On March 15, Efim Zelmanov, Chair Professor of the Department of Mathematics at SUSTech and Director of the Shenzhen International Center for Mathematics, gave a lecture entitled “My Academic Life” at the College of Science.

During the lecture, Prof. Zelmanov detailed his experiences of studying, conducting scientific research, and academic work through inspiring and interesting stories, and focused on the differences in teaching methods between research universities at home and overseas.

Guests in attendance included Ling ZHANG, University Council Vice-Chairperson of SUSTech, Xueming YANG, Vice President of SUSTech and Dean of the College of Science, Hongwei FANG, Vice President and Provost, Jiping ZHANG, Executive Director of the Shenzhen International Center for Mathematics, and over 200 faculty and students were among those in attendance.

Ruijun TIAN, Professor of the Department of Chemistry, presided over the event.

“To do academic research, we must persevere, face difficulties, and always look ahead”, Prof. Efim Zelmanov remarked. He encouraged young faculty members and students at SUSTech to dare to pursue their dreams in life and explore the academic road.

He noted that in nearly 50 years of scientific research experience, he has always maintained the mindset of spending a lifetime solving problems. He said you should do your best, keep moving forward and get closer to the solutions, and eventually, everything will become clearer.

He visited over ten universities to perform an in-depth study on academic issues and teaching methods. Throughout the process, he pondered how to build a solid foundation for future academic achievements. He believes that before you can solve an issue, you must be brave, cultivate your own sense of innovation, and clarify the goal of your research.

In the exchange session of the lecture, Prof. Efim Zelmanov was joined on stage by Hong WANG, Professor and Vice Dean of the College of Engineering, Wei HONG, Professor of the Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, and Prof. Ruijun TIAN, as they discussed their thoughts on academic life and teaching.

Prof. Zelmanov believes that in building a new type of research university, SUSTech will continue to attract more outstanding students and faculty from across the country and around the world. In recent years, the University has taken a big step forward, attracting and cultivating a group of high-level international talents from all over the globe. He added that he was very impressed by SUSTech’s thirst and passion for developing talents.

After the lecture, a question-and-answer session was held with the guests in attendance. He encouraged students to have the courage to make decisions in scientific research, choose their own academic path, cherish their experiences on campus, and continue to explore and advance on the road of scientific research.