Meet KAUST new student: Jin Yu

By Taruna Rapaka

Jin Yu is a physics graduate who joined KAUST in July 2021 from Nankai University (NKU), China. Before joining KAUST, Jin worked as an intern at Wake Forest University (WFU), North Carolina, U.S. After completing his studies at WFU, Jin served as a volunteer high school teacher at China Volunteer Association for almost a year.

In his spare time, Jin is enthusiastic about playing sports, particularly ball sports.

He joined KAUST as a M.S./Ph.D. student and member of the Energy Conversion Devices and Materials (ECO Devices) Laboratory under the supervision of Professor Kazuhiro Ohkawa.

What was your main subject during your undergraduate degree? Why did you choose it?

My undergraduate subject is physics. During my studies, I found that physics neither stays too much on paper like mathematics or is not too application-oriented like computing.

Why have you chosen to pursue a M.S./Ph.D. at KAUST?

KAUST provides you with the ability to pursue cutting-edge scientific research, and Prof. Ohkawa is a kind teacher with a strong research background. I am very excited to work under his guidance.

It is challenging to find a similar school with KAUST’s level of impeccable facilities. It is also relatively remote and provides an excellent scientific research environment.

When did you first become interested in electrical and computer engineering? What are your research interests?

In my junior year at NKU when I researched with Prof. Qi Jiwei, who encouraged my interest in electrical and computer engineering. Since then, I have been very interested in photovoltaic and thermoelectric appliances.

What is your future outlook?

In the future, I will work with Prof. Ohkawa and conduct scientific research under his guidance.

What do you do in your spare time? What are you passionate about?

Football matches mostly occupy me in my spare time. For me, something like partying is trivial, but I cannot live without ball sports.

Can you give a piece of advice to students who plan to pursue a M.S./Ph.D. at KAUST?

If you want to come to KAUST to study, I hope you express yourself fully, find a subject you like, find a mentor that suits you, and be open to a future full of possibilities.