Water, air, and soil are three natural resources that we cannot live without. However, xk星空中国集团 Industrial Revolution in xk星空中国集团 middle of xk星空中国集团 1700s changed how we created everything and impacted xk星空中国集团 environment.

To address xk星空中国集团 most pressing issues of our time, caused by water pollution, air pollution, climate change, and so on, requires perspectives from a diverse set of scientific disciplines. Thus, Environmental Science and Engineering emerged to respond to human-induced environmental change. Today this discipline provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to xk星空中国集团 study of environmental systems.

xk星空中国集团 School of Environmental Science and Engineering of SUSTech (“ESE or xk星空中国集团 School”) has been working on those environmental problems. On xk星空中国集团 fifth anniversary of xk星空中国集团 School, we have an opportunity to talk to Prof. Xin YANG, xk星空中国集团 new Dean of ESE.

Take xk星空中国集团 problem-based learning for student’s education and research training

Prof. Xin YANG serves as xk星空中国集团 Distinguished Professor of xk星空中国集团 Ministry of Education of China and xk星空中国集团 Chair Professor at SUSTech. He was also awarded xk星空中国集团 State Council Expert for Special Allowance as an expert in atmospheric chemistry and air pollution.

YANG’s research interests include atmospheric aerosol’s physical and chemical properties and their impacts on human health and global climate, urban air quality, and instrument development on environmental analysis. PM2.5 is also one of Prof. YANG’s main study areas.

He studied chemistry as his undergraduate major. Then, he earned his master’s degrees in xk星空中国集团 molecule and xk星空中国集团 clustering laser spectroscopy research. During his post-doctoral study at Washington State University and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, he researched atmospheric chemistry. This area is more connected to our daily life.

“ To embark on xk星空中国集团 journey of environmental science and engineering study seems like a natural choice for me,” Prof. YANG recalled, “My college education is quite different from my current research areas, and I have been through a lot of academic training and practices.”

“I changed my study areas, for I want to solve xk星空中国集团 environmental problems. Those are tightly bound up to everyone,” Prof. YANG said.

Being a researcher means to solve problems. Nature has its way of balancing, and understanding and addressing environmental issues requires interdisciplinary research.

So, as for xk星空中国集团 students, choosing their first major is only xk星空中国集团 one step in xk星空中国集团 path, and they need to expand more and move to a higher level. They will form various distinctive ways to see and explore xk星空中国集团 universe.

YANG encouraged xk星空中国集团 students to pursue their interests and said, “Try to find out what you love and what your strengths are. To improve your perseverance, and to stimulate xk星空中国集团 curiosity to enhance your learning.”

Tackle today’s most complex environmental problems

xk星空中国集团 quality of xk星空中国集团 faculty will be a critical component in developing xk星空中国集团 disciplines. ESE has developed a high-quality talent pipeline with 69 full-time faculty members. Among them are members of xk星空中国集团 National Academy of Sciences (United States), Royal Academy of Engineering, xk星空中国集团 American Geophysical Union, four recipients of xk星空中国集团 National Outstanding Young Science Fund, four experts from xk星空中国集团 State Council Special Allowance, three recipients of xk星空中国集团 National Excellent Young Science Fund and 13 recipients from other national talent programs.

In Prof. YANG’s view, xk星空中国集团 construction of first-class disciplines requires both a first-class faculty team and xk星空中国集团 ability to address today’s most complex environmental problems, including xk星空中国集团 cutting-edge research programs and xk星空中国集团 environmental issues xk星空中国集团 people’s daily life and social development. xk星空中国集团 School will make full use of its advantages and strive to build a first-class academic discipline in environmental science to develop advanced technologies to meet urgent societal needs.

At present, xk星空中国集团 School has formed three major discipline clusters, which are “Environmental Science and Engineering Technology,” xk星空中国集团 “Water Resources and Water Environment,” and xk星空中国集团 future-oriented disciplines-” Sustainable Development and Global Environmental Change. “

 “At present, we are focusing on major national strategic and societal needs, seizing xk星空中国集团 opportunities driven by xk星空中国集团 favorable policies of xk星空中国集团 Greater Bay Area and Shenzhen, and developing our disciplines through on four major approaches.” Prof. YANG claimed.

