Developing Skills and Abilities for the Future – Wenyu ZHANG and Minghuang WANG from MAT
磨練自身技能和本領，積極為未來準備 – 數學系張文宇及王明煌

Wenyu Zhang and Minghuang Wang are both undergraduate graduates from the Department of Mathematics (MAT) of the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST). They received the “Dean’s Final Year Project List Award” for their successful use of analytical models to classify crop diseases. Crops are the most basic food in China, their research can more accurately identify the nature of crop diseases, enhance crops protection, disease management and increase crop productivity. In addition to thanking the Faculty for the recognition of their abilities, they are also grateful to the professors in the department who have tirelessly cultivated them over the past four years. Their guidance has enabled Zhang and Wang to explore the truth and unleash their potential. After graduation from UM, Zhang will continue his research and learning journey, while Wang will go for job hunting and strive to create his own value.

Become more mature

Wenyu Zhang is from Shandong Province. Since childhood, he has good grades in Mathematics and strong logical thinking. He chose to study Mathematics because this subject can be developed in the direction of research or student is allowed to choose to work in an enterprise as there are more choices and flexibility in career development. Looking back on his four years in university, he said he has grown a lot, and the life in UM has also enhanced his independence and communication skills. He said, ” I only focused on studying during high school, and my self-care ability was not very strong. When I first came to UM, I was like a child, but four years of university life has made me more practical, mature, calm, and able to think deeper and have better planning of next step and my future.” In addition, he believes that UM’s all-English education provides an excellent learning environment, and the department’s courses cover a range of difficulty levels, starting from the basics and delving into more complex concepts, also allows him to develop a solid foundation. More importantly, he said, “FST provides many scientific research internship opportunities. I can freely choose to follow the professors I admire to do research projects with them, which deepens my understanding of scientific research.”

Seize the moment to study

Minghuang Wang is from Fujian Province. He visited UM’s new campus with his parents during high school, and he was deeply attracted by UM’s beautiful campus and the environment of residential college at that time. Therefore, he chose UM without hesitation when it came to selecting university. Looking back to the four years in UM, Wang said that he has gained a lot, “Compared with high school, university courses are more practical, and much of the knowledge learned in professional courses can be applied to daily life, such as data mining and multi-dimensional data analysis.” Despite facing more rigorous coursework in the third and fourth years, Wang rose to the challenge and conquered each course in turn. He encourages younger students to make the most of their studies, develop a self-learning habit, and avoid complacency after completing their college entrance exams, as retaking courses due to poor grades can be a significant waste of time.

Planning for their own future

Zhang Wenyu, who loves Statistics, has already decided to continue his studies. He received admission offer from several world’s top universities for his master’s degree, including the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Washington, Boston University, and the University of Michigan. In the future, Zhang will go to the University of Michigan to pursue a master’s degree in Biostatistics. We will continue to maintain his original intention and move forward on the path of scientific research. Wang plans to enter the financial industry because working in a large financial institution can achieve valuable experiences. He hopes to hone his skills and experience in a traditional bank and continue to work hard to achieve his dreams.