Recently, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) announced the 2024 list of awarded projects for the Youth Student Basic Research Program (undergraduate level). Two undergraduate students from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronics (EEA), Deng Kaihang (supervised by Professor Guo Qinglai) and Li Yunhe (supervised by Professor Wu Wenchuan), were granted funding for their projects. This marks the first time undergraduate students from EEA have received funding for this type of project.

Deng Kaihang

Deng Kaihang is an undergraduate student admitted to the Power Systems track of EEA, under the guidance of Professor Guo Qinglai. His project, titled "Grid Model Generator Based on Large Language Models," aims to develop a grid model generator based on large language models. Through techniques such as fine-tuning, the project will enable the generator to create grid models that satisfy power flow constraints based on user descriptions, for specified operating conditions. This research will lay the foundation for constructing large models for power dispatch and can also support applications such as safety analysis and optimization scheduling.

Li Yunhe

Li Yunhe is also an undergraduate student admitted to the Power Systems track of EEA, under the supervision of Professor Wu Wenchuan. His project, titled "Solving Large-Scale Mixed Integer Programming in Power Systems Using Manifold Optimization," aims to address the computational efficiency bottlenecks in solving large-scale mixed integer programming problems in power system operation and scheduling. By innovating algorithms and enhancing computational power, this project will assist in intelligent decision-making and optimized scheduling for new power systems with massive distributed resources, enhancing the safety and economic operation of the power grid.

In 2023, the National Natural Science Foundation of China established the Youth Student Basic Research Program to select and cultivate young talent, foster scientific literacy, and encourage innovative research. This initiative aims to provide a steady stream of talent for building a high-quality foundational research workforce. In July 2023, the NSFC piloted the program for undergraduate students at eight pilot universities, including Tsinghua University, selecting outstanding students through a "recommendation + review" process, with final assessments held in August. Each selected undergraduate student received a research fund of CNY 100,000. The 2024 NSFC project included the second round of evaluations for this program.