Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone, Li’s Journey of Pursuing His Dream in Artificial Intelligence (CIS)
跳出舒適圈，李鶴人工智能逐夢之旅 (電腦及資訊科學系)

Li He, an outstanding master’s graduate of the 2023/2024 academic year from the Department of Computer and Information Science at the Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau (UM), is a young scholar with a passion for exploration and adventure. Originally from Heilongjiang, his story began in the electronics major at Southeast University, but he eventually discovered his love for artificial intelligence at UM. After graduating from Southeast University in 2020, Li first worked in software development for mobile phones in Shenzhen, and then moved to Hangzhou, taking on a role as an engineer at the Nokia Research & Development center. While it seemed Li was on a smooth career path in well-known companies, his sights were set on UM. The excellent environment of the university and the rapid development of artificial intelligence deeply attracted him. His years of frontline development work enabled him to keenly sense the momentum of the new technological revolution and the impact of artificial intelligence. After careful consideration, he resolutely resigned from his job and stepped out of his comfort zone to pursue further studies at UM. Li’s choice not only reflects his self-breakthrough, but also marks an important turning point in his career and personal growth.

Li’s educational journey was not smooth. In order not to let his decisive resignation go to waste, the highly self-demanding Li faced a series of challenges. Returning to campus after several years, interdisciplinary learning, and the heavy academic burden undoubtedly put pressure on Li, but it was this firm determination and unyielding perseverance that enabled him to overcome the difficulties. Li managed to not only achieve excellent academic results by preparing early and allocating time reasonably, but also made remarkable achievements in scientific research. He achieved a GPA of 3.91 and published several high-quality papers during his master’s, one of which even won an award at a top international conference. During his master’s, Li chose the frontier field of autonomous driving, with the renowned computer and information science scholar and Dean of FST, Cheng-Zhong XU, as his supervisor, because he firmly believes that artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technology can truly improve social productivity and create greater value for society.

In recent times, UM has witnessed a steady climb in global rankings and actively hosts international conferences, offering unique chances for interaction with global scholars and involvement in advanced research. Li appreciates UM’s learning environment and insights shared by professors. During his two-year at UM, he embraced campus life and tackled academic pressures positively, seeing challenges as opportunities for growth. Li is profoundly thankful to Prof Cheng-Zhong XU, whose mentorship went beyond academics to inspire courage in exploring the unknown. He credits his academic successes to Prof Xu’s guidance and UM’s nurturing environment, which have propelled him forward. UM has served as a pivotal platform for Li’s learning and personal evolution, proving to be more than just an educational institution, but a catalyst for achieving aspirations.

Looking to the future, Li will continue to pursue a doctoral degree at UM, committed to exploring the application potential of artificial intelligence and autonomous driving in various fields. Li has an open attitude towards his own development, hoping to drive the continuous progress of artificial intelligence technology in academia or industry. For underclassmen aspiring to further their studies, Li offers valuable advice: maintain curiosity about the unknown, be down-to-earth, strengthen your own capabilities, and believe in your potential. He encourages underclassmen to boldly explore new fields, and even if they encounter setbacks, they can learn from the experience and continuously improve themselves. Li’s story of daring to try and pursue his dreams has inspired many young scholars. As long as they can maintain their passion for exploration and unremitting efforts, they can ultimately write their own brilliant life stories.