its main character.

Read more about THU

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The “two sessions”spotlight

Xu Hehao: Ice hockey is my way to connect with the world

Special ｜ Listen to her story on International Women's Day

Writers: Wang Chenyile, Wang Xiyuan, Xu Fenyi

Editors: Fang Si, Gillian Tang

Designer: Wang Xiyuan

Reviewers: Chen Ken, Lin Yuan