Interview | 严翊洋：双学位让我发现未来的更多可能
//
为鼓励学生全方位发展，培养具有较强适应性和可塑性的高级复合人才，广东以色列理工学院面向学习成绩优秀、学有余力的本科生提供修读以色列理工学院双学位（广东以色列理工学院辅修专业）的机会，给学生提供了拓宽学术视野，从事跨学科学术研究的渠道。
在课业压力较重的广以，修读双学位是什么体验？遇到课程冲突如何处理？如何分配各专业的学习时间？针对这些大家关心的问题，我们将推出针对修读双学位同学的系列采访，带领大家走进这群广以“最忙碌的人”。
本期我们将与大家分享双修学生严翊洋的故事。
人物介绍PROFILE
严翊洋
毕业高中：
宁波市鄞州中学
本科专业：
材料科学与工程
数学与计算机科学
获得奖项：
学业优秀奖学金（2019-2021）、广以常务副校长嘉许名单（2019）、广以本科生院院长嘉许名单（2020-2021）
严翊洋是广以2018级材料科学与工程专业的学生。在繁忙如“高四”的学业中，他不但在本专业保持着GPA90分以上的好成绩，还选择数学与计算机科学作为自己的辅修专业 (满足学分要求可以获得该专业的以色列理工学院学位)，同时兼顾双专业的学习。他很好地平衡了两个专业的学习时间，并利用空闲时间加入老师的项目组，真正做到了学习科研两不误。
你选择这两个专业的契机是什么？
我从高中时代就觉得材料是一门非常有趣的学科，而且在当今社会，很多产业都离不开材料，所以这个专业非常具有发展前景。再加上我是宁波人，我们那边储能电池行业很发达，全球首条超级电容储能式现代电车公交线就是在宁波开通的。那时的我就决定，到大学，一定要选择材料专业，深入学习储能材料的相关知识。
选择数学与计算机科学，是因为我在大一时上了广以数学与计算机科学系主任Eli Aljadeff教授的数学基础课。在他的课上，我第一次发现，原来大学数学是这么美丽，尤其是在抽象和形式化方面。在上课的时候，跟着教授的逻辑，把题目一步一步推理出来，让我感受到了大学数学与高中数学的不同。大学数学并没有太多技巧性的东西，而是更重视理论和逻辑，这一切都深深吸引了我。当得知学校准备开设数学与计算机科学专业的时候，我第一时间就做了双修的决定。
你修读双学位的流程是怎样的？
最初数学与计算机科学并没有开设双修学位，所以当时我们这些对数学有兴趣的人就给系主任Eli Aljadeff教授发邮件，表明自己想要修读双学位的想法。当时申请的人很多，Eli Aljadeff教授也是非常好的一位老师，他很快着手去推动这个事情。在大二上学期，我被正式批准可以修读数学与计算机科学专业的课程。
我记得最开始只要你发邮件，都可以去体验相关课程，当时教室里差不多有四五十人。大概半个学期之后会有一次考试，这次考试会把双修的同学按成绩分成三批人，成绩相对较差的会被“劝退”，如果你自己觉得力不从心也可以申请退出。三年读下来，这群人只剩下不到十人，所以这真的是一条淘汰率很高的路。
在修读过程中有过后悔吗，是如何坚持下来的？
刚开始当然会觉得非常不适应，大一时一个学期加上体育课最多也就六到七门课，但是选择双修之后，一个学期有十到十一门课，当时确实感觉有点力不从心。
在大二上学期快结束的时候，我给Eli Aljadeff教授发了邮件，表达了我想放弃的想法，Aljadeff教授让我通过电话和他沟通。没想到，他竟然还记得我大一修读他课程时的表现，并对我当时的思维模式和成绩表示了肯定。在问过我期末考试分数后，他认为我的能力是足够的，既然选择了修读双学位，还是希望我能坚持下去，当然最终选择权还是在我身上。教授的肯定给了我继续下去的勇气。后来我适应了这种学习强度，感觉一切也并没有一开始那么艰难。
你认为数学与计算机科学和材料科学与工程有哪些共通之处，又各有什么特点？
这两个专业同为理工类学科，材料科学与工程是一个很需要数学功底的专业，在数学领域学习到的一些专业知识可以帮我更好的理解材料专业。当然，数学也有它的独特之处，特别是广以这一专业，还涵盖了计算机的内容，这极大加深了这一专业的丰富性。
虽然广以数学与计算机科学专业成立时间比较晚，但作为以色列理工学院的优势学科，还是能接触到很多知名教授。我之前上过一门课，讲得是关于形式化计算机的知识，授课教授同时也是谷歌公司的客座教授。在他的课上我感受到了这个专业的无穷魅力。
你是如何分配两个专业的学习时间，课程与考试的安排是否会有冲突？
我会平均分配两个专业的学习时间，并且多花一些时间在自己比较薄弱的课程上。因为时间和精力限制，对于课堂上一些知识的延伸内容，要有计划的去放弃，把基础知识掌握牢固才最重要。当然牺牲掉一些休息和娱乐时间在所难免，但有失必有得。我利用挤出来的时间，加入谭启老师的课题组，提升我的科研能力，进行超级电容器方向的研究，这也是我当时选择材料科学与工程这个专业的初衷。
在课程和考试方面，数学与计算机科学专业的一大部分课程需要和本专业的同学一起上，所以偶尔会出现时间上的冲突，这时需要权衡考虑做出取舍。大家可以去学校录播课平台查一查有没有对应的录播课或者向科任老师寻求帮助。考试时间冲突也偶有发生，遇到这种情况建议跟本科教学办公室联系，他们会安排把冲突科目顺延，让我们可以连着进行两门考试。
关于未来，你有什么计划？
我之后打算继续读研深造，目前是两个方向都进行了申请，之后再做决定。这两个专业都是我非常感兴趣的方向，材料在21世纪非常具有发展前景，而数学则是很多高精尖行业的基础，我同时也会考虑二者结合的一些领域。
你会给同样想修读双学位的师弟师妹们提什么建议？
我觉得在做出双修选择之前，首先要对自己有一个非常明确的认知，不要妄自菲薄，也不要妄自尊大。其次，要抛除别人对自己的看法，比如对自己的夸赞之类的，要静下心来认真评估自己的能力，扪心自问是否无论遇到什么困难，都愿意坚持把双修这条路走下去，如果得到的答案是肯定的，就放手去做。日后如果对自己产生了怀疑，就回忆一下当时做决定的场景，让自己的信念变得更加坚定。
双学位这条路并不容易，你会面临一周接近四天的全天满课，从早上十点上到晚上六点，比别人多一倍的考试量和作业量，以及大概率会延迟一年毕业的情况。坚持下来会很累很辛苦，但我并不后悔，因为我度过了更加充实的大学生活，看到了更多不一样的风景。
//
