中文
HOME
HOME / LATEST NEWS / Content

PA Lecture: Seeking Truth Through Passion, Seeking Substance Through Research

June 5, 2025

On May 30, 2025, 12th-grade student Jonathan delivered an inspiring PA lecture titled “Guided by Passion: Exploring Science and Engineering from the Micro to the Macro.” Through his extensive research experiences and heartfelt storytelling, Jonathan ignited the audience's enthusiasm for scientific innovation.


A Chemistry Encounter: Quantum Dots from the Kitchen

Can research start in the kitchen? Jonathan dared to find out. Using everyday kitchen supplies, he successfully synthesized carbon quantum dots and analyzed their optical properties using the equipment in his high school laboratory. By combining hands-on experiments with computational chemistry simulations, he earned the Yau Science Award in Chemistry. His work transformed daily life into a scientific stage and expanded the boundaries of what high school chemistry research could achieve. Science, as he demonstrated, can begin with pots, pans, and the everyday ingredients of life.


Scientific Detective: Ghost Particles of the Universe

Do things we can’t see really exist? This simple but profound question led Jonathan into the world of particle physics. After a rigorous selection process, he joined a research team at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, focusing on elusive “ghost particles” — antineutrinos — and their interactions with deuterium nuclei. Over two and a half years, he independently conducted simulations and statistical analyses, culminating in the opportunity to present his findings at an international physics conference attended by over 30 world-leading scientists, including Breakthrough Prize laureates and academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Fueled by curiosity, he used it as a torch to illuminate the unseen, extending his scientific adventures from the lab to the vast mysteries of the cosmos, again and again asking: “What lies beyond the visible?”



The Engineer’s Lab: The Jelly Battery That Heals Itself

If a battery is cut, can it heal itself? For Jonathan — a tinkerer obsessed with fixing and making — this was more than just a thought experiment. From programmable calculators and Bluetooth speakers to decoding images from the International Space Station, Jonathan turned engineering into his personal playground. He designed and developed a flexible, self-healing “jelly battery” made with non-toxic gel electrolytes, carbon cloth cathodes, and zinc anodes. This zinc-ion battery could stretch, bend, and even repair itself after damage. His project won 2nd Place in Materials Science globally at ISEF, along with two special international awards. Experts recognized its potential for use in wearable tech, health monitors, and biomedical implants. Jonathan described the magic of invention in his college essay: “When I cut my first battery and saw it come back to life, I felt the spark of creation.”


The Sharer: A Heart for Passion, Persistence, and Interdisciplinary Exploration

Jonathan is not only a creator — he is also a dedicated sharer. His journey through science has been driven by deep curiosity, honed through moments of failure and interdisciplinary detours, always grounded in authentic passion and relentless hands-on energy. Whether perfecting the smallest detail or grappling with the most significant unknowns, Jonathan pushes his research forward with a disciplined problem-solving mindset. But he also lives by the spirit of collaboration and communication. He believes science is not a solitary pursuit, but a confluence of collective intelligence — a place where ideas merge, disciplines connect, and knowledge grows stronger through sharing. His core belief never wavers: to spark curiosity with passion, and to pass on the torch of exploration through generous sharing.


(Written by Min Yang     Photos by Min Yang   Edited by Cody Turner   Reviewed by Qian Zuo)