Cui Mingqi and His Undergraduate Years at USST

“This child is so outstanding that I cannot get away from him in research,” said Dr. Shi Huancong, an associate professor from School of Environment and Architecture, who tutored Cui Mingqi，a USST student from Henan Province majoring in Environmental Engineering since 2015. This year, he was admitted into Zhejiang University to study the same major, topping the graduate entrance examination with a high score of 404 points. During his undergraduate period, he published 3 SCI high-level papers, one of which was published on “Separation and Purification Technology” IF (impact factor) > 5.

 “With the hope and curiosity for campus life in a large city, I was recruited to USST for undergraduate study. In the beginning, I am a bit confused about the future” Cui Mingqi said. However, as a rookie student at the university, he quickly adapted himself to university life and joined in various club activities, thereby expanding the his social circle by making on-campus friends. In the second year, he was clear about his academic direction and set up his goal to pursue a graduate studies. Practicing what he had preached, he devoted himself to professional study and major curriculum. “When Cui was a sophomore, I taught him one of his professional courses. He is quite different from other students in my class and was invited to help with my research project,” said Shi with a smile. It was lucky for Cui to meet such a good judge of talent. Afterwards Cui gradually tapped his potential in academic research, and drew a lot of attention from others. “He set definite goals for his work and life, and kept improving his professional ability and academic quality,” said one of his roommates.    
During four years of study at USST, Cui Mingqi always stayed focus on his learning and was never slackened in his academic research. He accumulated consolidated and massive knowledge in Math, English and knowledge in Environmental Engineering. At the same time, he led in grade points (GPA) in his class. Skilled experimental experiences also enhanced his confidence for graduate study. “I am sure of being a graduate student in future,” he often encouraged himself. “He always keeps calm, prudent, and concentrates on professional learning and academic research.” It is Shi Huancong who heartened Cui to join in the graduate entrance examination, and encouraged him to maintain his enthusiasm for scientific research.

After making up his mind to be a graduate student, he targeted two prestigious universities: Tongji University and Zhejiang University, and collected some materials for the graduate entrance examination of both universities. While Cui was preparing for the examination, he insisted on the principle of high-efficient and cheerful learning. He never laid too much pressure on himself, and regularly controlled time and energy distribution properly. He always made specific plans for every-day tasks, such as work breakdown structure (WBS). “I can stay in the library from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. like many other students. However，in order to support my graduate entrance examination with a healthy mental and physical state, I seldom stayed in the library the whole day or burned the midnight oil. And yet for all that, I’m sure that I acquired more knowledge than anyone else.” “Only by refraining from anxiety and fear, can someone be fit to be a graduate student,” Cui told us. The silence and calmness of Cui armed him with personal weapons in preparation for the graduate entrance examination. At the same time, Shi Huancong also offered Cui a lot of help. After they pondered over the difficulty in the graduate entrance examination and the concentration of graduate study at Zhejiang University and Tongji University as well as Cui’s academic purpose, Zhejiang University became his final target university. Following the plan for attending Zhejiang University, Cui systematically reviewed some materials prepared before. Finally, Cui was successfully admitted to Zhejiang University for graduate study in Environmental Engineering. To impart some experiences in the graduate entrance examination from Cui, and stimulate other students’ willingness to be graduate students, Shi specially organized a mini-class called “Graduate Entrance Examination Stories Told by Xiao Cui” at the School of Environment and Architecture.
Cui was also involved in the R & D of apparatus which would be exhibited in Shanghai Education Exposition in 2019. It was used to absorb and desorb CO2, and can simulate the industrial amine scrubbing process of carbon capture which is more energy-efficient than previous apparatus. This process is helpful to industrial transfer (conversion) of research results. “I am about to start my academic years and exert more strength and potential as a graduate student,” said Cui confidently.