In order to cultivate versatile talents, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) offers an opportunity for undergraduates with excellent academic performance and adequate time to study for a dual degree of the Technion (GTIIT minor program), which provides students a channel to broaden their academic horizons and engage in interdisciplinary academic research.
What is it like to study a dual degree at GTIIT under heavy academic pressure? How to deal with course conflicts? How to allocate study time for each program? In response to these concerns, we will launch a series of interviews for students who are pursuing dual degrees to introduce this group of "GTIIT's busiest people".
Here is the story of Yan Yiyang, a student who is going to get dual degree.
PROFILE
Yan Yiyang
High School：
Ningbo Yinzhou High School
Programs：
Material Science and Engineering
Mathematics and Computer Science
Awards：
GTIIT Academic Excellence Scholarship (2019-2021), GTIIT Vice Chancellor's List (2019), GTIIT Dean's List (2020-2021)
Yan Yiyang is a Material Science and Engineering student of the Class of 2018. At GTIIT, he maintained a GPA above 90 in his main major while taking Mathematics and Computer Science (MCS) as his minor program (students can get the corresponding degree of Technion with enough credit). He balances the study time of two programs well and uses his spare time to join the research team. What was the life like for this A level student at GTIIT? Today, let us explore his world together.
What motivates you to choose these two programs?
Since I was a high school student, I have felt that materials is a very interesting subject and in today's society, many industries are inseparable from materials, so it is very promising. In addition, I am from Ningbo, where the energy storage battery industry is very developed. The world's first super capacitor energy storage modern tram was opened in Ningbo. At that time, I decided that when I go to university, I must choose this major and learn the relevant knowledge of energy storage materials.
The reason for choosing Mathematics and Computer Science is because when I was a freshman, I had a class about basic mathematics. The teacher of that class is Prof. Eli Aljadeff, who is also the head of MCS. In his class, for the first time, I discovered the beauty of university mathematics, especially in terms of abstraction and formalization. In class, I followed the professor and reasoned out the questions step by step, which made me realize the difference of mathematics in university and high school. University mathematics has fewer technical questions and pays more attention to theory and logic, all of which deeply attracted me. When I knew that the university was going to have MCS program, I immediately apply for it as the minor program.
