On any given day, walk through the hallway on the second floor of the School of Science building, you will more likely than not see him.  

Arriving at 9 or 10 in the morning, he sits at a table next to the floor-to-ceiling window. Leaning forward, with his toned arms firmly pressed against the table, he pores over research papers and solves complex mathematical equations on his digital writing pad.

Occasionally, he pauses and leans back, deep in thought, his eyes staring out the window at the campus quad flanked by two identical dome-shaped structures.

Shortly after, he resumes what he was doing. 

This is how Jinyuan Ye, the 24-year-old doctoral student in physics, likes to spend a big part of his day.

“I try to put in at least a good five to six hours each day to my studies,” says Ye, who has just entered the second year of his doctoral studies in the Department of Physics at Westlake University.  

His research area is condensed matter physics. Under the mentorship of Chair Professor Congjun Wu, Ye is delving into the realm of quaternion in physics and working towards seeking a deeper understanding of the potential applications of quaternion.

Quaternion is a fascinating mathematical concept that extends beyond complex numbers, offering valuable insights and practical uses in various fields, including computer graphics, robotics, and 3D rotations. However, the applications of quaternions in physics have not been clearly explored yet.

“My supervisor, Prof. Wu, has done a great deal of research work in this area. I am building my research on the foundation of his work to further understand quaternion and explore new possibilities,” says Ye, who attended Wuhan University for undergraduate studies.  

Ye first came to Westlake University in 2021 as a summer camp participant. The three days he spent on campus that summer left a strong impression on him, motivating him to join Westlake.

“I had a chance to meet with my would-be supervisor. I was amazed at how simply he could explain complex physics concepts. What struck me even more was his way of using vivid examples to help us understand physics formulas,” he says, recalling his summer camp days.  

For Ye, pursuing a doctoral degree at Westlake has been more fruitful than he anticipated. Over the past year, he says, his grasp of physics has significantly deepened, he has been able to make some progress in his research, and he has continued to follow his passion for sports while forging new friendships along the way.

“I like to strike a healthy study-play balance. It has paid off very well for me,” says Ye.

As a sports enthusiast, he regularly takes part in various sports activities and competitions. At the 2022 Westlake University Games, he came out first in the 400m running race.

Besides being a runner, he is a paddleboard instructor for the Westlake Paddleboard Club. “When I was doing my undergraduate studies, I used to be part of a dragon boat team at my university. So, when I got here, I was invited to be one of the instructors for the club and I just couldn’t say no,” says he, who paddles along the canal on campus with his clubmates on weekends.

Badminton is another sport he is good at. As Hangzhou gets ready to host the 19th Asian Games later this month, he is quite excited about the international sports event. He says he will be closely following the badminton competition during the Games, among all the sports.

As he maps out the second year of his doctoral studies, he hopes to maintain his enthusiasm for both research and sports. In the distant future, he aims to pursue a career in academia and become a leading physicist.

Until then, he is determined to continue working towards his dreams.