On September 30, 2025, at noon, the grand opening ceremony for the freshmen of 2025 of the School of Optoelectronic Information and Energy Engineering (School of Mathematics and Physics) was held in the multi-functional lecture hall of the Fourth Teaching Building in Liufang Campus. Present at the ceremony were Chen Xiangbai, the dean of the School of Mathematics and Physics, Vice Deans Liao Qing, Li Yuanyuan and Qin Pingli, Zhong Fan, an outstanding alumnus of the Energy and Power Engineering major of the 2017 graduating class, Lu Yongxiong, the director of the Optoelectronics Department, Yan Yan, the director of the Big Data Teaching and Research Section, Yao Xingxing, the director of the Information and Computing Teaching and Research Section, Assistant Dean Ke Shaolin, and Feng Su, the director of the College Office. Teachers' representatives from the Energy and Power Engineering Teaching and Research Section, Yin Yong, were also in attendance. The freshmen's class advisors and all the counselors were invited to the ceremony, and all the freshmen of 2025 participated. The ceremony was presided over by counselor Pan Zimeng.

All the teachers and students stood up, their eyes solemn. The stirring melody of the national anthem flowed slowly. The teachers and students sang in unison, and the singing echoed in the venue, setting a solemn and enthusiastic tone for the entire ceremony.

President Chen Xiangbai, with the theme of "Chasing Light and Pursuing Dreams", had an in-depth exchange with the freshmen. He began by stating, "‘Understanding the Principles of Things and Seeking Truth through Diligent Practice’ is the spiritual core of every student of our university and also the action guide for exploring the mysteries of your major in the next four years. I hope that you will take the school motto as your guiding light, cherish your time in college, pursue your dreams, and grow into well-rounded talents in the field of science and technology in the new era, injecting youthful energy into the innovative development of the photovoltaic industry." President Chen elaborated on the essence of university life in line with the school motto: The foundation of a university lies in cultivating virtue and nurturing talents, which is the root of "understanding the principles of things" - only by distinguishing right from wrong and cultivating virtue can one adhere to the right path in research and establish a lofty pursuit of serving the country's energy industry; the key of a university lies in seeking knowledge and pursuing truth, which is the core of "exploring things" - in the field of scientific research, one must explore the essence of matter with a rigorous attitude and seek scientific truth from complex data; the responsibility of a university lies in leading the future, which is an extension of "seeking knowledge and practicing diligently" - one must not only accumulate solid knowledge but also transform theory into practice and become a pioneer in technological innovation.

Centering on the school motto, President Chen also put forward three requirements for the growth of freshmen: First, cultivate virtue and explore things, shaping character through "understanding principles" and strengthening the foundation through "exploring things" - nurturing a rigorous character in research, widely exploring disciplinary knowledge, deeply engaging in professional directions, and solidifying the foundation of cognition. Second, pursue truth and act with determination, solving problems through "acquiring knowledge" and practicing innovation through "acting with determination" - in the face of technical bottlenecks, apply accumulated knowledge to practice, explore with curiosity, create with enthusiasm, and overcome difficulties with perseverance to achieve breakthroughs from theory to technology. Third, aim high, enhancing cognition and strengthening abilities through the school motto - elevating cognitive levels through "exploring things and understanding principles", tempering practical abilities through "acquiring knowledge and acting with determination", breaking through oneself through hard work, and realizing personal value in scientific development.

Outstanding alumnus Zhong Fan keenly captured the pulse of the times and founded Hangzhou Yangfan Network Technology. He has made waves in the golden race of e-commerce and live streaming, creating a remarkable business legend. In the face of the rapid changes in the industry, he resolutely turned to the promising field of health and wellness, and now, with a forward-looking vision, he has ventured into the highly sought-after AGI field. As an executive of several artificial intelligence companies, he is charting the future at the cutting edge of technology. Zhong Fan's profound insight that "AI is the core asset of the era" has been both thought-provoking and inspiring, encouraging his fellow students to take the lead and dive into the AI wave.

Zhang Tianxiong, a senior student from the Advanced Optics 1 class of the 2023 grade, as a student leader, led the College Organization Department to forge ahead with determination and fulfill their duties solidly. With his outstanding organizational and execution skills, he contributed to the department's winning of the title of "Outstanding Department of the Year". As a volunteer pioneer, he joined the "Optical Enabler" volunteer service team of the college with enthusiasm and went to Yichang, Hubei Province to engage in practical activities, allowing his youth to shine in the journey of serving the society. On the path of professional deepening, he focused on the cutting-edge of the optoelectronic discipline and, with tenacious will, participated in national-level competitions such as "Chuangqingchun" and "Challenge Cup" one after another. In the process of overcoming one technical difficulty after another, he continuously deepened his understanding and love for the discipline. In his sharing, Zhang Tianxiong emotionally expressed that university is a vast field that allows for trial and error and encourages exploration. He also sincerely encouraged his classmates to bravely take on responsibilities in volunteer services, hone their skills in discipline competitions, and grow their abilities in student work, so as not to waste their youth and strive to become the person they most admire in their hearts.

Wang Jing, a freshman from Class 1 of Data Science and Big Data Technology, 2025 grade, delivered a speech on behalf of the freshmen. She emphasized the significance of each major in the era of data-driven and intelligence-led development. She mentioned the mission of the college to stand at the forefront of science and technology, and called on students to break down disciplinary barriers and cultivate the ability of lifelong learning. Finally, she encouraged everyone with the four hearts of empathy, tenacity, reverence, and patriotism, vowing to pursue their dreams on the fertile ground of the university, add new luster to the glory of the college with their enterprising spirit, and write the footnotes of the times with their hard work, becoming the pride of the school.

Zhou Siyu, a student of the Big Data Technology and Engineering major of the 2025 grade, spoke as a representative of the postgraduate students. She first reviewed her four-year undergraduate exploration journey from extensive attempts to focusing on her goals, and then shared her plans for the master's stage - she intends to consolidate her professional foundation through reading literature and regular communication with her supervisor. Finally, she encouraged the postgraduate students to confront research bottlenecks head-on, actively communicate, and embrace new beginnings in the School of Optoelectronics, Mathematics and Physics, reaping growth and passion.

Xu Shusen, the deputy secretary of the Youth League Committee of the college, read out the list of the 20th "Top Ten Stars of Science". The medals of the "Top Ten Stars of Science" carry the deep recognition of the college leaders for the students' diligence and pursuit of excellence. Then, the attending leaders and outstanding graduate Zhong Fan solemnly presented the awards to the honored students. In a solemn yet warm atmosphere, enthusiastic applause rang out for the science students, filled with cheers for them.

Subsequently, Xia Wenxi, the representative of the "Top Ten Stars of Science", took the stage to share his insights, illuminating the growth journey of the students present with three profound realizations. First, "Fear not what you don't know, but fear not learning." Facing the unknown in the realm of knowledge, he advocated discarding the hesitant and observing attitude, taking "practical action first" as the key to breaking through, and conquering cognitive barriers through hands-on exploration. Second, "Fear not going alone, but fear losing yourself." Amid the wave of diversified development, he emphasized maintaining inner stability and clear, independent judgment, and pointed out that "the sense of achievement brought by self-discipline far outweighs the fleeting applause from the outside world," clarifying the core value of inner growth for the students. Third, "Fear not fruitlessness, but fear of not being brave." When it comes to life choices, he encouraged everyone to break free from the shackles of excessive self-limitation, and embrace opportunities with the attitude of "being brave to step into the fray," because "opportunities always favor those who dare to venture and try."

At the end of the ceremony, all the teachers and students sang the "School Song of Wuhan Institute of Technology" together.