On October 13, a report meeting on the outstanding deeds of young people fighting COVID-19 was held simultaneously online and offline, emphasizing “Fighting the pandemic together and living up to youth.” Five excellent Tongji youth representatives from the fight against COVID-19 were invited to recount their most unforgettable experiences, touching stories, and truet feelings in the frontline from different perspectives, showing Tongji youth’s mission and responsibility.

Tongji’s Deputy Secretary XU Jianping attended the offline activities and delivered his speech. Leaders of Tongji’s Party Committee Publicity Department, the Tongji Youth League Committee, the School of Chemical Science and Engineering (SCSE), and the Office of Graduate Study Affairs with more than 350 students from the SCSE, the School of Physics Science and Engineering (SPSE), and the School of Mathematical Sciences (SMS), attended the report meeting. The meeting was hosted by the Tongji Youth League Committee and was organized by the Youth League Committee of the SCSE.

XU Jianping pointed out in his speech that Tongji’s medical personnel, scientific researchers, and students had proven through their practical actions that they are a strong military force that can fight and win in the battle. Tongji’s generous anti-pandemic spirit needs to be further highlighted. He hopes that students will learn and carry forward the valuable quality of the young people fighting COVID-19 who are fearless of difficulties and dangers, and have the courage to shoulder responsibilities, enhance the system’s self-confidence, and continue to take on their duties with the youth.

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Tongji’s Deputy Party Secretary XU Jianping

Five outstanding young people who participated in the fight against the pandemic in various ways were invited to the report meeting to share what they saw, heard, and felt on the front line, telling their touching stories of mutual support and joint efforts with their families, colleagues, patients, and volunteers to overcome the difficulties. They are: CHENG Kebin, Assistant Director Physician and Director of RICU of the Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, and Deputy Head of the third group of the first batch of Shanghai medical teams to assist Hubei in the North Third Ward (ICU) of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital; HUI Wei, Head Nurse of RICU of the Shanghai Tongji Hospital and Head of the nursing group of the first batch of Shanghai medical teams to assist Hubei in the North Third Ward of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital; HUANG Guoxin, Chief Pharmacist of the Shanghai East Hospital and Chief Pharmacist of the Fangcang Hospital (Mobile cabin hospital) transformed from China (Wuhan) Cultural Expo Center; WANG Yujia, Research Assistant of Prof. ZUO Wei’s team of Tongji’ School of Medicine; and WU Wenjie, an undergraduate of 2016 from the College of Architecture and Urban Planning and a representative of the “Tongji heroes in harm’s way” Back-end Assurance Commando. These five young heroes shared generously their themes of “Helping Hubei to fight against the pandemic and striving to be dreamers of the times,” “No country, no home!--Being the heroes in harm’s way,” “Memories in Wuhan’s Fangcang Hospital transformed from China (Wuhan) Cultural Expo Center,” “Students of the School of Medicine race against the clock to fight the pandemic by tackling problems in scientific research,” and “Tongji youths make concerted efforts to fight against the pandemic with warmth,” respectively.

“Remaining true to the original aspiration with courage and undertaking our mission with perseverance,” CHENG Kebin said, rhythmically and forcefully. On New Year’s Eve, he bade farewell to his wife and daughter and went with his colleagues on a mission to Wuhan. Lacking protective materials in a poor working environment, he did not fear the difficulties and dangers while rising to the challenge with sincere dedication. As a member of the China’s Communist Party, he dares to shoulder the responsibility and regards assisting Hubei to fight against COVID-19 as his mission; as a medical staff member, he is kind-hearted, considers saving lives, and helping the injured as his duty and; as a member of Tongji youth, he gives full play to his strengths and contributes it toward the fight against the pandemic.

CHENG Kebin demonstrating his understanding of life dreams

“No country, no home,” Head Nurse HUI said during an interview with CCTV reporters at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport before striding forward to Hubei Province. On New Year’s Eve, she set off for Hubei to fight against COVID-19 without any hesitation. During the anti-pandemic period, she became a full member of the Party. At the end of her speech, she said, “Having experienced the pandemic, I am more aware of the responsibility and mission on my shoulders. I will continue to stick to the benevolence of doctors and escort the health of the masses with the awe of life.”

HUI Wei giving an account of her fight against the pandemic

HUANG Guoxin was affectionately known as the “Pharmacist HUANG of the Shanghai East Hospital.” With the support of his wife who was about to give birth in early February, he volunteered to fight in Wuhan’s front line and came to the Fangcang makeshift Hospital to take charge of medicating 1,461 patients. He headed the Communist Youth League class of “Gathering the positive energy of youth and working together to fight against the pandemic,” which was held at Wuhan’s Fangcang Hospital and attended by about 200,000 young students online. He had taken on the virus bravely by putting himself in harm’s way. His benevolence and hard work have shown the very best of the medical profession, holding up the Fangcang Hospital’s hope and conveying the great love of helping each other.

HUANG Guoxin showing his respect for those at the frontline combating the pandemic

Technology is a powerful weapon in the fight against the pandemic. After the COVID-19 outbreak, WANG Yujia, a research assistant on Prof. ZUO’s team in the Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Tongji’ School of Medicine, said their team responded quickly, cooperated fully to race against time to compete with the virus in studying the initial mechanism of virus infection of human lung cells, and contribute to the fight against the pandemic. During the Spring Festival, their team was divided into two parts: (a) the students in the laboratory conducted experiments with instruments and viruses and (b) the students at home collected various types of information for data analysis. They made progress in less than a week and published their findings on BioRxiv, a publicly available preprint platform for scientific papers.

WANG Yujia telling her story of fighting against time in medical research

As a representative of the “Tongji heroes in harm’s way” Back-end Assurance Commando, WU Wenjie and six other students formed a “Tongji Study Group” to tutor the students affected by COVID-19. By the end of May, Tongji University had organized three youth commandos and 2,037 student volunteers, which accumulated a total of more than 17,000 hours of volunteer service pooling youth’s strength to win the battle of pandemic prevention and control.

WU Wenjie sharing her story as a student volunteer

“Salute those heroes in harm’s way!” The Tongji youths’ sharing made many students feel they had gained a lot, and they expressed their opinions in their Bilibili and WeChat Moments. SPSE students said with emotion the Tongji youth, with the feelings of jointing hands in the face of difficulties, had forged an impregnable “anti-pandemic wall” with their blood, sweat, and wisdom. After listening to the stories of the five young people who fought against COVID-19, JI Jiayi of the SMS was moved by their love for the motherland, their courage to fight against COVID-19, and their courage to shoulder responsibilities, expressing her heartfelt admiration: “Those heroes in harm’s way during the pandemic are gorgeous!” HAN Xiaoke, a student at the SCSE, said heroes don’t fall from the sky, and they are ordinary people who step to the forefront. Salute those heroes in harm’s way!

Speakers with leaders of the University

Source: https://news.tongji.edu.cn/info/1002/75262.htm