Prof Duan Baoyan, President of City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan) and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, presented the first "President's First Lecture of the Semester" to students and faculty. His talk, titled "Development Trends of Large Deployable Space Antennas," was hosted by Dr Li Yuan, Associate Vice-President (Teaching and Development).

Prof Duan detailed the current state and future trends of large deployable space antennas, highlighting China's technological innovations in the field. He stressed the importance of mastering fundamental subjects like mathematics and physics and encouraged students to embrace interdisciplinary approaches to solve complex problems.

"Don't Let AI Do Your Thinking for You"

Addressing a question on AI, Prof Duan reminded students: "When using AI to solve problems, never let it replace your own thinking." He emphasized that while following AI trends is important, combining professional knowledge with AI literacy is essential for effective engineering practice.

"A Promising Future for Our Students"

When asked about international progress in the mentioned field, Prof Duan candidly noted that while validation has been conducted indoors, space applications are yet to be realized, meaning "there is immense potential for you, our students, to contribute in the future."

"Scholarship Begins with Character"

On academic integrity, Prof Duan urged students: "Never plagiarize; always properly cite the work of others... For sustainable development in any field, honesty is paramount. Before one becomes a scholar, one must first be an upright individual."

The "President's First Lecture of the Semester" is a key initiative of our university to integrate values education with scientific learning, cultivating students' patriotism and scientific spirit as they begin the new semester.