Graduates | 杨文涛：保持独立思考，体会数学之美
2024年，广东以色列理工学院迎来第四届本科毕业生。尽管入学时正值新冠疫情爆发、中外合作办学遇冷，但意志坚定的少年们用理想指引前路，以行动践行初心，他们秉承“实干圆梦”（dream it, do it）的广以校训，在科学的道路上砥砺前行，成就了一个个“低调高光”的动人故事。广以2024届本科毕业生系列专访将与大家共同分享学子们耕耘梦想的成长故事，见证他们向阳而生的奋斗历程。
GTIIT Graduates 2024
杨文涛
毕业高中：南京市第二十九中学
本科专业：数学与计算机科学专业
奖学金：
校长奖学金（2019-2020）
校长奖学金、广以Dean's List、朋辈助教嘉奖（2020-2021）
录取项目：
芝加哥大学 计算与应用数学硕士项目
华盛顿大学 应用与计算数学硕士项目
明尼苏达大学双城分校 应用数学硕士项目
伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校 数学硕士项目
数学与计算机相关专业的申请人数几何式增长、录取要求水涨船高……在这个竞争极其激烈的海外研究生申请季中，广以首届数学与计算机科学专业毕业生杨文涛坚持选择自己热爱的数学方向，以自己的高绩点和出色的能力收获多所世界名校的青睐。他接连收到了芝加哥大学、华盛顿大学、明尼苏达大学等世界名校数学系的录取通知书，也在等待更多的好消息。
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结缘数学，逐梦广以
“我喜欢思考。”
杨文涛从小学习围棋。每一次执棋，都是在充分考虑博弈双方在不同选择下的多种可能之后，方能落子。思考，成为了融入他生活的习惯。
高考后，卸去备考压力的文涛开始规划自己的专业方向。他希望能够选择注重思考的基础学科，向往国际化和自由化的学习科研环境，广以的数学与计算机科学专业在此时进入他的眼帘。
文涛高中就读于江苏省南京市第二十九中学。无独有偶，广以首位在四年内取得双学位、收获多所美国名校录取的邵远川同学同样来自于二十九中。在高考择校时，远川向文涛和父母介绍了自己在广以修读化学工程和数学与计算机科学双专业的就读体验，这让文涛心生向往。
进入广以数学与计算机专业就读后，文涛如鱼得水，很快就适应了全英环境和这里的教学节奏。预备学期让他顺利地过渡到全英教学，大一的课程则为他打下良好的基础。他坦言，广以自由的学术氛围让他能够自主探索广泛的知识体系，也可以对自己感兴趣的主题深入研究。广以按照本部以色列理工学院学术标准进行培养和考核，对本科生的学术科研水平实行高标准、严要求，但他并没有感受到太大的学习压力，而是在“硬核”的教学课程中不断提高自己的思维能力和专注能力。
文涛回忆，刚进入大二时，课程难度提高了一大截，这让他一下子无法适应，接近两个月的时间里都沉浸在自我怀疑中。“上课听不懂怎么办”“我真的适合学习这门学科吗”……文涛说，这或许是许多广以学子在学习和成长中的必经阶段。面对困难，他没有选择退出，而是不断探索各种方式克服挑战。
“数学学习中，与他人的交流很重要，因为这是一门注重理解性的学科。”上课听不懂，就下课多花时间再思考；有新的想法，就马上和同学们交流；对某个公式或定理的理解不够透彻，就抓紧一切机会向老师请教……文涛调整心态，将自己“浸泡”在数学世界里，“面对难懂的数学理论，多交流、多思考，能够大大增加产生灵感的几率。”抛开应试压力在数学世界中遨游，这个热爱思考的学生在广以的学习中逐渐发现了数学之美。
凭借对数学的满腔热情和强大的时间管理能力，文涛用三年时间就完成了学校要求的数学系所有基础学分的修读，这也让他能够在课业之外，开始探索更多可能。
大三开始，文涛和其他几位尖子生一起加入教授的课题组，围绕李群和量子计算展开研究讨论，开始涉猎研究生阶段的课程。去年暑假，他在以色列理工学院交换学习期间参加计算机科学研究项目，又申请到深圳企业实习参与AI项目开发，为未来规划多种方向。
文涛（右二）在以色列理工学院交换期间参加科研项目
在不断探索中，他发现自己的兴趣不止所涉及领域的算法本身，而是底层逻辑和通用算法架构，而自己目前的数学储备并不足够。他暗暗下定决心，要在数学领域继续深造。
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同窗共砚，齐探数学之美
尽管喜欢“超前学习”，文涛却说他“从不预习”，因为这会让他“失去灵感”。
在广以的每一次课堂，文涛都满怀对未知的渴求和期待。“越到高阶的课程，课堂的内容越加晦涩，可能我们很多人都没能在当下理解，但我非常享受此刻的学术氛围。”触碰认知边界之外的知识，不断地锻炼自己的思考能力和抽象思维，文涛在课堂授课和交流讨论中常常迸发出瞬间的“灵感”，逐步构建起自己大脑中的数学世界。
在旁人看来“张牙舞爪”的高阶数学公式，在他心中则是抽象之美的代表。“数学研究中有许多一时的‘无用之用’，但在十年或某一个未来节点却被证实为极大的飞跃。如‘千禧年难题’中的‘黎曼猜想’，现在被证实与人工智能发展有很大的关系。”数学描述、解释宇宙通行法则和人类复杂活动的强大能力常常让他惊叹，前人书写下字字珠玑而又包罗万象的定理引导他不断地思考和学习。“学习数学让我以不同角度解构世界，逻辑和思维能力都得到了质的飞跃。”
文涛常与数学系的同学一起交流讨论
而让文涛更为欣喜的是，广以自由而浓厚的的学术氛围让他与志同道合的同辈相遇，在各自的兴趣领域互相扶持、共同成长。他与其他几位数学系尖子生时常碰头讨论，更是老师们office hour（课后咨询）的常客。“在广以数学与计算机科学专业里，我们几个人分为‘数学派’和‘计算机科学派’，有人酷爱基础数学，有人致力于计算机科学这一块，”课题研究模型运行报错时，就向计算机“大神”求助；数学难题无法理解，就找数学”天才”讨论。志趣相投的学子们在讨论中迸发思维火花，发挥各自擅长的能力解决学习科研中遇到的种种难题。文涛说，这是他在广以最享受的时光。
