THE SOUL
While we would not be able to accomplish much without the support of our PIs and faculty and staff of the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science (MEL), the College of Ocean and Earth Science (COE), and the College of Ecology and the Environment (CEE), the soul of the program lies with our student volunteers. Over the years we have had hundreds of students dedicate their time and energy to many of our programs and we are forever thankful to them.
While we cannot highlight every single student who has worked with us in the past, here are our project assistants and a few amazing volunteers to give you an idea of what life is like after COSEE China.
PROJECT ASSISTANTS
THEN...
One of our first 2 project assistants, HAN Lu graduated in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in physical oceanography. Currently completing her PhD at UNC Chapel Hill, she is trying to elucidate the processes that drive exchange between the continental shelf and the open ocean.
Fun fact: She is prone to seasickness. As a result, research cruises are inadvertent weight loss plans for her.
...AND NOW
The other of our first 2 project assistants, LIN Shuqi begins her post-doc at Uppsala University in March 2021. Her research interests are in field scale hydrodynamic and water quality numerical modeling and lake systems and those physical processes that govern them.
Fun fact: Although she always falls when stepping off the ski lift, she still loves snowboarding.
CHEN Hong earned her master's in marine biology in 2020 and has gone on to work in the business sector with an agricultural science technology corporation.
Fun fact: Despite the noise and fuss, she can easily fall asleep while her friends are rocking out in a KTV (karaoke).
LIU Wenjing graduated from Xiamen University in 2017, having focused on physical oceanography during her undergraduate years. She has since relocated to the US and is pursing her PhD at the University of Maryland, examining ocean currents in the eastern Bering Sea.
Fun fact: She is fan of diving and once met WANG Xin, 2008 Olympic Bronze and Gold medalist.
CHEN Yixuan began her association with COSEE China as a volunteer during the 2016 Ocean Science Day and has worked with us ever since. She earned her bachelor’s degree in marine biotechnology in 2020 and completing a masters degree at Imperial College London on environmental resource management.
Fun fact: She loves to stroll around London.
LI Jiachen is an undergraduate majoring in chemical oceanography, working on how stable isotopes of amino acids reveal biogeochemical processes in the ocean. Her first COSEE China event was was the 2017 Ocean Science Day and then later on board the TARA as a guide and translator when the vessel visited in 2018.
Fun fact: Despite 20 years in Fujian, she still cannot speak the local dialect.
HE Haoyang is the longest standing COSEE China volunteer. He began in 2014 as a camp counselor (when he was dubbed "Mr. Happy", a nickname that's stuck) and has been with us ever since. He is currently working on his PhD looking at copepod diets in the wild.
Fun fact: He likes to talk with little animals.
WANG Hongwei is one of our two newest project assitants. He earned his bachelor's degree in marine biology from Xiamen University in 2020 and is now pursuing a masters here focusing on dinoflagellates and harmful algal blooms.
Fun fact: In his spare time, he really enjoys reading. His current favorite? The Three-Body Problem by LIU Cixin.
LIANG Xurui is the other new project assitants. He is currently working toward a bachelors degree in Automation in aerospace engineering. Afterwards, he hopes to get a graduate degree in science communication.
Fun fact: He is fond of a good discussion and debate.
XIE Qiling is our first program liaison. She is currently working on her bachelor's degree in the School of Marine Sciences at Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, in physical oceanography. Her particular focus in on methods for detecting algal blooms via satellite imagery.
Fun fact: When she was younger, she wanted to be a bus driver when she grew up. Why? Because of all the coins!
A SAMPLING OF VOLUNTEERS
(Hold your mouse over a volunteer to see what they're up to now!)
WU Yihong is currently a graduate student at the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences where she is unraveling the mysteries of copepod taxonomy and molecular systematics.
WU Yihong
Fun fact: She loves collecting notebooks.
TAN Zhijie started his Xiamen University career in 2017 as an undergrad in marine chemistry. He plans to continue his studies here, focusing on the nutrient cycle and the marine ecosystem.
TAN Zhijie
Fun fact: Despite having good pace and football, he is not good basketball.
Xiao Huang graduated in 2020 with a degree in marine physics. He has since gone on to work for a security company in Hangzhou as an algorithm engineer where he is applying deep learning algorithms to deal with speech enhancement problems (i.e. noise reduction, separation, de-reverberation)
HUANG Huixiang
Fun fact: He is a big Marvel Cinematic Universe fan.
HAO Huanhuan earned his bachelors in marine biotechnology and has continued on to do his masters here as well. He is examining methods to control and prevent biofouling on marine craft and equipment.
HAO Huanhuan
Fun fact: His idol is Bruce Lee and he is working toward a set of 8 pack abs.
XU Mengdi is currently pursuing her PhD in physical oceanography, at Xiamen University after graduating in 2017 with a bachelors in the same. She's looking at the impact of water exchange in the Luzon Strait on circulation in the entire South China Sea.
Fun fact: She loves things that are adorable from cute mugs to her boyfriend.
XU Mengdi
As an undergraduate in marine science, Yihan discovered a passion for science communication and visual design. She went on to earn a masters at the University of Washington in digital media and is currently working for Dell. She wants to combine her design skills and science background to improve the user experience with lab instruments and software.
LIN Yihan
Fun fact: She loves preparing food for her kitten and watching him eat (but he always leaves some of them at the bottom of the bowl).
