Yujie Tang, an undergraduate student enrolled in 2022 at the School of Mechanical and Power Engineering at ECUST, has won the Baosteel Outstanding Student Grand Prize. From a confused freshman to a top-ranked student with multiple patents and innovation awards, he has written an inspiring story of turning challenges into success through passion.

When he first entered university, Tang struggled to adapt and had no clear plan for the future. A national scholarship defense session ignited his passion for scientific research and innovation. He actively applied for undergraduate innovation and entrepreneurship programs and participated in project matching events. Recommended by senior students, he joined Professor Qing Wu’s lab and officially embarked on the research and development of intelligent agricultural machinery.

To address the problems of limited functionality and high energy consumption of traditional vegetable planting equipment, he led his team to develop multifunctional integrated intelligent agricultural machinery. As a core technical member, he was responsible for 3D modeling and structural design, constantly optimizing the prototypes. The team stayed on site to complete field tests in scorching heat and heavy rain. Their research achievements have won more than ten national and provincial awards, including a National Silver Award and Shanghai Gold Award in the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition.

As the first inventor, he has been granted three national patents and two software copyrights. He founded an intelligent technology company, and his small-scale intelligent agricultural machinery was exhibited at the China International Industry Fair. Field tests on farms in Shanghai and Zhejiang showed a 95% sowing success rate and 65% water savings, earning high recognition from farmers and experts.

Beyond his academic and innovation achievements, Tang is also committed to serving others. As a class monitor and executive president of the School Student Union, he organized skill-sharing sessions reaching more than 1,000 students. He volunteered at the China International Import Expo and participated in rural teaching programs for two consecutive years, with more than 500 hours of volunteer service. He has now been admitted to a direct PhD program at ECUST and is determined to devote himself to basic research and advance agricultural modernization through innovation.

“Dare to dream” is Tang’s summary of his university life. He sends a message to young students: university life has diverse evaluation criteria. Do not limit yourself to a single standard. Stick to your passion, seize opportunities and strive unremittingly, and you will eventually illuminate your own future.