追逐光的人，心中始终有温暖。在自己的学业之外，文涛在校期间一直担任“朋辈助教”（Peer Tutor），为低年级的学生们答疑解惑。他享受不同大脑产生思维碰撞的时刻，也想要将自己的经验与技能分享给更多的后辈们。“广以的数学与计算机科学专业设置中，纯数学的课程占比高，难度也比较大。如果对数学怀有热爱，应该多尝试、多思考，努力克服一时的困难。多想多问，保持独立思考很重要。”
四年的广以时光，文涛成长为一位具有优秀沟通表达能力与独立能力的有为青年，也让他在继续探寻数学的道路上拥有了保持初心、勇于探索的底气。从广以出发，乘风好去，长空万里。
”This summer, the Class of 2024 will graduate from Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT). Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic and the running difficulty of Sino-foreign university co-operation in the year they entered GTIIT, the determined students keep moving forward with the motto of "Dream it, do it". They write one and another encouraging stories upon the path of scientific dreams. Let's follow the interview series of 2024 graduates to uncover more in their pursuit of future.
GTIIT Graduates 2024
Yang Wentao
High School：Nanjing No.29 High School
Program：Mathematics with Computer Science (MCS)
Awards：
Chancellor's Scholarship (2019-2020); Chancellor's Scholarship, GTIIT Dean's List, Outstanding Peer Tutor (2020-2021)
Receive Offers From Math/Applied Math Programs of：
University of Chicago, University of Washington, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Competition for admissions to MCS-related graduate programs appears to be extremely fierce this year. Requirements from dream schools increased in step with an increasing number of applicants. Yang Wentao, a GTIIT fourth year student majoring in MCS Program, successfully won recognitions from multiple renowned universities with his outstanding academic performance. Up to now, he has received offers from the University of Chicago, University of Washington, University of Minnesota Twin Cities and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. More good news is on the way.
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Form ties with Math in GTIIT
"I loved thinking," Wentao said.
Wentao has been learning Go, a board game in China, since primary school. For him, every move he made comes after thorough consideration of various possibilities on both sides. Thinking has become a habit for him ever since then.
After the college entrance examination (Gaokao), Wentao began to make the crucial decision-which university and what major to choose. He wanted to learn basic science in an international academic environment. The MCS Program offered by GTIIT caught his attention.
