From July 1 to 2, 2023, the 9th Forum of Engineering PhD of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronics (EEA) at Tsinghua University was successfully held in Yantai. The event was attended by prominent figures including Professor Kang Chongqing, Dean of EEA; Associate Dean Yu Zhanqing; Professor He Jinliang, Director of the Academic Committee; and engineering PhD advisors such as Professor Chai Jianyun, Professor Li Yongdong, Professor Cheng Lin, Professor Liu Weidong, Professor Zhang Bo, Professor Zhou Yuanxiang, and Professor Guo Jingbo. Representatives from State Grid Shandong Electric Power Company, including Director Li Xueliang, and General Manager Zou Jiquan of Yantai Power Supply Company, as well as nearly twenty engineering PhD candidates, also participated in the forum. The forum was chaired by Professor Gao Wensheng, the responsible professor for engineering PhD candidates in EEA.

At the forum

The event commenced with opening remarks by Zou Jiquan and Kang Chongqing, representing Yantai Power Supply Company and EEA respectively. Zou Jiquan warmly welcomed the Tsinghua faculty and students and introduced the overall situation of Yantai Power Supply Company, highlighting its achievements in serving clean energy and contributing to low-carbon transformation. Kang Chongqing’s speech motivated engineering PhD candidates from EEA to uphold Tsinghua’s spirit, propagate excellent academic norms, and immerse themselves in the construction of new-type power systems to contribute to clean and low-carbon energy transformation.

Zou Jiquan delivered a speech

Kang Chongqing delivered a speech

Next, Professor He Jinliang delivered an expert frontiers report titled “Power Sensing Technology and Applications.” Professor He systematically introduced the current state of development, strategic layout, and significant requirements of power sensing technology in China. He elaborated on the construction of a more observable, analyzable, predictable, and controllable digital power system based on the smart grid, achieving comprehensive and deep awareness of the power grid’s panoramic information.

Professor He Jinliang gave an expert report

Subsequently, graduate student Liu Haitao graduated in 2023 shared valuable experiences regarding crucial milestones in the training process and essential tips for paper writing. His insights were highly valuable for current engineering PhD candidates. Lou Yantao, an engineering PhD admitted in 2021, presented his research on the “Key Technologies of High-Voltage High-Capacity IGCT-MMC Module and Prototype Development”. Additionally, Sun Gang, an engineering PhD admitted in 2020, shared his topic on “Research on High-Voltage DC Sleeve with Adaptive Composite Material Equilibrium Structure”. These presentations showcased the interim research achievements and progress of the respective papers. Over ten engineering PhD advisors in attendance offered targeted suggestions and guidance, emphasizing the need for practical implementation of research findings and improving paper quality.

During the on-site research segment, all faculty and students visited the Yantai Offshore Grid Construction Project and inspected the on-site demonstration of offshore new energy integration projects. They subsequently visited the Shandong Electric Power Submarine Cable Inspection Center, which is responsible for comprehensive submarine cable inspection and analysis across various voltage levels in the Shandong region. The center specializes in fault location and accident analysis of submarine cables, exploring offshore operation platforms, offshore renewable energy generation, submarine power grids, and the global energy internet.

A visit to Shandong Submarine Cable Inspection Center

The timing of this engineering PhD forum coincided with the 102nd anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. Engineering PhD advisors led all engineering PhD candidates to visit the Jiaodong Red Culture Exhibition Hall, where they revisited the unyielding struggles of the Jiaodong people, reviewed red classics, inherited revolutionary spirit, and renewed their commitment to their original mission.

A visit to Jiaodong Red Culture Exhibition Hall

The successful convening of this forum was generously supported by State Grid Shandong Electric Power Company and Yantai Power Supply Company. Through methods such as expert sharing, graduate student presentations, faculty-student exchanges, and field visits, this event provided valuable academic exchange opportunities for the high-quality cultivation of engineering PhD candidates in EEA.

The “Forum of Engineering PhD” is an academic exchange platform organized by EEA, allowing current engineering PhD candidates to voluntarily host. The forum is typically held every three months. The event encourages students to report on their paper progress and showcase research results, aiming to strengthen the management of the engineering PhD training process, stimulate innovative thinking, and promote project collaboration. Since December 2020, EEA has successfully held nine forums of engineering PhD in Beijing, Changzhou, Qingdao, Chengdu (online), Fuzhou (online), Xining, Guangzhou (online), Shanghai, and Yantai.