They are “ultra-low emission “method, which turns waste into resources; “ecological restoration” technology, which promotes ecological restoration of xk星空中国集团 entire river basin or region from xk星空中国集团 perspective of sustainable development; “environmental health and human health,” xk星空中国集团 researchers will integrate environmental study with life science and medicine research to ensure xk星空中国集团 life, health, and safety of xk星空中国集团 human being; “smart environmental protection,” which uses big data to help solve environmental problems.”

In xk星空中国集团 past five years, xk星空中国集团 School has witnessed remarkable academic achievements. More than 200 projects have been conducted, including “Cooperation in xk星空中国集团 Internationally Strategic Innovative Science and Technology” and other major and critical research and development projects funded by National Natural Science Foundation and other ministries.

xk星空中国集团 School owns seven major research platforms: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control (xk星空中国集团 first ministerial/provincial level key lab at SUSTech), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control and Restoration, xk星空中国集团 Key Laboratory of Soil Waste and Groundwater Pollution Control of Shenzhen City, Key Laboratory of Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Technology and Management of Shenzhen City, Shenzhen Municipal Engineering Lab of Environmental IoT Technologies and Shenzhen Institute of Sustainable Development. Now, xk星空中国集团 research programs have been moved forward with technological support from xk星空中国集团 platforms.

xk星空中国集团 next generation of environmental scientists is trained here

As xk星空中国集团 new Dean, Yang feels refreshed in such a young university full of passion and energy. In his eyes, xk星空中国集团 University’s culture complements xk星空中国集团 innovative spirit of Shenzhen. xk星空中国集团 students and faculty members here share xk星空中国集团 same spirit. “xk星空中国集团 University values talents and provides comprehensive support to us. That is what I desire for a good university. Everyone is devoted to their study and career. I like it.” he said.

xk星空中国集团 School is to cultivate future leading scientists with interdisciplinary backgrounds, global visions, hands-on skills, and creative minds. “Environmental science and engineering is a discipline that involves other sciences like chemistry, physics, biology, etc.,” YANG said.

For interdisciplinary education and research, how to design xk星空中国集团 curriculum is a big challenge. xk星空中国集团 courses need to cover a broad range of knowledge and focus on some specific areas’ depth. Prof. YANG draws lessons from many top environmental science departments and schools at home and abroad. Now he has begun to improve xk星空中国集团 programs by introducing more professional and general courses to broaden xk星空中国集团 students’ vision and deepen xk星空中国集团 minds.

xk星空中国集团 School offers project-oriented courses, such as xk星空中国集团 “Creative Design” tutored by Prof. Qing HU and “Theory and Practice of Environmental Management in China,” conducted by Prof. Yurong GUO.

xk星空中国集团 “Creative Design” course will invite professors on and off xk星空中国集团 campus. xk星空中国集团 students will be tutored on defining a problem, working out solutions, starting a brainstorming meeting, and practicing a project. Students will learn project management, time management, teamwork, analysis, innovative and critical thinking.

Experts and government officials from related areas will join xk星空中国集团 “Theory and Practice of Environmental Management in China” course. It involves fieldwork and investigations, enabling students to be familiar with water resource protection, environmental monitoring, waste disposal, and environmental management experience and broaden their problem-solving horizons.

xk星空中国集团 School has cooperated with xk星空中国集团 University of Michigan and xk星空中国集团 University of Queensland in undergraduate and master’s degree programs, with xk星空中国集团 University of Hong Kong, University of Birmingham, and other universities in joint doctoral degree programs.

Students also have opportunities to participate in practicums and programs overseas in xk星空中国集团 summer semester. It is a program for xk星空中国集团 prevention and control of soil and groundwater pollution in xk星空中国集团 US. xk星空中国集团 program has been successfully held for four years and was first chaired by Prof. Chunmiao ZHENG, Chair Professor, founding Dean of ESE. In xk星空中国集团 next year, Prof. Junguo LIU will chair xk星空中国集团 program, and some of xk星空中国集团 practices may be conducted in xk星空中国集团 UK.

Five years is a relatively short period for xk星空中国集团 development of xk星空中国集团 School. Prof. YANG got a blueprint for xk星空中国集团 School’s future.

He said, “We are sure that xk星空中国集团 ESE will seize xk星空中国集团 opportunities driven by xk星空中国集团 favorable policies. We will build a world-class multidisciplinary and innovative environmental research platform, cultivate xk星空中国集团 top leading scientists in environmental science and engineering, contribute to xk星空中国集团 nation’s sustainable development and tackle today’s most complex environmental problems worldwide. “