Wentao graduated from Nanjing No. 29 High School, the same school as Shao Yuanchuan, a GTIIIT graduate from the Class of 2022. Accepted by a list of prestigious U.S. universities, Yuanchuan was the first student at GTIIT to get a dual degree in four years. When applying for college, Yuanchuan introduced his experience of learning both Chemical Engineering and MCS at GTIIT, which inspired Wentao and his parents a lot.
Wentao adjusted to university life and formed his own learning pace soon after he was admitted to GTIIT's MCS Program. He smoothly adapted to English teaching here in the preparatory semester while the first-year courses laid a solid foundation for him. The academic atmosphere at GTIIT allowed the students to dive into their interests, he added. Wentao didn't bear excessive workload or pressure although GTIIT followed the strict academic standard of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Instead, he constantly improved his critical thinking and ability to focus amid GTIIT informative curriculums.
Wentao recalled that he was struggling to catch up with the lecturers in sophomore year, since the difficulty of the courses increased significantly. He was stuck in self-doubt for nearly two months, asking himself "what if I don't understand the lectures?" "Shall I continue to learn math?"… Wentao said this is what many GTIIT students have to go through. Eventually, he chose to face it and tried to overcome challenges.
"For math learners, view exchanges with others are important," Wentao said, "math is all about understanding." Instead of drowning in frustration, he kept reviewing the knowledge after class, actively discussed with his classmates and made the most of office hours. "Thinking and communication greatly opened my mind when dealing with math problems," Wentao shared. In GTIIT, he freely wandered in the world of mathematics and gradually discovered its beauty.
With his passion for math and strong time management skills, Wentao completed all the foundational credits required by MCS department in mere three years, allowing him to explore more possibilities outside the classroom.
In his junior year, Wentao joined a professor's research group with several top students, focusing on Lie groups and quantum computing, which were graduate-level courses. Last summer, Wentao participated in a computer science research project as an exchange student at the Technion. He also took an internship for an AI project in Shenzhen. Wentao explored multiple directions for his future.
Wentao (Second from the right) in the Technion
With rich experience, Wentao found that his interest was not only algorithm, but also the underlying logic and general structure behind it, which requires a profound basis of mathematics. Realizing that, Wentao decided to pursue further studies in mathematics.
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Enjoy Math with Friends
Despite strong passion for learning, Wentao mentioned he seldom prepared lessons before lectures because it might make him "lose the inspiration".
Wentao anticipated the unknown in every class at GTIIT. As he said, "The higher-level the course is, the more abstruse the content will be. While many of us might not be able to understand it instantly, I particularly enjoy the academic atmosphere at that moment." Touching beyond the boundaries of knowledge and hitting by inspirations through lectures and discussions gradually helped him build the mathematical world in brain.
The complex mathematical formulas represent the beauty of abstraction, in Wentao's view. "Some mathematical research may seem 'useless' at first, but proves to be a significant leap after ten years or at a future point," he introduced. Wentao is always surprised by the power of math to describe the universe and complex human activities, as well as the conciseness of math theorems written by predecessors. "Studying mathematics allows me to perceive the world from different angles and make a leap in logical thinking," he said.
Wentao with classmates
Wentao felt lucky to meet other math-lovers in GTIIT, where they supported each other and grew together. They would discuss math problems together and regularly meet up during office hours. "We have different interests. Some like math and some prefer computer science. If a bug comes up in a model, we will turn to the 'computer experts' for help. If we are trapped in a math problem, the 'math genius' will be helpful. That's our friendship," he said. Like-minded students sparked ideas in discussions and leveraged respective strengths to tackle challenges. This is what Wentao cherished the most in university.
In addition to academic learning, Wentao served as a "Peer Tutor" at GTIIT and patiently provided assistance to junior students. "GTIIT MCS program emphasizes math, which accounts for a high proportion and remains relatively difficult. If you have a passion for mathematics, you should try more, think more, and strive to overcome temporary difficulties. It's important to solve problems independently."
Four years at GTIIT have turned Wentao into an independent young man with excellent communication abilities. Setting off from GTIIT, carrying original aspiration towards math, he is now ready to take flight and reach far across the vast science sky.
”GTIIT
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文/图：GTIIT传媒与公共事务部
Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs
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