With a CGPA of 3.79, Mo Wuwei, a Class of 2022 graduate of Chemical Engineering and Technology, joined the University of California, Berkeley, as a Master’s student in Materials Science and Engineering.

Mo Wuwei fell in love with material science in his sophomore year. In the classroom of Materials Science for Chemical Engineering, Dr. Ong Wee Jun, an expert in nanomaterials and catalysis, exposed him to knowledge on cutting-edge materials, clean energy and carbon neutrality. 

“It is amazing! The materials will have completely different properties when tweaked at the nanoscale level,” exclaimed Mo Wuwei, “What touched me most are photocatalysis and electro-catalysis - I was told that if you apply a special material to a glass plate, it will be able to convert light into electricity.

“At that moment, I decided to delve into the sea of materials.”

Among tons of topics in material sciences, what interests Mo Wuwei most is new energy materials. Conventional fuels will run out one day, he thinks. Is it possible to invent a type of new and more effective energy to replace the old ones?

Starting from this single question, Mo Wuwei has built up his knowledge about materials science step by step. In year 4, he joined the team of Dr. Ong Wee Jun to work on his Final Year Project II.

In his Final Year Project II, he conducted the life cycle assessment of the carbon dioxide reduction process. Using simulation software, he tried the three processes driven by new energy and achieved satisfactory results.

As a veteran real-time strategy gamer, Mo Wuwei compared the process of scientific research with RTS:

“I completed phased targets just like achieving the primary/secondary/tertiary/objective in RTS, and finally the mission would be accomplished. All time and hardworking are worthwhile.”

Two months into his challenging study and new life, Mo Wuwei recalled the past 4 years with gratitude.

“It has developed my divergent thinking abilities, and the teaching method in the US is quite in line with that of XMUM. The experience of socializing with local and international students proved useful in helping me integrate into the community.”

Group Photo of 1809/09 Chemical Engineering Students and Dr. Yong Wai Fen

Currently, Mo Wuwei is busy with PhD applications and job seeking. He’s also waiting for his three papers completed in undergraduate time to be published, among which there is a literature review done with two other students - one from Malaysia, and one from China.

“Though we have graduated and are far apart from each other, we are still cooperating together. I believe our friendship will last forever,” he said with a smile.