What is the process for you to study a dual degree?
In the beginning, there was no dual degree for Mathematics and Computer Science, so those who were interested in mathematics would email Prof. Eli Aljadeff, the head of the program, to express our intention to study a dual degree. There were a lot of applicants at that time, and Prof. Eli Aljadeff was so nice that he quickly managed to solve this matter. During the first semester of my sophomore year, I was officially approved to take courses in Mathematics and Computer Science.
In the beginning, as long as you sent an email, you could go and try the relevant courses. At that time, there were about forty to fifty people in the classroom. We had an exam after about half a semester. Students would be divided into three groups according to their grades. Those with poor grades would be dismissed. And you can also give up amid the study. After three years, less than ten people remain in this group, so this is really a road with a high elimination rate.
Have you ever regretted your choice, and how did you overcome this?
At the beginning, of course, I felt very uncomfortable. During my freshman year, I had only six to seven courses in one semester including physical class. However, after studying dual degree, I had ten to eleven courses in one semester. This made me feel very tried.
At the end of my sophomore semester, I emailed Prof. Eli Aljadeff, telling him that I wanted to give up. Prof. Aljadeff asked me to communicate with him by phone. Surprisingly, he still remembered my performance when I took his course in freshman year, and affirmed my thinking mode and grades at that time. After asking me about my final exam score, he said that I have sufficient ability and hoped I can hold on. Of course, the final choice is still up to me. The professor's affirmation gave me the courage to continue, and after I got used to this learning intensity, I felt that everything was not as difficult as it was at the beginning.
Does MCS have anything in common with Materials Science and Engineering (MSC)? And what are the characteristics of them?
These two programs are both science and engineering disciplines. Materials Science and Engineering is a program that requires a strong mathematical foundation. Some knowledge learned in mathematics can help me better understand the contents in materials. Of course, mathematics also has its unique features, especially in the program at GTIIT. It also covers the content of computer, which greatly deepens the richness of it.
Although the program of Mathematics and Computer Science in GTIIT was a young program, as the dominant discipline of Technion, we can still have many well-known professors. We have a class about formal computer knowledge. Our teacher was also a visiting professor at Google. In his class, I felt the infinite charm of this program.
How do you divide the study time between the two programs? Are there any conflict between the schedule of courses and exams?
I will evenly split the study time between the two programs, and spend more time on my weaker courses. Because of the limitation of time and energy, you must give up some extended content and have a firm grasp of the basic knowledge. Of course, you also need to give up some rest and entertainment, but there is always more to gain. I used this time to join Prof. Daniel Tan's research group to conduct research in the direction of supercapacitors.
In terms of courses and exams, a large part of the courses about Mathematics and Computer Science will be taken together with the students of this program, so sometimes you may have two classes at the same time. As for this, you need to make a trade-off. You can go to the university's recording platform to check if the class has been recorded before or ask the teacher for help. Exam conflicts do occur occasionally. In this case, I recommended to contact the Undergraduate Office. They will arrange it so that you can take two exams back to back.
What are your plans for the future?
I plan to pursue my postgraduate studies in the future. Currently, I have applied for both fields, and I will make the decision after I receive the offers. These two programs are both interesting. Materials have very bright future in the 21st century, and mathematics is the foundation of many advanced industries. I will also consider some fields that combine the two.
Yiyang (right1) with his friend
Do you have any advice for students who also want to study a dual degree?
I think before making the decision of studying dual degree, you must first have a very clear understanding of yourself. Secondly, you must ignore the opinions of others, such as compliments on yourself, calm down and seriously evaluate your abilities. Then ask yourself whether you are willing to study the dual degree no matter how difficult it will be. If the answer is yes, just do it. If you have doubts about yourself in the future, recall the scene when you made the decision to strengthen your beliefs.
The road to study a dual degree is not easy. You will face a full schedule for nearly four days a week, taking classes from ten in the morning to six in the evening, double the amount of exams and homework, a high probability that you need to stay at GTIIT one more year. It will be very tiring and hard, but I do not regret it, because I have lived a more fulfilling university life and seen more different scenery.
文：GTIIT传媒与公共事务部
图：严翊洋、GTIIT传媒与公共事务部
Text: GTIIT News & Public Affairs
Photos: Yan Yiyang, GTIIT News & Public Affairs
▲关注广东以色列理工学院，开启探索理工世界之旅